Ex-Bafana coach Carlos Queiroz leaves Qatar job, Roger De Sa’s future unclear

Carlos Queiroz has parted ways with Qatar's national team less than a year after signing a four-year contract to coach the Asian champions and with just over a month until the nation hosts the Asian Cup, with Marquez Lopez named as his replacement.

While Queiroz has been shown the exit door from the hosts of the 2022 World Cup, there has been no official comment from the Qatar Football Association (QFA) on the future of the former Bafana Bafana coach's South African assistant Roger De Sá. 

TimesLIVE understands De Sá has not been informed of any change in his employment for now. However, given his close partnership with Queiroz, it remains to be seen how long that situation might last.

Qatar was the fifth national team job De Sá worked in alongside fellow Mozambique-born coach Queiroz.

At last year’s World Cup, they were in charge of Iran, who had a rollercoaster campaign.

Iran made headlines when their players remained silent during their national anthem in the opening match against England in apparent defiance against their government and show of support for protesters at home.

They were hammered 6-2 but saved face with a 2-0 win over Wales. A 1-0 defeat against the US saw Iran bow out in third place in Group B.

De Sá was goalkeeper coach when Queiroz was in charge of Bafana from 2000 to 2002. The pair worked together in 2010 when Queiroz coached Portugal in the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa.

De Sá assisted Queiroz as coach of Egypt as they reached the final of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, losing on penalties to Senegal.

De Sá clinched the Qatar assistant coach job in February, telling TimesLIVE he had a “three-and-a-half-year deal” that started on March 1.

Former Real Madrid and Portugal head coach Queiroz took over in February as Qatar's long-term replacement for Felix Sanchez, who steered the World Cup hosts to a last-place finish with three defeats in Group A in November last year.

Queiroz was charged with qualifying the Gulf state for the 2026 tournament.

“The Qatar Football Association has announced that Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz's tenure as head coach of the Qatar national team has ended amicably by mutual agreement between the two parties,” the QFA said in a statement.

“The QFA expresses its sincere gratitude to coach Queiroz for his unwavering dedication, leadership, and contributions during his tenure as the head coach of the national team. We wish him success in his future endeavours.”

The QFA have announced Marquez Lopez as his successor. The Spaniard has been in charge of Qatari club side Al-Wakrah.

“The coach will be in charge of the Qatar national team at the 2023 Asian Cup, which will be hosted in Qatar next year,” the QFA said.

Queiroz oversaw wins over Afghanistan and India in November in the second round of Asia's preliminaries for the next World Cup, with the Qataris chasing one of eight berths available for teams from the continent at the expanded 48-team finals.

Qatar won their first Asian Cup title under Sanchez in 2019 and the country is due to defend the trophy on home soil next month, when they have been drawn to face China, Tajikistan and Lebanon in the group phase.

The Gulf nation is hosting the continental championship after original hosts China relinquished the rights due to the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic.