KAROL EXITS LONDON

London Lions have parted ways with head coach Mariusz Karol after less than half a season, MVP can exclusively reveal.

Club owner Vince Macaulay will take over for the rest of the campaign as the capital outfit attempt to convert undoubted talent into results.

“It really came down to results over the last 5-6 games,” he said. “And the mood in the camp was not conducive to getting results.”

Karol arrived last summer with a mixed reputation in his native Poland and team sources cited confusion over his approach as early as pre-season.

Although London have achieved some significant victories, their BBL Cup semi-final loss to Cheshire was a head-scratcher that ultimately proved enough to push him to the brink.

“I guess we got the hiring wrong,” added Macaulay. “We have a talented squad and maybe that papered over some of the cracks. Lately, I’d been paying more attention to what was going on, we had discussions and I felt a change needed to be made.

“But we wanted to try something new and bring in European experience. That’s the main reason we didn’t bring back Nigel Lloyd – because he wasn’t in a position to work full-time with the team.”

The Lions host Sheffield Sharks on Sunday.

In a statement, Karol said: “I am disappointed in the results during the last month and I would have liked to have continued to prove myself till the end of the season, but I understand this team was put together to win and I haven’t yet achieved the goals set by the club for the coming season.

“I wish the guys and the club all the best for the season and every success in the future.”