Iraq fires national football team's coach after 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification failure

Baghdad, Sep 11 (IANS)

Vladimir Petrovic

The Iraqi Football Association has decided to end the contract with the national football team’s Serbian head coach Vladimir Petrovic for his failure to help the team to qualify for the 2014 World Cup.

The association unanimously decided to fire Petrovic because of “negative results” suffered by the Iraqi national football team, including its failure to get a ticket for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil, reports Xinhua.

The association also reached an agreement with Petrovic to change the penalty condition mentioned in the contract, according to which Iraq should pay him $250,000. Instead, Iraq agreed to pay him $70,000.

Petrovic was appointed as head coach of Iraq in late February with a one-year contract.

The association appointed Hakim Shaker, a former Iraqi football player and currently the head coach of the Iraq U-20, as head coach to lead the Iraqi national team.