Qatar hires Autuori to coach national football team

Qatar has hired Brazil's Paulo Autuori to coach its national football team in a bid to qualify for its first-ever World Cup in 2014. Autuori, who was recently the Qatar Olympic coach, is the fourth coach in just over a year for the national side. Authorities are under pressure to improve the 96th-ranked team's results since the Gulf nation is the 2022 World Cup host. Autuori has coached the Peru national team and several clubs in his native Brazil, including Sao Paulo, whom he guided to the 2005 Club World Cup. He also has coached several Qatari clubs. Autuori's immediate task will be guiding Qatar to the final round of 2014 World Cup qualifiers. The team is currently in second place in its group and plays Iran on Feb. 29, according to a report of the Associated Press.