Russia dismiss highly-paid national team coach Fabio Capello after disappointing results

Capello, who is reported to be the highest-paid coach in international football, took over the Russian team in 2012 and was given a lucrative contract to stay in the job through to the end of the 2018 World Cup.

Fabio Capello was the world’s highest-paid coach before being sacked on Tuesday. Kirill Kudryavtsev / AFP

MOSCOW // Russian’s Football Union on Tuesday dismissed Fabio Capello as national team coach, ending the Italian’s three years in charge after a string of disappointing results.

“The Russian Football Union (RFU) and the head coach of the national team, Fabio Capello, have mutually agreed to terminate his employment contract,” the union said in a statement.

“The RFU sincerely thanks Capello for his work as the country’s national team head coach and wishes him success in his future professional activity.”

Capello, who is reported to be the highest-paid coach in international football, took over the Russian team in 2012 and took them to the 2014 World Cup before being given a lucrative contract to stay in the job through to the end of the 2018 World Cup, which Russia will host.

The former England coach is expected to arrive in Moscow today to formally end his contract with the RFU.

According to Russian news reports, the 69-year-old Italian coach will receive about 930 million roubles (Dh59.6m) in compensation.

Capello has come under increasing pressure following a dismal run of results and the team’s lacklustre performances in Russia’s Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.

Russia have two wins from six matches in qualifying Group G – a 4-0 home victory over Liechtenstein last September before being awarded a 3-0 victory from the abandoned clash against Montenegro in Podgorica in March. They have been held at home by minnows Moldova and been beaten twice by group leaders Austria.

Russia are third in the group with four matches to go, meaning their place at Euro 2016 in France this time next year is far from secure as only the best third-placed side from the nine groups will qualify along with the top two sides from each section, and the rest going into ­play-offs.

The RFU has not named anyone to replace the Italian, although earlier reports named CSKA Moscow coach Leonid Slutsky, FC Krasnodar manager Oleg Kononov and former Russian assistant coach Alexander Borodyuk as possibilities.

The union will need to find a replacement for Capello soon as the country’s next Euro 2016 qualifier is a potentially decisive fixture at home to second-placed Sweden on September 5.

Discontent with Capello began after Russia were knocked out at the group stage of the World Cup in Brazil last year without winning a game. A recent opinion poll showed that 53 per cent of football fans in the country wanted Capello to step down.

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