National team coaches frequently voice concerns about insufficient time to prepare their squads, but several newly hired managers heading to this World Cup face an even greater challenge — some have been in their positions for mere weeks and haven’t even led their teams through a single competitive match.
In today’s unsentimental soccer landscape, successfully guiding a country through the qualification process doesn’t ensure a coach will remain in charge for the actual tournament, a harsh reality that has disrupted multiple nations’ World Cup readiness.
Carlos Queiroz enters the competition with the fewest matches under his belt with his current squad, though he brings extensive tournament knowledge to his role with Ghana.
After taking over from Otto Addo on April 13, Queiroz is preparing for his fifth straight World Cup appearance. The 73-year-old was absent from Ghana’s friendly loss to Mexico in May for personal matters, leaving him with just one match as head coach — last week’s 1-1 tie against Wales.
Saudi Arabia’s manager Georgios Donis received his appointment 10 days following Queiroz’s hiring, taking over from Herve Renard, who had previously guided Saudi Arabia to the previous World Cup where they defeated eventual champions Argentina.
Donis has overseen three exhibition matches to learn his team’s capabilities, including a recent scoreless tie with Senegal.
In contrast to Queiroz, 74-year-old Miroslav Koubek had no international coaching background when his nation offered him the position. The Czech Republic named Koubek as manager in December after Ivan Hasek was fired following a loss to the Faroe Islands.
Koubek encountered an immediate trial by fire, with his initial matches coming during qualification playoffs where the Czechs advanced through penalty kicks against both Ireland and Denmark.
He remains undefeated as Czech manager, securing victories in recent exhibitions against Kosovo and Guatemala before their first World Cup appearance since 2006.
Another coach who successfully navigated his team through playoff competition is Sweden’s Graham Potter.
Potter assumed control in October and, despite failing to secure victories in their final two qualifying matches and placing last in their group, Sweden reached the playoffs through Nations League standings.
Sweden defeated Ukraine and Poland in Potter’s only two victories as manager, having dropped a match to Norway and tied with Greece in other recent contests.
Sweden will face Tunisia in their opener, whose coach Sabri Lamouchi was named in January. His four matches have all been friendlies, claiming victory in his debut against Haiti but suffering defeats in his last two outings versus Austria and Belgium.
Morocco’s Mohamed Ouahbi, hired in March, has experienced a more successful beginning, remaining unbeaten across five exhibition games while preparing a roster carrying elevated hopes after their semifinal run four years earlier.
Ouahbi previously guided Morocco’s Under-20 team to World Cup victory in Chile last year.
Fabio Cannavaro also understands championship success, having captained Italy’s victorious 2006 team as a player and now entering the tournament as a first-time manager.
Cannavaro, who has served as Uzbekistan’s coach since October, has completed eight matches in charge, including recent friendly losses to Canada and the Netherlands.
Thrust into challenging circumstances, these managers must establish their approach rapidly in a competition that provides minimal opportunity for adjustment.
