Angola fires coach

  1. Posted on Sunday 19 April 2009 - 08:08
    Sam Banda Junior
    Image of Sam Banda Junior
    Sam Banda Jnr, AfricaNews reporter in Blantyre, Malawi
    The coach of the Angolan national football side, popularly known as Palancas Negras, Mabi de Almeida, has been sacked after what was described as the national team's recent poor performance. Almeida has been fired after just seven months in charge of the side which hosts the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations.
    angola_squad
    Fans interviewed in the streets of the rich southern African side described the move as positive.

    “The team has been performing badly oflate and yet we are looking ahead to hosting the 2010 African Cup of Nations. We need another coach,” said one of the fans, according to the BBC.

    Another fan also said that the sacking of Almeida was a welcome development noting that losing friendly games to teams like Namibia was painful.

    “Of course they were friendlies but we need to produce a better team and do well in the 2010 Africa Cup. It’s too late but let’s see something new.”

    The coach is said to have been fired during a news conference in the capital, Luanda despite assurances that he would remain as coach.

    President of the Angolan Football Federation Justino Fernandes, said deputy coach Zeca Amaral will take temporary charge of the national side.

    Since Almeida took control of the team, he is said to have drawn with Venezuela and beaten by Mali, Cape Verde and Morocco.

    Almeida took over as coach for Angola in October last year after the departure of Luis Goncalves, who took Angola to its first World Cup in Germany 2006.

    Angola national team is under pressure to improve its performance to avoid home embarrassment in January.

    The team failed to make it through to the last round of the 2010 World Cup set to take place in South Africa.

    A permanent coach for Angola will be appointed in due course.

    However reports indicate that the rich oil country would engage the services former Brazil, Portugal and Chelsea coach Felipe Scolari.

    Angola has of late made a tremendous stride in football and development of structures despite experiencing a long spell of a civil war.

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