XtraTime Web Desk: Argentina Football Association (AFA) has reached in a mutual financial agreement with Jorge Sampaoli as he will leave his job as the head coach of Argentina Football team.
Sampaoli was criticized for Argentina’s poor performance in the World Cup where they won only one out of four games and his decisions during the games were under scanner.
A coach with a fine track record in South American club football, Sampaoli guided Chile to Copa America success and then did well in La Liga before taking over the national team of his home nation but a disastrous campaign and a governing body that continue to be one of the worst-run in world football have combined to necessitate his exit.
Sampaoli is keen to find a new job as soon as possible and was willing to remain in his post until at least the Copa America in 2019 but senior figures at the AFA made clear that this was not an option, despite there being a train of thought that he may be better-suited to the impending rebuild than any other coach.
Already in a financial hole, the AFA have got off lightly with Sampaoli’s departure after negotiations saw him accept just over £1m compensation for his contract that was slated to run until 2022, a significant discount on the £7.8m he could have held out for.
Argentina now face the task of finding a new coach willing to work with one of global football’s most inept federations and are expected to target lower-cost, domestic candidates like Marcelo Gallardo, manager of River Plate.
Jose Pekerman, who took Colombia to the World Cup knockout rounds, has been linked with a role overseeing the country’s crumbling youth setup.