Bora Milutinovic Will Manage Iraq in the FIFA Confederation Cup 2009 in South Africa
Bora Milutinovic the Veteran Serbian coach will lead Asian champions Iraq at this year’s FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 in South Africa, the Iraq Football Union (IFU) said on Wednesday. IFU deputy chief Najih Humoud said “We have reached an agreement with Bora and signed a contract with him to manage the team at the Confederations Cup.”
Humoud said, Milutinovic will take up the post on 16 April in an appointment that comes two months after Brazilian Jorvan Vieira was sacked as coach of the national side. In addition, he said further that “We agreed the contract could be extended” if the team performed well at the competition, which starts on 14 June.”
Iraq is not able to play in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2010 after failing to qualify in the qualifiying rounds but able to make it in the FIFA Confederation Cup by winning the Asian Cup in 2007, when the side was led by Vieira. The Brazilian, hailed as a hero after guiding the side to victory in that competition, was sacked in February just four months into his second spell for failing to win a game at the Gulf Cup.
Spain, the European champion will have to face Iraq and also the host nation South Africa and New Zealand in the finals, regarded as a tune-up event ahead of the 2010 event that will also be played in South Africa.
Milutinovic, 64, has coached five different national sides at five consecutive FIFA World Cups. He led hosts Mexico in 1986, Costa Rica in 1990, the United States in 1994, Nigeria in 1998, and China in 2002.
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