Thursday, September 2, 2010

With just eight months to go until the World Cup kicks off hosts South Africa are in disarray after coach Joel Santana agreed to leave his post by
‘mutual consent’.

The Bafana Bafana were unable able to strum to Santana’s tune and have endured a torrid run of results - the latest being defeats in Norway and Iceland last week.

And South African football vice-president Mandla Mazibuko says it is for the best Santana goes.

“In the bigger picture and the interest of the country, he realised while he was doing his best, his best was not good enough,” Mazibuko said.

“We parted company with Mr Joel Santana amicably and appointed his two assistants as caretaker coaches.”

The 60-year-old Santana was South Africa’s 15th coach in as many years and his record over the past few months read: played nine, lost eight.

SUNDERLAND’S great start to the season has been dealt a big blow with the news Lee Cattermole is out for at least three months.

The midfield maestro has had an instant impact at the Stadium of Light as the Black Cats have stormed to seventh spot in the Premier League.

But the former Wigan man sustained the knee injury during Saturday’s 1-0 home win over Liverpool and the initial fear was that his season could be over.

However, manager Steve Bruce revealed the damage was not as extensive as first thought and that he could be facing just a 12-week absence.

“He’s done his medial ligament. It’s not good news, but it's the best we could have hoped,” Bruce said. “We were all praying he had not done his cruciate and damaged cartilage, which thankfully he hasn’t - but he’s still out for the best part of three months.”

SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON has ruled himself out of the running for the vacant Sweden job.

Eriksson had been one of a number of names linked with the coaching role after the resignation of Lars Lagerback nine days ago.

But the former England manager has now decided he wants to concentrate on his role as director of football at English League Two side Notts County.

“Last week we made contact with ‘Svennis’, who is one of the people we thought could be a possibility for the job as national team coach,” Sweden Football Federation chairman Lars-Ake Lagrell said.

“He has now decided that with regards to his contract with Notts County, there is no possibility of him taking charge of the national team.”

Eriksson is on a reported $18million contract at County and would have had to take a substantial pay cut to become the Sweden manager.