You're reading: Ukraine decides not to renew coach’s contract

Ukraine have not renewed the contract of coach Olexiy Mykhaylychenko after the national team failed to qualify for next year's World Cup in South Africa, the soccer federation said on Dec. 23.

"Mykhaylychenko had a contract until Nov. 30. We have no new contract with him," a federation spokesman said.

Ukraine FA President Hryhory Surkis said last month he wanted Romanian Mircea Lucescu, the coach of UEFA Cup winners Shakhtar Donetsk, to replace Mykhaylychenko. He said he would consult Shakhtar’s billionaire owner Rinat Akhmetov.

"I will recommend his candidature to the congress of the football federation," Surkis said.

Lucescu, who was appointed as Shakhtar’s coach in 2004, has taken the club to three Ukrainian championships and the UEFA Cup.