Spanish Coach Rejects Morocco Job Over Controversial Staff Appointment

Lluis Cortés explained to "Què T’hi Jugues" on Cadena SER why he rejected the offer from the Moroccan Federation. "I go to Morocco, I have the contract and they wanted me to sign it... What’s going to change everything is the fact that they informed me that they planned to recruit Jorge Vilda as sporting director," he confided. And he added: "At that moment, I ask them if they know that Jorge Vilda is the subject of an investigation (in the Rubiales affair, editor’s note) and I decided to return to Spain with my representative."

The former Barcelona coach specifies that he pointed out to the Moroccan Federation that he has "nothing personal" against Vilda, but that he could not work with "a person who is in this legal situation." The director of women’s football to whom he had confided told him that his concern would be studied by the president of the Federation and that a decision would be made. Ultimately, this condition was not accepted, "the president decided to recruit Vilda as coach and sporting director," Cortes details.

Lluis Cortés says he does not regret his choice and believes that Vilda has the right profile for the position. "That Morocco recruits the coach who won the World Cup is something positive," he assures, arguing that he could not accept this position. "It’s a matter of principles, values, justice."