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Chris Coleman |
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Chris Coleman could well be out of the job for the second time
in a year, with new year presidential elections at Real Sociedad likely to see his
short and unsuccessful tenure come to an end.
Coleman was sacked by Fulham towards the end of last season due to the club's poor performances in the league.
Many opposed this decision from the Fulham board, insisting that with the budgetary
constraints imposed on the Welshman it was unreasonable to expect any better from
him.
Many felt Cookie, as he is known, should have received more financial support from
chairman Mohamed Al-Fayed. It was his successor Lawrie Sanchez who inexplicably
reaped those rewards instead, but the ex-Northern Ireland boss failed to deliver
the results afterwards, and was sacked following the club's home defeat to Newcaste.
Coleman, meanwhile, was offered the exciting prospect of plying his trade abroad
at Real Sociedad, who had just been relegated from la Primera in Spain.
Hie task would be to guide the royal club back to the top flight, but things haven't
panned out so well for the Welshman, as his side languish in mid-table.
Inaki Badiola, who is running for president in the upcoming elections, has suggested
that Coleman could well be replaced
by experienced Spanish tactician Javier Irureta.
Badiola said: "Our intention is to meet Coleman when he returns from holiday on
December 29 or 30 and, when we talk about new signings, he will make a decision
on whether to stay.
"If he decides not to stay then Javier Irureta will be
our coach."
It is perhaps the best for both club and manager, as adapting to such a different
environment was always going to be a tough ask for Coleman, and Irureta has the
required experienced in Spain to bring the club back to the first division.
An outside possibility is of course that Coleman could return to England in time
to take up the reigns at his old job with Fulham, where there is now a vacancy.
However, it's highly unlikely the Fulham board would be willing to admit what many
are calling a horrendous error. It is equally farfetched that Coleman would return
to a club he served so loyally as both a player and coach only to be unceramoniously
dumped at the first available opportunity.