Colombia’s national team is without head coach after the country’s football federation FCF decided not to extend the contract of Jose Pekerman.
The Argentine coach became the most successful trainer in the history of Colombian football after securing Los Cafeteros’ participation in two consecutive World Cups and reaching the second round in both.
The contact of Pekerman, 68, ended Friday after he had failed to secure an agreement with the FCF that would allow the popular trainer to stay on.
Disagreements of his salary and the alleged meddling of Pekerman’s agent, Pascual Lezcano, in Colombian players’ transfers.
Several trainers, both from Colombia and abroad, have been tipped as Pekerman’s possible successor.
The FCF said Tuesday it was interested in extending the popular trainer’s contract and invited Pekerman for talks, but whether these talks ever took place is uncertain.
Meanwhile, the list of potential successors have grown over the past week. Initially, the names of Guus Hiddink from the Netherlands, former Mexico head coach Juan Carlos Osorio and Pekerman’s assistant Nestor Lorenzo were mentioned.
Colombia’s new head coach: Hiddink, Osorio, Lorenzo?
According to newspaper El Tiempo, Carlos Queiroz from Portugal and Zlatko Dalic from Croatia have also been mentioned as possible coaches to lead Colombia as it tries to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
