International Football
Randy Waldrum: We recognise the strengths of Cote d’Ivoire
Nigeria women’s coach Randy Waldrum has admitted knowledge of Cote d’Ivoire’s strengths ahead of the final qualifying round for this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco as his side are preparing for Friday’s first leg game in Abuja.
The Super Falcons are eyeing a 12th consecutive appearance at this year’s continental showpiece but must avoid another upset against the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire, who dumped them out of Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifier in 2019.
Since 2015, the Nigerians are yet to record an outright win in the last five meetings with the Ivorians, but the American tactician is unperturbed as he is motivated by his team’s mood and depth ahead of their first leg this week.
“The spirit in the camp is very high and positive. The players have been looking forward to these matches for some time now and their professionalism has been fantastic,” Waldrum told CAFOnline.com.
“I think we have a good understanding of Cote d’Ivoire and their current side. I’m not big on past history as that is why they call it history. The previous matches have no bearing on this one.
“We recognize the strengths of our opponents and will be prepared for that. Obviously, it’s vitally important to our goals of achieving another FIFA Women’s World Cup berth. Playing the first match at home is important as well to get on the front foot in everything we do.”
Nigeria’s only triumph over the Ivorians in the last five ties came via a penalty shootout after Uchenna Kanu’s late finish cancelled Ange N’Guessan’s opener in the 2019 WAFU Cup final in Abidjan.
Clementine Toure will be banking on the experience of former Barcelona and Tenerife star N’Guessan, while Waldrum is looking up to his array of talents to snatch the vital WAFCON ticket.
“She (Ange N’Guessan) is a good player along with a few others. Having said that our results will depend on the performance of our players,” the former Trinidad and Tobago boss continued.
“We have some talents in our team as well. We also understand how they will try to play against us, and the physical component is one part of it. We will cope with this well and as I said before controlling the game can eliminate some of those issues.”
In October, the African champions advanced on a 2-1 aggregate win over Ghana despite a 1-0 second-leg loss in Accra, which marked their first-ever defeat in the history of the WAFCON qualifiers.
On the historic loss, the 65-year-old gaffer reflected on the misadventure against the Black Queens in Accra but is upbeat they can put up an improved display against the Ivorians.
“Ghana were a very good side and getting past them was one hurdle. We didn’t control the game against Ghana as well as we should apart from the first half of the home leg,” he admitted.
“As I said before, getting past Cote d’Ivoire means we continue on our goal of achieving the Women’s World Cup qualification. So, we must do a better job of this against Cote d’Ivoire.
“Also it always comes down to the players and who is available. Right now we are in a pretty good place with that.”
Nigeria will be at home in the first leg against the Ivorians at the MKO Abiola National Stadium Abuja on February 18 before travelling for the decisive return leg in Abidjan on February 23.
-Cafonline
International Football
Former Brazil coach Tite taking break to take care of mental, physical health
Former Brazil coach Tite said he is taking an indefinite career break in order to take care of his mental and physical health.
The 63-year-old, who led Brazil to the 2019 Copa America title, was hospitalised due to a heart issue last August. He was sacked by Flamengo the following month and had most recently been linked with the Corinthians job.
“I realised that there are times when you have to understand that, as a human being, I can be vulnerable and admitting that will certainly make me stronger,” Tite said in a statement posted on his son Matheus Bachi’s Instagram on Tuesday.
“I’m passionate about what I do and I’ll continue to be so, but after talking to my family and observing the signals my body was giving off, I decided that the best thing to do now is to take a break from my career to look after myself for as long as it takes.
“As has become public, there was a conversation in progress with Corinthians, but it will have to be paralysed by a difficult but necessary decision.”
Tite, who stepped down as Brazil coach after their quarter-final exit from the 2022 World Cup, has previously coached a string of Brazilian sides including Gremio, Atletico Mineiro and Palmeiras.
-Reuters
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Brazil have sacked head coach Dorival Jr, the country’s football confederation (CBF) said on Friday after the five-time world champions were thrashed 4-1 away to fierce rivals Argentina in a humiliating qualifying loss in Buenos Aires.
The 62-year-old was appointed in January 2024 after the team spent a year under two caretaker coaches as the Brazilian FA were unable to lure Italian Carlo Ancelotti from Real Madrid.
“The Brazilian Football Confederation informs that coach Dorival Jr is no longer in charge of the Brazilian national team,” the confederation said in a statement.
“The management thanks (Dorival) and wishes him success in continuing his career … the CBF will work to find his replacement,” it added.
Dorival was handed the job after his success with Flamengo in 2022 where he won the Copa Libertadores and Brazilian Cup, a trophy he lifted again the next year with Sao Paulo.
However, he never seemed to get to grips with the national team job and failed to earn the trust of Brazil’s demanding fans after winning only seven of his 16 games in charge.
Sources told Reuters the CBF was not confident in Dorival’s work, considering there had been little to no progress since a lacklustre Copa America campaign when Brazil were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Uruguay last year.
Still, the CBF was willing to wait and see until the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in June to reassess the situation following the end of the European season and the Club World Cup in the U.S. in June and July.
But after Brazil slumped to their heaviest-ever loss in a qualifier when they were thrashed by Argentina this week, CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues decided to pull the trigger.
IDEAL CANDIDATE
Sources told Reuters Ancelotti was still the ideal candidate but he is under contract with Real until July 2026 and there is no indication he would leave the European and Spanish champions.
Brazilian media have reported that Al Hilal’s Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus is the favourite to replace Dorival.
Brazil have been in unfamiliar territory for over two years since crashing out of the 2022 World Cup against Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals, a heartbreaking elimination that led to the exit of long-time manager Tite.
Their humbling defeat in Buenos Aires was the latest of a series of negative records Brazil have set under caretakers Ramon Menezes and Fernando Diniz and with Dorival in charge. They had never conceded four goals in a World Cup qualifier.
Brazil are in the midst of their worst-ever World Cup qualifying campaign. They are fourth in the South American standings with 21 points, a point above sixth-placed Colombia who currently occupy the final direct qualifying berth.
Never have Brazil lost so many games, conceded so many goals or set so many negative records in the qualifying competition. They have lost five of their 14 games and conceded 16 goals.
Brazil’s 1-0 defeat by Argentina in the Maracana late in 2023 was their first-ever qualifying loss on home soil.
They also lost to Colombia for the first time, saw the end of their unbeaten run against Uruguay stretching back over two decades and were defeated by Morocco and Senegal, having never previously lost to an African nation.
-Reuters
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International Football
England’s German manager Tuchel will not sing the English anthem in his first game
England manager Thomas Tuchel said he would have to “earn the right” to sing the national anthem, God Save the King, after announcing his 26-man squad on Friday ahead of the team’s World Cup qualifiers.
Tuchel, who was appointed as Gareth Southgate’s successor in October and named his first squad to face Albania and Latvia this month, said he would not sing the anthem in his first games in charge.
“It means a lot to me, I can assure you, but I can feel that because it is so meaningful and it is so emotional and it is so powerful, the national anthem, that I have to earn my right to sing it,” the 51-year-old German told a news conference.
Former caretaker manager Lee Carsley was criticised last year for not singing the anthem during his tenure.
However, Tuchel added that while he is proud to be in charge of the team and knows the words to the anthem, he plans to earn the right with results.
“Maybe I have to dive more into the culture and earn my right from you, from the players, from the supporters, so everyone feels like ‘he should sing it now, he’s one of our own, he’s the English manager, he should sing it’,” he said.
-Reuters
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