Egypt Name Former Benfica Boss Rui Vitoria as New Coach

Rui Vitoria has signed a four-year contract to take over as coach of Egypt. (Reuters)
Rui Vitoria has signed a four-year contract to take over as coach of Egypt. (Reuters)
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Egypt Name Former Benfica Boss Rui Vitoria as New Coach

Rui Vitoria has signed a four-year contract to take over as coach of Egypt. (Reuters)
Rui Vitoria has signed a four-year contract to take over as coach of Egypt. (Reuters)

Rui Vitoria has signed a four-year contract to take over as coach of Egypt, the country´s football association said on Tuesday.

The 52-year-old former Benfica manager is Egypt's third coach this year and will be tasked with restoring their position among the continent´s top sides after they failed to qualify for the World Cup finals in Qatar.

Compatriot Carlos Queiroz did not have his contract renewed after Egypt, who were runners-up at the Africa Cup of Nations finals in February, were beaten in a penalty shootout by Senegal in the World Cup playoffs in March.

Ehab Galal was appointed Queiroz´s replacement but was fired last month after just three matches in charge, which included a defeat to Ethiopia at the start of 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

In addition to stints in charge of several Portuguese clubs, including Pacos Ferreira, Vitoria Guimaraes and Benfica, where he won back-to-back league titles in 2016 and 2017, Rui Vitoria was also a league winner in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr and had a brief coaching spell at Spartak Moscow.



Hamburg Fires Steffen Baumgart as Coach after Five Games without a Win

08 November 2024, Lower Saxony, Brunswick: Hamburg coach Steffen Baumgart gives an interview before the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Eintracht Braunschweig and Hamburger SV. (dpa)
08 November 2024, Lower Saxony, Brunswick: Hamburg coach Steffen Baumgart gives an interview before the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Eintracht Braunschweig and Hamburger SV. (dpa)
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Hamburg Fires Steffen Baumgart as Coach after Five Games without a Win

08 November 2024, Lower Saxony, Brunswick: Hamburg coach Steffen Baumgart gives an interview before the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Eintracht Braunschweig and Hamburger SV. (dpa)
08 November 2024, Lower Saxony, Brunswick: Hamburg coach Steffen Baumgart gives an interview before the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Eintracht Braunschweig and Hamburger SV. (dpa)

Former Bundesliga heavyweight Hamburger SV has fired Steffen Baumgart as coach after five games without a win across all competitions.

The second-division club said Sunday it was letting Baumgart go because of a “crisis of performances and results” after the team’s 2-2 draw at home with Schalke on Saturday.

That left Hamburg eighth in the 18-team division, four points behind early leader Paderborn after 13 rounds.

“Steffen gave everything with great passion, energy and commitment right up to the end for HSV. However, our analysis of the current situation and yesterday’s game has once again made it clear that we believe a new impetus is necessary,” Hamburg sporting director Stefan Kuntz said.

The club said Baumgart, who was a Hamburg fan as a child, took the news “calmly” on Sunday morning.

“It was an exciting and very intense time,” the former Cologne coach said. “I remain connected to the club and hope that HSV achieves its goals.”

Hamburg has been bidding to return to the Bundesliga since its demotion from the top flight in 2018. It had been the only ever-present team in the league since it was founded in 1963, earning the nickname “der Dino.”

But every season since relegation has ended in disappointment. Hamburg rival St. Pauli was promoted last season to add to Hamburg fans’ woes.

Baumgart, a former Hansa Rostock and Union Berlin forward, took over as Hamburg coach in February, when the team was third, but ultimately it was unable to improve and finished fourth – one place behind Fortuna Düsseldorf in the promotion playoff spot.

Hamburg said Baumgart’s assistants Rene Wagner and Kevin McKenna were also let go, and that assistant coach Merlin Polzin will prepare the team for its next game at Karlsruher SC.

There was no mention of a permanent successor.