German side 1860 Munich Chair Ian Ayre revealed he departed his post "for off-field issues, citing in-fighting with shareholders as a primary cause," according to Kristian Walsh of the LIVERPOOL ECHO. The former Liverpool CEO left his post in Germany "just eight weeks after starting," on the morning of its relegation playoff with Jahn Regensburg. Ayre, who left his role at Anfield in February, "claimed the club could not move forward while the squabbling between shareholders continued." He said, "Unfortunately, during my short eight week tenure I have found an organization in which the shareholders are not aligned in a common interest, nor have a shared vision for the future of the club. ... I have said in the past that Hasan Ismaik (club chair) is hugely passionate about this club and has invested heavily to make it a success. However, this investment will not bear fruit unless all shareholders align behind shared objectives for the future with respect for each other. Currently this is not the case." Ayre believes the size of the club and the support was "incredible" (LIVERPOOL ECHO, 5/31).
RELEGATED: The BBC reported 10 police officers were "injured" as 1860 Munich was relegated to Germany's third tier "in a game held up by crowd trouble." The playoff was "poised at 1-1 after the first leg" but 1860 Munich conceded twice in the first half of the second leg and went down. Play was suspended for "around 15 minutes" and police said that 10 officers had been "slightly injured" due to trouble (BBC, 5/30).
