Baghdad, Nov 30 (IANS) The Iraqi Football Association (IFA) is seeking a replacement after the sacking of national team coach Hakim Shakir following their disappointing results in the 22nd Gulf Cup.
“The Association decided to sack the coach of national team Hakim Shakir after the majority of the members of national team’s panel voted in dismissing him in a meeting late Saturday,” al-Zaman newspaper quoted Ali Jabbar, the deputy head of the IFA, as saying Sunday, reports Xinhua.
“There is an intention in the IFA to contract a foreign coach over the next few days to take over the training of the national team for the AFC Asian Cup which will be held early in 2015 in Australia,” Jabbar said.
He said the IFA has not decided yet about the name of the new coach, but said that deliberations were under way.
The IFA decision came after many former coaches and media criticised Shakir as Iraq finished bottom of their group at the Gulf Cup, which included Kuwait, Oman and United Arab Emirates.
