The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) is preparing to sack Jorge Vilda in the coming days as the fallout from Luis Rubiales’ conduct at the Women’s World Cup final continues.
According to reports in Spain, the RFEF has been weighing up whether a string of incidents involving head coach Vilda during and after the 1-0 victory over England on 20 August are sufficient grounds to terminate his contract.
Vilda publicly applauded Rubiales at a recent extraordinary meeting as the RFEF president spoke for the first time since kissing Jenni Hermoso on the lips, which the midfielder said was not consensual.
While Vilda later released a statement condemning the incident as “unacceptable” and “improper”, he has also been accused of mistreating his players and at the final, footage appeared to show him touching a female coaching member around the chest following Olga Carmona’s winning goal. The woman in question is not known to have made any complaint and Vilda has not commented on the video.
The majority of Vilda’s backroom staff have already left their posts in protest at Rubiales refusing to resign. Rubiales has already been suspended by Fifa as prosecutors launch an investigation into whether the kiss constituted sexual assault. His mother has since gone on hunger strike inside a Catholic church.
A total of 81 players, including all 23 members of the squad that won the World Cup in Sydney earlier this month, have said they will not play for the country again while Rubiales remains in charge.
Following the tournament’s conclusion, Rubiales had promised Vilda a new four-year deal but it is now thought unlikely that either of them will survive the revolution that has rocked Spanish football.
Their futures have always been intertwined. Vilda’s father, Angel Vilda, is a senior figure in the RFEF, heading up the department of women’s football, and an important ally of Rubiales.
When Vilda had little managerial experience outside coaching Spain’s female age-group sides, he was given a tilt at the national post and was backed by Rubiales even amidst the mutiny that followed Euro 2022.
Last year, a total of 15 players made themselves unavailable for selection for as long as Vilda remained in charge, alleging controlling behaviour and mismanagement of injuries that had damaged their physical and emotional wellbeing. Only three returned for the World Cup.
As the final whistle blew on their victory in the final, he was seen revelling with staff away from the squad, while players turned their backs on him in the main celebrations.
The RFEF are struggling to remove Rubiales because when the issue was put to regional football association bosses, they did not receive the required number of votes to axe him. Vilda’s future is in their hands, but it has been complicated by Rubiales publicly offering him an extension and a significant pay rise.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/RgKUYIc
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