Less than 24 hours after announcing his resignation as head coach of the Barbados senior men's national team, Russell Latapy has been unveiled as the assistant coach at Macarthur FC that campaigns in Australia's A-League for the 2022/23 season.
Latapy will be working with his long-time friend and former T&T international and Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke, who has signed a deal to coach Macarthur FC in Australia's A-League in May. Yorke replaces Ante Milicic and will lead the Bulls for the next two seasons in what will be his first role as a senior coach
Latapy, 53, is a former professional football player’s career spanned more than 20 years at both club and international levels. Playing in Portugal for eight years across three clubs, most notably Porto and then in Scotland for 11 seasons representing four teams including Hibernian, Rangers, Dundee United and Falkirk.
Latapy amassed 81 caps for the national team and featured in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany in which Yorke was the team's captain.
Not only was he highly successful in his playing career but once he began his managing career in 2009, Latapy went on to work as an assistant coach for his former club Boavista and then Inverness Caledonian Thistly, who won the Scottish Cup in 2014-25.
Latapy’s managing career went on to the international level in 2019 when he became manager of the Barbados national team where his team won promotion from the 2019-23 CONCACAF Nations League C.
"The club would like to welcome Russell to the Bulls as we look forward to seeing him work alongside newly appointed coach Dwight Yorke," according to Macathur FC.
Latapy's announcement about severing ties with Barbados came via a media release from the Barbados Football Association (BFA) on Monday and he did not give any reason for his exit.
“After much discussion, Russell has decided to tender his resignation as head coach of the senior men’s national team with immediate effect,” said BFA president Randy Harris.
“On behalf of the BFA, we extend our sincere thanks to Mr Latapy for his service to football in Barbados. We are grateful to have had Russell as part of our management and leadership team and we wish him and his family every success in the future.”
Latapy came under heavy criticism after Barbados’ poor display in the 2022-2023 CONCACAF Nations League last week where they lost all three group matches, stretching the winless streak to 15 matches and only one goal scored in six matches.
Several former national players and football fans on social media called for his resignation but at the time, the BFA said his job was secure.
Some of the national players also threatened to walk if Latapy was not fired.
Harris said the BFA would commence the search for a new coach for the Tridents and would continue to guide the growth of local and national football through various developmental initiatives aimed at all levels of football.
He said, “We remain committed to launching the official return to football in Barbados in August with the Republic Cup and Women’s Super League and will provide further details about these tournaments next month.”