Argentina has fired its newly appointed national head coach Edgardo Bauza after just eight months in the job as the team struggles in qualifying matches for next year’s World Cup in Russia.
The Argentine Football Association confirmed that Bauza’s reign was over after just eight matches in charge.
The 59-year-old only started the job last August when Gerardo Martino departed after Argentina’s loss in the final of Copa America.
World Cup champions twice before, and beaten finalists in 2014, Argentina are currently fifth in the South American qualifying standings with four matches left.
The top four qualify automatically with the fifth team advancing to a playoff.
Making matters even harder for Argentina is that they will be without Messi for three of the remaining matches because the five‑time World Player of the Year is serving a ban for insulting a linesman during a qualifier last month.
The next manager has not yet been named but local media have speculated that it will be Argentina‑born Jorge Sampaoli, the coach of Spanish club Sevilla.
Source: USA Today
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