Hamad quits after World Cup flop

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-26  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

IRAQ national team coach Adnan Hamad has parted company with the Asian champion just days after the side was eliminated from 2010 World Cup qualifying.

Hamad, 47, opted not to sign a new contract after Iraq's 0-1 defeat by Qatar at the weekend, saying that political squabbles and poor organization made it impossible for him to do his job.

"There are many problems... it started with a ban from FIFA and we will continue to have these problems in the future," Hamad said from his home in Jordan.

"It's always a difficult situation in Iraq, we have many, many troubles. I decided I did not want to continue."

Iraq had looked set to qualify on Sunday after clawing itself off the bottom of Group 1 and taking itself to within a point of the final round. It finished third behind Australia and Qatar.

Hamad took over in February when Iraq was at the bottom of the group from Norwegian Egil Olsen, who was sacked after only three games for refusing to coach the team in violence-torn Iraq, where only a few of the players are based.

Olsen's predecessor Jorvan Vieira also quit the job after steering he side to Asian Cup success, saying it was too stressful to continue.

Hamad's troubles were compounded when FIFA temporarily banned Iraq from international soccer after the government sacked the country's soccer federation midway through its qualifying campaign, reportedly for sectarian reasons.

FIFA, meanwhile, has shot down Iraq's appeal for Qatar to be expelled from 2010 World Cup qualifying for fielding an ineligible player.

Iraq claimed the participation of Brazilian-born Emerson in Qatar's qualifying campaign was illegal.

However FIFA, which has since banned Emerson, said Iraq's complaint was filed too late and ruled that Qatar could keep its place in the final round. Iraq said Emerson, also known as Marcio Passos De Albuquerque, had represented Brazil at youth level and was therefore ineligible.

The former Sao Paulo striker was also reported to have been detained by Brazilian police back in 2006 for falsifying his age on his birth certificate.

Gas-rich Qatar has a population of less than 800,000 people but has used its vast wealth to lure South American coaches and players to its lucrative league, several of whom have represented the national team.