MUSCAT, Dec 15 - Oman head coach Erwin Koeman was sacked by the Oman Football Association (OFA) on Sunday after the national team’s poor performance at the recently concluded 24th Arabian Gulf Cup in Qatar. The former Dutch player, who is the elder brother of current Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman, leaves the post after nine months. The decision was taken during a meeting of OFA board of directors chaired by Salim bin Said al Wahaibi, OFA Chairman. “The board decided to sack coach Erwin Koeman with immediate effect after discussing the recommendations submitted by the technical committee.
It is also decided to retain the assistant technical staff until a new appointment,” an OFA statement said. Defending champions Oman crashed out in the first round in the Gulf showpiece tournament won by Bahrain for the first time. There were reports that the Dutchman was not getting along well with the main players during the Gulf Cup in Doha. After playing a goalless draw with eventual champions Bahrain in the opening game, Oman beat Kuwait 2-1 but then slumped to a 3-1 defeat against Saudi Arabia, who reached the final. Koeman, 57, took charge of Oman team after former coach Pim Verbeek quit the team after making history in the Asian Cup 2019 in the UAE.
U-19 COACHING TEAM FIRED
The OFA also sacked head coach Yaqoob al Sabai and the entire coaching and technical team of Oman under-19 squad after failing to qualify for the AFC Asian Under-19 Championship Uzbekistan 2020 finals. Oman recently hosted the Asian U-19 Group A Qualifiers but could not utilise the opportunity after the event was changed from Iraq over security concerns. Meanwhile, the OFA has decided to set up an integrated technical centre for the national teams near the Seeb Stadium. The project, being implemented with the Fifa support, will also include a hotel for the accommodation of national teams.
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