Claude Makelele has reportedly left his managerial post at Greek side Asteras Tripolis after less than a month in charge.
The legendary Chelsea midfielder was announced as the club’s new head coach on September 14 and made an instant impact.
Asteras Tripolis drew the opening two games of his tenure before beating Kallithea 3-1 on Sunday to extend their unbeaten run.
However, Foot Mercato have reported that Makelele has decided to bring call an early end to the third manager job of his career.
It is said that decisions on the game system and players made by Asteras Tripolis’ internal management made his job ‘impossible’.
The report also claims that if Makelele was able to ‘impose his choices’ in their win over Kallithea, which included playing young star Darnell Eric Bile, he knew he would ‘not be able to do so afterwards’.
Makelele is ‘grateful’ for the opportunity at Asteras Tripolis, who sit seventh in Super League Greece, and will return to France in the next few days.
The 51-year-old will now look for a new opportunity in management, with his coaching career following huge success as a player.
After starting out at Nantes, Makelele had spells at Marseille and Celta Vigo before signing for European giants Real Madrid.
Makelele’s three-year spell caught the eye of Chelsea in 2003 and they signed him in a £16.8million move.
It was at Stamford Bridge where the midfielder impressed so much that the footballing term of ‘the Makelele role’ was born.
The Frenchman was part of two Premier League title winning squads at the Blues, with FA Cup and League Cup success also coming his way.
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Makelele then signed for Paris Saint-Germain in 2008 and spent three years at the French giants before retirement.
He remained at the club though by becoming assistant to Carlo Ancelotti before being appointed as the head coach at Bastia.
The former midfielder left after less than six months and had three years out of the game, returning as an assistant at Swansea City.
Makelele’s next role came in Belgium with Eupen before returning to Chelsea as a youth coach and technical mentor.
He departed last summer by mutual decision, with the opportunity at Asteras Tripolis coming a year later.
