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Ex-Spain boss Vilda named new Morocco women’s coach

Jorge Vilda was named as the new coach of the Morocco women's national team on Thursday, weeks after being sacked as Spain boss following their World Cup triumph and the Luis Rubiales kiss scandal.

Ex-Spain boss Vilda named new Morocco women's coach
Spain's former head coach Jorge Vilda looks on during a training session at Stadium Australia in Sydney on August 19, 2023 on the eve of the Women's World Cup final. Photo: FRANCK FIFE/AFP.

Spain won their maiden women’s World Cup title by beating England in the final in Sydney despite missing several players who went on strike over Vilda’s training methods and tactics.

Vilda was seen as an ally of former Spanish football federation president Rubiales, who has been accused by public prosecutors of sexual assault and coercion for giving Jenni Hermoso an unsolicited kiss on the lips during the post-World Cup final awards ceremony.

But Morocco have named Vilda as successor to Frenchman Reynald Pedros, who took the team to the World Cup knockout stage on their tournament debut.

“The Royal Moroccan football federation has secured the services of Spanish coach Jorge Vilda Rodriguez to train the national women’s team,” the FRMF said in a statement.

Vilda was sacked by Spain after all of his World Cup-winning players said they would not play international football again until he left.

Earlier this week, Vilda denied pressuring midfielder Hermoso to downplay the kiss from Rubiales during questioning in court.

Vilda was also criticised for being excessively “controlling” by his former Spain players.

Spanish reports said he checked players’ shopping bags and made the squad leave their bedroom doors open during team training camps to make sure the players were still there in the evenings.

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CORRUPTION

World Cup winner Del Bosque to watch over Spain’s scandal-hit federation

Former Spain coach Vicente del Bosque will lead the committee overseeing the country's trouble-ridden football federation, the Spanish government said Tuesday.

World Cup winner Del Bosque to watch over Spain's scandal-hit federation

The retired 73-year-old led La Roja to the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championship titles, as well as taking Real Madrid to two Champions League triumphs.

“I’m proud to announce that the person presiding over the committee and representing it… is Vicente del Bosque,” said Pilar Alegría, the minister for Education and Sports.

“Del Bosque will be the face and representation of Spanish football.”

Last week Spain’s National Sports Council (CSD) created a committee to “oversee” the federation (RFEF) and try to pull it out of crisis.

Former president Luis Rubiales resigned in disgrace after forcibly kissing Women’s World Cup star Jenni Hermoso last year, while he and new president Pedro Rocha are under investigation in a graft probe.

“I believe that (Del Bosque) is the clearest representation of a good person of great human quality and, above all, an example of honesty and respect,” added Alegría.

The RFEF took decisions “beyond its remit” after Rubiales stepped down in December according to a report from the country’s leading sports court, resulting in the CSD creating the committee.

World and European football governing bodies FIFA and UEFA subsequently issued a statement expressing “great concern” at the situation around the RFEF.

“FIFA and UEFA will seek additional information to assess the extent to which the CSD’s appointment (of the committee) … may affect the RFEF’s obligation to manage its affairs independently and without undue government interference,” they said.

Spain is due to host the 2030 World Cup along with Portugal and Morocco.

The court report on the RFEF interim committee overstepping its bounds also raised the possibility the CSD may provisionally suspend Rocha, who was elected as Rubiales’ replacement on Friday, and other RFEF directors.

A CSD meeting Tuesday over potential punishments for these alleged infringements was put on hold after the sports court asked for more documentation, CSD sources told AFP.

The sources said the CSD plans to meet again in the coming days.

One decision allegedly beyond the remit of the RFEF was the renewal of current Spain coach Luis de la Fuente’s contract in February.

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