Sampaoli Steps Down as Chile Coach

Jorge Sampaoli has left his position as Chile coach after an agreement was reached with the nation’s football federation. The well-respected Argentine led Chile to their first ever Copa America success in 2015 and was nominated for the FIFA Coach of the Year award same year. However, in recent weeks, Sampaoli has been at loggerheads with Arturo Salah, the recently-elected president of the Football Federation of Chile (ANFP), saying that he no longer felt respected in Chile and expressed his disappointment that details of his contract had been exposed in the media.A statement from the Chilean FA read: “With this step, the board of the ANFP has achieved the goal of resolving the current situation affecting the national team, avoiding uncertainty involving potential lengthy court actions.” And Salah added: “Now we will dedicate ourselves to this priority, to do everything possible to qualify for the World Cup in Russia in 2018.”Speculation will now switch as to the next destination for Sampaoli, as he is the bookmaker’s favourite to take over at Stamford Bridge in the summer.Current Chelsea boss, Guus Hiddink, will be in charge until the end of the season, following the dismissal of Jose Mourinho, but Sampaoli has been mentioned as a possible candidate to take charge for the 2016/17 campaign.