Agencies/Doha
Qatar has fired coach Paulo Autuori after the team crashed out of the Gulf Cup after winning just one match.
The Qatar Football Association announced yesterday that Autuori’s assistant Fahad Thani will take charge on a permanent basis.
Autuori, who coached Peru and Sao Paulo among clubs in his native Brazil, was Qatar’s third coach in three years.
Thani’s immediate task will be guiding Qatar to the 2014 World Cup. The team is tied with two others in second place in Asia Group A and plays South Korea next on March 26. Qatar, which is hosting the 2022 World Cup, has never qualified for the World Cup and is under pressure to improve its performance.
The Brazilian took charge of the team last February from his compatriot Sebastiao Lazaroni.
HE Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmad al-Thani, President of the Qatar Football Association, thanked Paulo Autuori for his effort: “We thank Mr Autuori for the commitment he has shown towards the development of the National Team and football in Qatar. We wish him every success in his future endeavors.”
Furthermore, the Qatar Football Association announces the appointment of Qatari coach, Fahad Thani, Paulo Autuori’s Assistant, as coach of the Qatar National Football Team.
“The decision to appoint Fahad Thani came after close consideration of his coaching credentials, notwithstanding the fact that he has been working closely with the National Team for quite some time, as Paulo Autuori’s assistant. Moreover, he has intimate knowledge of the National Team and Qatari football in general and will be a great addition to our team,” added the President.
Autuori thanked the federation for its support and said he had a memorable five and a half years in Qatar, especially with the Al Rayyan club. He said “it’s time for me to spend more time with his family in Brazil”.
Under Autuori, Qatar won the deciding final match in the third round of the 2014 World Cup qualification against Iran in Tehran.
Of the five matches they played in the final round of the tournament, Qatar won two and drew one. They are thus on seven points still in with a chance of making it to the World Cup finals in Brazil.
The remaining three games are against stronger opponents Iran, Uzbekistan and South Korea.
Qatar has an important game, their first ’15 Asian Cup qualifier at home against Malaysia, in barely more than three weeks’ time.