World Cup coaches, who's staying, who's leaving
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Jul 25, 2014
The future of three more World Cup coaches with their teams is still up in the air:
-- Alejandro Sabella was still not certain about his future following a meeting with Argentine federation president Julio Grondona, who would like Sabella to stay on and insisted he has no "Plan B."
-- Jose Pekerman announced this week he was taking a leave of absence as Colombia's head coach. His future will be decided during talks that take place in early December.
-- Following Nigeria's exit from the World Cup in the round of 16, it was widely reported that Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi had resigned, but he dismissed the reports, saying, "Resignations are not done on the pages of newspapers, but formally." That proved to be prophetic as he is talking with the Nigerian Football Federation about renewing his contract.
Another coach still in charge to the surprise of many is Hong Myung-bo following South Korea's poor showing in Brazil. Of the 17 coaches still in charge, nine coached teams that did not survive the first round.
Three coaches have already found new jobs, and the future of a fourth could be known on Saturday. That's when South Africa will name its new coach. The South African media have reported that Carlos Queiroz will return to coach the Bafana Bafana for a second time, though the Iranian federation is making a late bid to convince him to return as the boss of Team Melli.
2014 World Cup Coaches:
PLANNED CHANGE:
Greece Fernando Santos, contract ended.
Replacement: Claudio Ranieri.
Netherlands Louis van Gaal, resigned, now Man United manager.
Replacement: Guus Hiddink.
Switzerland Ottmar Hitzfeld retired.
Replacement: Vladimir Petkovic.
POST-WORLD CUP CHANGE:
Algeria Vahid Halilhodzic, resigned, now Trabzonspor coach.
Brazil Luiz Felipe Scolari resigned.
Replacement: Dunga
Costa Rica Jorge Luis Pinto, resigned.
Ecuador Reinaldo Rueda, resigned.
Replacement (short term): Sixto Vizuete.
Honduras Luis Fernando Suarez, resigned.
Iran Carlos Queiroz, resigned.
Italy Cesare Prandelli, resigned, now Galatasaray coach.
Ivory Coast Sabri Lamouchi, resigned.
Japan Alberto Zaccheroni, resigned.
Replacement: Javier Aguirre.
IN LIMBO:
Argentina Alejandro Sabella.
Nigeria Stephen Keshi.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE:
Colombia Jose Pekerman.
STILL IN CHARGE:
Australia Ange Postecoglou
Belgium Marc Wilmots.
Bosnia & Herzegovina Safet Susic
Cameroon Volker Finke
Chile Jorge Sampaoli
Croatia Niko Kovac
England Roy Hodgson
Germany Joachim Loew
Ghana James Kwesi Appiah
France Didier Deschamps.
Mexico Miguel Herrera
Portugal Paulo Bento
Russia Fabio Capello
South Korea Hong Myung-bo
Spain Vicente del Bosque
Uruguay Oscar Tabarez
USA Juergen Klinsmann
I am surprised that Volker Finke is still with Cameroon. I would expect that to change soon.