Chivas fires Arellano after 17 days as manager

MEXICO CITY (AP) -Omar Arellano was fired by Chivas Guadalajara and replaced by Francisco "Paco'' Ramirez on Thursday, only 17 days after Arellano took the job.

Arellano replaced Efrain Flores on March 30 and led the club for three matches: a 1-0 win over San Luis and 2-2 draw against Atlante in the Mexican Clausura, and a scoreless draw against Argentina's Lanus on Tuesday in the Copa Libertadores.

"We decided to give the manager job to Francisco Ramirez,'' Chivas owner Jorge Vergara said at a news conference. "We know that it might be hard for some of you to understand the change before a classic, but we were not in good shape in football terms, so we needed a change.''

Chivas plays America in the national classic on Sunday in the Clausura.

"We need to get a win no matter what. We have a superior team,'' Vergara said. "(The firing) was not because of a bad result. Even with a win over Lanus, Omar would have lost his job.''

Ramirez was the top assistant under national coach Ricardo La Volpe at the 2006 World Cup, and held the same position under the recently fired Sven-Goran Eriksson. Ramirez will manage a top-level Mexican club for the first time.

Chivas was ninth in the Clausura standings with 16 points. It was second in its group in the Copa Libertadores, with the decisive qualifier April 29 against Chile's Everton.