Governing Bodies
Finally, Brazil open door to breaking foreign coach taboo
More than two decades since their last World Cup triumph and without a local consensus pick, Brazil are considering breaking an unwritten taboo – hiring a foreign coach.
After six years in the job, Tite left the Brazil post in December following the Selecao’s World Cup quarter-final exit against Croatia.
Despite knowing for some time before the Qatar showpiece that Tite was leaving, Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) president Ednaldo Rodrigues still has not found a replacement.
Now he is widening his search. “We have no nationality prejudices,” he said earlier in January.
“We want it to be a respected coach who can bring a level of play worthy of the athletes. We want to do what Brazil have always tried to do – to be very attacking.”
Apart from England, who hired Swede Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello of Italy in the 2000s, almost no other major footballing nation has had a foreign coach in decades.
Brazil’s World Cup drought – stretching back to their dazzling triumph in 2002 with a three-pronged attack comprised of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo – has forced the record five-time world champions to cast the net farther afield. There are potential Brazilian candidates, but none have garnered widespread support.
“We have good quality, but before we used to produce more coaches than now,” Luiz Felipe Scolari, the 2002 title-winning coach, said recently.
“The new generation… haven’t won enough trophies.”
The Brazilian press have been proposing numerous possible foreign candidates – Spaniards Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique, Italy’s Carlo Ancelotti, Frenchman Zinedine Zidane, Jose Mourinho of Portugal and even Argentinians Marcelo Gallardo and Mauricio Pochettino.
Manchester City’s Guardiola and Ancelotti of Real Madrid have both ruled themselves out, although the former did say a couple of years ago that he fancied leading a national team when he leaves the English champions.
“Since the end of last year, I think I’ve heard 26 names. We will go after some of them,” said Rodrigues, who hopes to have the new man in place by March.
But it is not easy hiring a world-class coach when top European clubs can pay such inflated wages and offer the chance to compete for the Champions League or national titles.
It is also not easy to convince Brazilian fans to accept a “gringo” in charge of the Selecao.
A poll in December found 48 per cent were against the idea, with only 41 per cent in favour.
“In Brazil there is one idea – we have the best football in the world, so we don’t need a foreign coach telling us how to play,” said historian and editor of sports website Ludopedio, Victor Figols.
“Us, who know how to develop great players, who in part created dribbling, the way to play the Beautiful Game.”
–AFP
The president of the Confédération of African Football, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, has announced five new CAF Vice Presidents. They are:
- CAF First Vice President: Mr Fouzi Lekjaa (Morocco)
- CAF Second Vice President: Mr Kurt Okraku (Ghana)
- CAF Third Vice President: Mr Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
- CAF Fourth Vice President: Ms Bestine Kazadi Ditabala (Democratic Republic of Congo)
- CAF Fifth Vice President: Mr Feizal Sidat (Mozambique)
In addition, the CAF President has co-opted Yacine Idriss Diallo, President of Fédération Ivoirienne de football, into the CAF Executive Committee.
The CAF Executive Committee also approved the names to fill vacant positions on several CAF Committees.
Organising Committee for the African Nations Championship (CHAN)
- President: Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
CAF Technical and Development Committee
- President: Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
- Vice President: Malouche Belhassen (Tunisia)
CAF Medical Committee:
- President: Dr. Mohammed Bouya (Mauritania)
- Vice President: Dr. Thulani Ngwenya (South Africa)
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Governing Bodies
Nigeria becoming an epicentre of global badminton as Francis Orbih enters the Badminton World Federation Council
Laurels on the courts and now glory in the boardroom sums up the mark that badminton is making in Nigeria.
The President, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, has been elected as a council member of the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
The election took place during the BWF Annual General Meeting on Saturday in Xiamen, China.
Orbih emerged victorious over top contenders from other African countries.
He will join Cameroon’s Odette Assembe Engoulou on the council, while Chipo Zumburani (Zimbabwe) and Hadia ElSaid (Egypt) missed out.
An elated Orbih expressed his gratitude to fellow badminton presidents across the globe for their trust and support.
He said, “I am deeply honoured by the trust placed in me by my peers across the badminton world.
“I look forward to quality representation, driving development initiatives, and strengthening badminton’s global reach over the next four years.”
Orbih also acknowledged the support of the Federal Government of Nigeria, particularly the National Sports Commission (NSC), which he said played a significant role in his successful bid.
“The Chairman and the Director General of the NSC monitored the entire process. I’m grateful for their involvement and confident Nigeria will benefit from this,” he stated.
He further appreciated the BFN board members and the Nigerian badminton community for their prayers and continued belief in his leadership.
“From the day I declared my intentions, the board members of BFN have been supportive, and I promise not to disappoint them,” Orbih concluded.
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A former member of the FIFA Council, Mamoutou Toure, has been released from jail in Mali after almost two years in detention for alleged corruption, Malian media reports said on Wednesday.
Toure, president of the Malian Football Federation since 2019, was released after 622 days in prison on Tuesday.
He served on the FIFA Council, world football’s all-powerful decision-making body, for four years until last month when he lost his seat after failing to contest new elections.
The 67-year-old was arrested in August 2023 on allegations of embezzling $28 million of public funds but was granted a provisional release order by the Malian courts, reports said.
He was accused of misconduct during his time as the National Assembly’s financial and administrative director from 2013-2019.
Toure denied all charges and, during his time in jail, was last August re-elected as Malian Football Federation president for a second consecutive term, with his supporters claiming he was a victim of a conspiracy fuelled by detractors.
While in jail, he received a letter of support from FIFA president Gianni Infantino. However, as of last month, Toure is no longer a member of the FIFA Council or the Confederation of African Football’s executive committee.
-Reuters
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