Saudis ditch Ricardo over delayed start
Reuters - Tuesday 21 June 2011, 07:03
KUALA LUMPUR - Frustrated Saudi Arabia
football bosses have terminated the contract of Ricardo Gomes
before the Brazilian had even started work as coach of the
national side.
The abrupt U-turn comes after a falling out over the
starting date for the 46-year-old Vasco da Gama coach, the Asian
Football Confederation (AFC) said on Tuesday.
Last week, Saudi football officials said Ricardo would be
unveiled as the country's new coach, but problems arose when he
requested a delay on his arrival in the Middle East to honour
the terms of his deal with Vasco.
The Saudis tore up Ricardo's contract, reportedly a
three-year deal worth $9 million and handed the job to his
compatriot Morris Lorinzo, coach of the country's under-20 side,
the AFC said on their website.
The national side have been rudderless since their
humiliating first-round exit at the Asian Cup in January and are
anxious to recruit an experienced manager with the 2014 World
Cup qualifiers beginning in September.
Ricardo has coached at club level in Saudi Arabia and had
spells in France with Bordeaux, Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco,
as well as Brazil's Sao Paulo and Vasco.