Kaiser Chiefs sack coach Ernst Middendorp

Kaizer Chiefs have appointed Kosta Papic as caretaker coach following the dismissal of Ernst Middendorp.

The German coach was fired on Monday after Chiefs' 2-1 weekend defeat at home to bottom team AmaZulu in the Premier League.

Under Middendorp's guidance, Chiefs dropped out out of the title race and lost in the first round of the national cup as well.

"Papic will fill the void left by Middendorp and will be Chiefs head coach for the next three months," the club said in a statement.

Papic was formerly in charge of Chiefs' arch-rivals Orlando Pirates.

His new side, who have won the South African league 11 times, currently languish in seventh place in the table.

Chiefs, who won back-to-back titles in 2004 and 2005, had been pre-season title favourites but have lost their last four games.

Frustration among fans of the Soweto-based team has boiled over on a number of occasions this season, with the club twice being ordered to play behind closed doors after parts of the stadium were set alight.

Middendorp joined Chiefs after they won two successive league titles but last season they could only manage third place, seven points behind current champions Mamelodi Sundowns.