Mozambique not firing coach: official

The head coach of Mozambique’s national team is not being fired, a top football official said Monday, backtracking from statements made last week by the head of the national federation.

Mozambican Football Federation boss Feizal Sidat had spoken “in the heat of the moment” when he told reporters that Nooij’s contract would not be renewed after Mozambique’s elimination Wednesday from the Africa Cup of Nations, said Antonio Chambal, the federation’s vice president for national teams.

“There’s no firing of the coach here,” Chambal told AFP.

“There’s a process of negotiation that’s in progress.”

Chambal said Nooij and his agent are scheduled to meet Monday with the federation’s board to discuss a proposed renewal of the coach’s contract, which expires January 31.

Chambal said Nooij had achieved the objectives of his current contract, which included qualifying for the Nations Cup. Football officials have sent the coach a draft renewal contract even before the Nations Cup began, he added.

“He achieved Mozambique’s objectives for the Nations Cup. We are satisfied with the Mozambican team’s performance,” Chambal said.

Nooij, who has coached Mozambique since 2007, led the team to its first Nations Cup appearance in 12 years this year.

But the Mambas failed to win any games in their group C matches in Angola, taking only one point in a 2-2 draw with Benin.

After the team’s elimination in a 3-0 loss to Nigeria, Sidat told reporters: “We aren’t going to renew our contract with (Nooij),” adding that “the results haven’t corresponded to the expectations.”

But Sidat backtracked on the statements after returning to Mozambique, telling independent newspaper O Pais, “I didn’t say we were going to interrupt the negotiations.”

“What I said, and it’s a fact, is that anywhere in the world, when a team doesn’t win, it has to undergo changes.”

Chambal said Sidat had “exploded” when he made his earlier statement to reporters.

“Maybe because he was seeing the negative results of the team and, in the heat of the moment, he reacted hotly, without reflection and without consulting his colleagues on the board,” Chambal said.

“Mozambique lost and he exploded and said that.”