Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: ACL 2012 contenders Qatari club Al Gharafa have sacked the well-travelled French coach Bruno Metsu (pic) and replaced him with Brazilian Paulo Silas in the wake of a 5-1 defeat by Al Rayyan in a Qatar Star League's match last Sunday.
The sacking is the fourth in the past week by West Asian clubs - Al Jazira (UAE), Kuwait SC (Kuwait) and Al Faisaly (Jordan) h- who are participating in AFC competitions, with Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia) and Al Wehdat (Jordan) firing their coaches as early as a few weeks before the start of the continental competitions.
Metsu was the Qatari national team coach before being appointed at the helm of Al Gharafa on a three-year deal in 2010. It was his second job with Al Gharafa, which he led to the domestic title in 2005.
Metsu has also coached several clubs in his native France, before spells with Guinea and Senegal. Silas is a former Brazilian international midfielder who left another Qatari club, Al Arabi, earlier this year.
Al Gharafa will take on Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia at the Thani bin Jassim Stadium on March 21 in their Group D match of the ACL.