Former Spain's women's team coach Jorge Vilda said on Wednesday that he didn't expect to be fired by the country's football federation (RFEF), adding it was "unfair" and "undeserved" weeks after winning the Women's World Cup. The RFEF announced the decision to sack Vilda on Tuesday, after the new board formed following the suspension of RFEF President Luis Rubiales by soccer's world governing body FIFA over the allegedly non-consensual kiss with Jenni Hermoso during the World Cup victory celebration two weeks ago.

The RFEF later announced it had appointed Montse Tome to succeed Vilda. "I am as well as I can be for someone who has been world champions 16 days ago, renewed his contract for five more years with a higher salary 10 days ago and then today to be unfairly dismissed," Vilda said in an interview with Spanish radio Cadena Ser.

Considered to be a close ally, Vilda applauded Rubiales when he refused to resign on Aug. 25 but later issued statements condemning his behaviour. The suspended RFEF president praised Vilda for the World Cup triumph in his speech and offered him a new four-year contract, increasing his annual salary to 500,000 euros ($536,000) from 160,000 euros.

"It was a brief meeting with (interim president) Pedro Rocha and the vice-president for equality. Their explanation was that of 'structural changes'," Vilda said about how he learned he was being sacked. "My conscience is clear because I have given 100% every day. I said I didn't understand and that I didn't think my dismissal was deserved. "I will never applaud anything related to machismo. The president was praising my work and announced my renewal, that's what I applauded. The rest... when 150 people around you are applauding, it is very difficult to be the only one who does not..."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-spanish-womens-soccer-team-coach-jorge-vilda-sacked-after-kiss-furore-632642">Football: Spanish women's soccer team coach Jorge Vilda sacked after kiss furore</a>

In a statement that gave no reason for his dismissal and did not mention Hermoso, Rubiales or the scandal, the RFEF thanked 42-year-old Vilda for his "extraordinary sporting legacy". "The coach has been key to the remarkable growth of women's football and leaves Spain as world champions and second in the FIFA rankings," the RFEF statement said.

Vilda had been under fire since last year after 15 players staged a mutiny calling for his resignation because of inadequate coaching methods and calling for conditions to match those of the men's squad. Most of the players involved were cut from the squad even as some demands were met.

Danae Boronat, a sports presenter who interviewed Spain's leading female players for her book "Don't Call Them Girls, Call Them Footballers", said players accused Vilda of micromanaging, such as instructing senior players what to say in interviews. The furore involving Rubiales has quickly spiralled into a national debate over women's rights and sexist behaviour and the mutiny scandal was back to the headlines, with 58 top-female players announcing last week that they were quiting the national team until changes were made in the RFEF leadership.

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Former Spain's women's team coach Jorge Vilda said on Wednesday that he didn't expect to be fired by the country's football federation (RFEF), adding it was "unfair" and "undeserved" weeks after winning the Women's World Cup.

Former Spain's women's team coach Jorge Vilda said on Wednesday that he didn't expect to be fired by the country's football federation (RFEF), adding it was "unfair" and "undeserved" weeks after winning the Women's World Cup. The RFEF announced the decision to sack Vilda on Tuesday, after the new board formed following the suspension of RFEF President Luis Rubiales by soccer's world governing body FIFA over the allegedly non-consensual kiss with Jenni Hermoso during the World Cup victory celebration two weeks ago. The RFEF later announced it had appointed Montse Tome to succeed Vilda. "I am as well as I can be for someone who has been world champions 16 days ago, renewed his contract for five more years with a higher salary 10 days ago and then today to be unfairly dismissed," Vilda said in an interview with Spanish radio Cadena Ser. Considered to be a close ally, Vilda applauded Rubiales when he refused to resign on Aug. 25 but later issued statements condemning his behaviour. The suspended RFEF president praised Vilda for the World Cup triumph in his speech and offered him a new four-year contract, increasing his annual salary to 500,000 euros ($536,000) from 160,000 euros. "It was a brief meeting with (interim president) Pedro Rocha and the vice-president for equality. Their explanation was that of 'structural changes'," Vilda said about how he learned he was being sacked. "My conscience is clear because I have given 100% every day. I said I didn't understand and that I didn't think my dismissal was deserved. "I will never applaud anything related to machismo. The president was praising my work and announced my renewal, that's what I applauded. The rest... when 150 people around you are applauding, it is very difficult to be the only one who does not..." Also read: Football: Spanish women's soccer team coach Jorge Vilda sacked after kiss furore In a statement that gave no reason for his dismissal and did not mention Hermoso, Rubiales or the scandal, the RFEF thanked 42-year-old Vilda for his "extraordinary sporting legacy". "The coach has been key to the remarkable growth of women's football and leaves Spain as world champions and second in the FIFA rankings," the RFEF statement said. Vilda had been under fire since last year after 15 players staged a mutiny calling for his resignation because of inadequate coaching methods and calling for conditions to match those of the men's squad. Most of the players involved were cut from the squad even as some demands were met. Danae Boronat, a sports presenter who interviewed Spain's leading female players for her book "Don't Call Them Girls, Call Them Footballers", said players accused Vilda of micromanaging, such as instructing senior players what to say in interviews. The furore involving Rubiales has quickly spiralled into a national debate over women's rights and sexist behaviour and the mutiny scandal was back to the headlines, with 58 top-female players announcing last week that they were quiting the national team until changes were made in the RFEF leadership. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Football: Women's team coach Jorge Vilda says Spain sacking 'unfair' and 'undeserved'

Spain's football federation on Tuesday apologised for the "totally unacceptable behaviour" of Luis Rubiales over his World Cup kiss and fired the team's controversial coach, appointing a woman in his sted as part of an overhaul.

The apology came more than two weeks after the 46-year-old RFEF boss sparked worldwide outrage when he forcibly kissed Spain midfielder Jenni Hermoso during the medal ceremony after Spain defeated England in the final on August 20.

In a letter signed by its interim president Pedro Rocha, the RFEF offered its "most sincere apologies... for the totally unacceptable behaviour of its highest institutional representative during the final of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 and in the moments that followed".

Although the kiss drew condemnation from across the footballing world and beyond, prompting FIFA to suspend him, it was another eight days before the RFEF called for Rubiales to stand down as its president.

But he has refused to resign, defending the kiss as "just a peck" which he claimed was consensual -- which Hermoso completely denies.

"The damage caused to Spanish football, Spanish sport, Spanish society and to the values of football and sport as a whole has been enormous," the RFEF said, extending the apology to FIFA, UEFA "and especially the players of the Spanish national women's team".

Shortly afterwards, the federation announced it was firing Jorge Vilda, 42, who had served as coach to the national team since 2015, and naming its first-ever woman to coach the World Cup-winning squad.

<h2>Writing on the wall</h2>

"The RFEF... has decided to dispense with the services of Jorge Vilda as sports director and women's national team coach," the RFEF said in a statement, later naming Montse Tome as his replacement.

"She will be the first woman to hold the position in Spain," it said of Tome, a former player who has served as the team's assistant coach since 2018.

Vilda's dismissal had been widely expected after he was seen applauding Rubiales after a belligerent speech in which he refused to resign and railed against "false feminism".

The pair were known to be close.

The RFEF said his dismissal was "the first of a string of restructuring measures" aimed at improving the governance in the wake of the scandal, which has exposed what critics say is a deep-rooted misogyny within Spanish football.

Vilda came under fire a year ago after 15 national players said they would not wear the La Roja shirt while he remained as coach, pointing to incidents under his leadership that were affecting their performance on the pitch.

RFEF offered no criticism of Vilda, saying only he had been "key to the remarkable growth of women's football that had left Spain as world champions and second in the FIFA rankings".

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-hambantota-might-replace-colombo-as-venue-for-super-four-games-amid-rain-threat-632452">Asia Cup: Hambantota might replace Colombo as venue for Super Four games amid rain threat</a>

<h2>Not the RFEF's position</h2>

On the day of the final, the RFEF had initially put out a statement quoting Hermoso as saying the kiss was "a natural gesture of affection and gratitude".

Rubiales offered a cursory apology but later toughened his stance in his defiant speech to the RFEF on August 25, prompting Hermoso to issue her own statement saying the kiss was not consensual and had left her feeling "vulnerable" and like "the victim of an assault".

A day later, the federation accused her of "lies" over the incident, threatening legal action against her.

Both RFEF statements were subsequently removed from the federation's website.

In its apology, the federation said Rubiales' statements after the incident were "inappropriate and meaningless" and "not (the position) of the RFEF" which was "saddened and embarrassed" by the distress they had caused.

"The actions of Mr. Rubiales do not represent the values defended by the Spanish federation... and must be attributed solely and exclusively to him, since he is the only one responsible for his actions before society, before the sporting bodies and, if applicable, before the courts."

The RFEF said it had opened an investigation into his actions in order "to ensure that such behaviour is not repeated".

It had also committed to conducting "a thorough review of all policies and procedures of the organisation".

And it pledged to present "in the coming days a whole set of actions to improve the governance of the Spanish football federation and to repair, as far as possible, the damage caused" -- the first of which was the firing of Vilda.&nbsp;

Spain's football federation on Tuesday apologised for the "totally unacceptable behaviour" of Luis Rubiales over his World Cup kiss and fired the team's controversial coach, appointing a woman in his sted as part of an overhaul.

Spain's football federation on Tuesday apologised for the "totally unacceptable behaviour" of Luis Rubiales over his World Cup kiss and fired the team's controversial coach, appointing a woman in his sted as part of an overhaul. The apology came more than two weeks after the 46-year-old RFEF boss sparked worldwide outrage when he forcibly kissed Spain midfielder Jenni Hermoso during the medal ceremony after Spain defeated England in the final on August 20. In a letter signed by its interim president Pedro Rocha, the RFEF offered its "most sincere apologies... for the totally unacceptable behaviour of its highest institutional representative during the final of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 and in the moments that followed". Although the kiss drew condemnation from across the footballing world and beyond, prompting FIFA to suspend him, it was another eight days before the RFEF called for Rubiales to stand down as its president. But he has refused to resign, defending the kiss as "just a peck" which he claimed was consensual -- which Hermoso completely denies. "The damage caused to Spanish football, Spanish sport, Spanish society and to the values of football and sport as a whole has been enormous," the RFEF said, extending the apology to FIFA, UEFA "and especially the players of the Spanish national women's team". Shortly afterwards, the federation announced it was firing Jorge Vilda, 42, who had served as coach to the national team since 2015, and naming its first-ever woman to coach the World Cup-winning squad. Writing on the wall "The RFEF... has decided to dispense with the services of Jorge Vilda as sports director and women's national team coach," the RFEF said in a statement, later naming Montse Tome as his replacement. "She will be the first woman to hold the position in Spain," it said of Tome, a former player who has served as the team's assistant coach since 2018. Vilda's dismissal had been widely expected after he was seen applauding Rubiales after a belligerent speech in which he refused to resign and railed against "false feminism". The pair were known to be close. The RFEF said his dismissal was "the first of a string of restructuring measures" aimed at improving the governance in the wake of the scandal, which has exposed what critics say is a deep-rooted misogyny within Spanish football. Vilda came under fire a year ago after 15 national players said they would not wear the La Roja shirt while he remained as coach, pointing to incidents under his leadership that were affecting their performance on the pitch. RFEF offered no criticism of Vilda, saying only he had been "key to the remarkable growth of women's football that had left Spain as world champions and second in the FIFA rankings". ALSO READ | Asia Cup: Hambantota might replace Colombo as venue for Super Four games amid rain threat Not the RFEF's position On the day of the final, the RFEF had initially put out a statement quoting Hermoso as saying the kiss was "a natural gesture of affection and gratitude". Rubiales offered a cursory apology but later toughened his stance in his defiant speech to the RFEF on August 25, prompting Hermoso to issue her own statement saying the kiss was not consensual and had left her feeling "vulnerable" and like "the victim of an assault". A day later, the federation accused her of "lies" over the incident, threatening legal action against her. Both RFEF statements were subsequently removed from the federation's website. In its apology, the federation said Rubiales' statements after the incident were "inappropriate and meaningless" and "not (the position) of the RFEF" which was "saddened and embarrassed" by the distress they had caused. "The actions of Mr. Rubiales do not represent the values defended by the Spanish federation... and must be attributed solely and exclusively to him, since he is the only one responsible for his actions before society, before the sporting bodies and, if applicable, before the courts." The RFEF said it had opened an investigation into his actions in order "to ensure that such behaviour is not repeated". It had also committed to conducting "a thorough review of all policies and procedures of the organisation". And it pledged to present "in the coming days a whole set of actions to improve the governance of the Spanish football federation and to repair, as far as possible, the damage caused" -- the first of which was the firing of Vilda.

Football: Spain's RFEF sorry for Luis Rubiales scandal, fires women's coach Jorge Vilda

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Football: Women's team coach Jorge Vilda says Spain sacking 'unfair' and 'undeserved'

Football: Spain's RFEF sorry for Luis Rubiales scandal, fires women's coach Jorge Vilda