Israel coach Grant quits after World Cup failure
 
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By Ori Lewis

TEL AVIV, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Israel coach Avraham Grant has resigned after failing to steer the country to the World Cup finals in Germany next year, the Israeli FA said on Wednesday.

Israel finished third in European zone Group Four behind France and Switzerland despite being unbeaten in their 10 World Cup qualifying matches after four wins and six draws.

The 50-year-old Grant had a one-hour meeting with Israeli FA chairman Itzhak Menahem where he handed in his notice. He said he was not prepared to continue with the uncertainty of whether he would be offered a third two-year term in the job.

"Enough. I am tired of the demonic dance (in the media over whether I will be offered a third term). I will not continue to coach the national team," Grant said in a statement to Israel's Channel 5.

Menahem said he was surprised by Grant's announcement but refused to answer repeated questions from reporters wanting to know whether he was disappointed with the coach's decision.

"The timing surprised me. On Monday I was due to name my candidate for the next two years...and we were due to announce whether Grant would continue. Now I will present his letter to the IFA secretariat," Menahem said.

Israel's veteran captain Avi Nimni expressed disappointment and said he was unlikely to continue his international career following Grant's departure.

"After all that has happened I am not surprised, it is a little disappointing for me and other players...he should be appreciated for bringing the respect which we have earned from our rivals in Europe. We must now look ahead to a new future," Nimni said.

Talk of a replacement for Grant and Menahem's refusal to silence those voices were the reason for Grant's decision. He said he would be willing to stay until his contract expires next June.

Media reports in Israel have said that Grant has been linked with a move abroad or possibly to a high-paying position with Betar Jerusalem who have recently been acquired by big-spending Russian tycoon Arakdy Gaidamak.

The prime candidate to take over from Grant is Hapoel Tel Aviv coach Dror Kashtan whose defensive and counter-attacking style led his club to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup in 2001.

A Hapoel official said on Wednesday that Kashtan would be expected to honour his contract which ends in June.

Grant got the Israel job only after Kashtan could not agree personal terms with the IFA in 2002 and has held the post since May that year when he left Maccabi Haifa to replace Dane Richard Moeller Nielsen.

Moeller Nielsen quit after Israel just missed out on a playoff place in Euro 2004 qualifying.
 
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Troussier named as Morocco's national coach
 
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By Michel Debono

RABAT, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Frenchman Philippe Troussier has been confirmed as the new coach of Morocco's national team.
 
A spokesman at the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) said on Wednesday that Troussier had signed a five-year deal through to the 2010 World Cup finals worth 50,000 euros ($60,330) a month plus bonuses.

The 50-year-old Frenchman will have the title of General Manager and National Coach. Earlier this week, the FRMF appointed French-Moroccan Nasser Larguet as technical manager of the squad.

Troussier replaces Badou Zaki who resigned earlier this month after Morocco failed to qualify for the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.

The move represents something of a home-coming for Troussier, nicknamed the "white witchdoctor" for his successes working in African soccer, coaching in Ivory Coast, Nigeria and South Africa as well as Japan, Qatar and his native France.

He also coached South Africa and Japan at the 1998 and 2002 World Cup tournaments respectively.

Troussier had a brief spell working in Morocco in the mid-1990s, taking the second division outfit FUS Rabat to the Throne Cup title in 1995 and has always kept a home in the country.

He will take charge of a side made up mainly of French-based professionals who were unlucky to miss out on a World Cup place and will be looking to make amends in the African Nations Cup in Egypt next year.
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Real Madrid sack coach Luxemburgo
 
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By Simon Baskett

MADRID, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Real Madrid coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo was sacked on Sunday just over 11 months after taking charge of the nine-times European champions.

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The 53-year-old Brazilian, who was Real's fifth coach in the space of two and a half years, was dismissed following an emergency board meeting at the club's Bernabeu stadium.

"The Real Madrid board has decided that Vanderlei Luxemburgo will not continue as coach of the first team," club vice-president Emilio Butragueno told a news conference.

"It wasn't an easy decision, but the board considered that we had reached a point where we needed a change.

"The team were not living up to expectations and that worried both us and the fans and that was the fundamental reason for our decision, which was unanimous."

The announcement came a day after Real's lacklustre 1-0 win at home to Getafe, but the detonating factor was a humiliating 3-0 home defeat by arch-rivals Barcelona two weeks ago.