Practice English with NewsPractice with News
Sports261 words2 min read

Montella Set to Lose Job as Turkey Coach

The word jobs in colorful block letters
Photo by Sasun Bughdaryan on Unsplash
0:00 / 0:00

Listen to the story

Vincenzo Montella, the Italian coach of the Turkey national football team, has gone from being called "revolutionary" to being described as "expired." This phrase shows how quickly opinions about him have changed.

Turkish football officials have reportedly decided to remove Montella from his position. This process, known as an exoneration, usually happens when a team's results are poor and fans lose patience.

The shift in public opinion seems linked to a drop in the team's performance. A coach who was once praised for bringing new ideas is now facing strong criticism.

Montella has spoken about the pressure of his job. He said that a coach sitting on the bench is generally less happy than one actively managing a winning team.

He also explained that this kind of up-and-down situation is something he has experienced throughout his career. He said he has built his entire professional life around these challenges.

This comment suggests that Montella sees sudden changes in reputation as a normal part of being a football coach, rather than something unusual or unfair.

Turkish fans and media have reportedly grown frustrated with the national team's recent performances, which appears to be the main reason behind the push for a change in leadership.

Although details about specific matches or scores are not confirmed, the overall picture is one of a coach whose early success has not been matched by later results, leading to growing calls for his dismissal.

It remains to be seen who might replace Montella if the exoneration is confirmed by Turkish football authorities.

Vocabulary10 words

revolutionary
very new; changing things in an exciting way
exoneration
an official decision to remove someone from a job
criticism
negative comments about someone's work
bench
where coaches sit during a match
reputation
what people generally think about someone
dismissal
being removed from a job
performance
how well someone or a team does
officials
people in charge of an organization
pressure
stress from difficult expectations
national team
a country's official sports team

๐Ÿ“š Ready to use these words in a real conversation?

Practice live with a real tutor on Preply.

Preply โ€” learn a language with a live tutor

Quiz

1. How has public opinion of Montella changed?
2. What does 'exoneration' mean in this context?
3. According to Montella, how does he feel about being on the bench compared to being happy?

โœ… Nice work on the quiz!

Keep the momentum going โ€” book a live English lesson with a Preply tutor.

Preply โ€” learn a language with a live tutor, 50% off

Fill-in-the-blank listening

Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.

Vincenzo Montella, the Italian coach of the Turkey national football team, has gone from being called _____ to being described as "expired."

Turkish football officials have reportedly decided to _____ Montella from his position.

This process, known as an _____, usually happens when a team's results are poor.

The shift in public opinion seems linked to a drop in the team's _____.

Montella has spoken about the _____ of his job.

He said that a coach sitting on the _____ is generally less happy.

He also explained that this kind of up-and-down situation is something he has experienced throughout his _____.

This comment suggests that Montella sees sudden changes in _____ as a normal part of being a football coach.

Turkish fans and media have reportedly grown frustrated with the national team's recent _____.

It remains to be seen who might replace Montella if the _____ is confirmed.

Discussion questions

  1. Why do you think public opinion of coaches can change so quickly?
  2. Do you agree that losing a job is a normal part of a coaching career?
  3. How might fan pressure affect a national team's performance?
  4. What qualities do you think make a good football coach?

๐ŸŽ“ Enjoyed this story?

Turn today's reading into real speaking practice with a live Preply tutor.

Preply โ€” learn a language with a live tutor, 50% off

More Sports stories