Ethiopia declines to renew contracts of all national coaches due to Covid-19
Ethiopia national football team coach Abrham Mebratu gesutres during a previous match.
What you need to know:
- However, EFF President Esayas Jira said: “We have reached this decision after sensibly analysing the trajectory of situations.
- “We never terminate anybody’s contract before it ends naturally, but when their contract expires, we believed that it’s better to see things more carefully and evaluate all the performances before we make any decisions, whether to renew their contracts or to hire new coaches.”
The Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) has announced it would not renew the contracts of all national team coaches after their current agreements expire.
The decision comes after the indefinite halt of football activities in Ethiopia and beyond since early March, due to Covid-19.
The contracts of Birhanu Gizaw and Frew Hailegebreal, head coaches of the senior and Under-20 women’s national teams, respectively, together with their coaching staff had already expired weeks ago.
Which leaves Abrham Mebratu and his coaching staff at the men’s national team as the only remaining national team leadership, although their contracts were also due to expire on August 6.
Ethiopia national football team coach Abrham Mebratu during a previous match.
For many football fans, the decision is disturbing, especially the reluctance to renew Abraham’s contract after there were signs of stability and improvement after a very long time and even gaining promising results, including his latest victory over a star-studded Cote d’ Ivoire in his latest match in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
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However, EFF President Esayas Jira said: “We have reached this decision after sensibly analysing the trajectory of situations.
“We never terminate anybody’s contract before it ends naturally, but when their contract expires, we believed that it’s better to see things more carefully and evaluate all the performances before we make any decisions, whether to renew their contracts or to hire new coaches.”
Abraham Mebratu, the former Yemen national team coach and CAF elite coaching Instructor on the other hand said: “I had a tremendous two years at the helm of the national team, with a very hard work, we made a significant overall improvement in building up a competitive national team during my time.
“I would love to say thank you for those, who supported and criticised me. I will continue performing my professional duty until the last minute, and I want to make it clear that I am always there to serve my country whenever I am needed.”
The decision by EFF has created division among sports pundits with some saying the federation was in order and others against the changes.
