Bulgaria sack coach Markov, seek replacement
Reuters - Tuesday 02 December 2008, 17:17
(Adds quotes, byline, changes slug)
By Angel Krasimirov
SOFIA, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Bulgaria have sacked national coach
Plamen Markov and could look abroad for a replacement, the
Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) said on Tuesday.
"It was a tough decision but all 13 (executive committee)
members voted for Markov's departure," BFU president Borislav
Mihaylov told a news conference.
"It was preceded by a serious discussion as we wanted to
understand why the national team doesn't perform well on the
pitch," he said.
The 51-year-old Markov, who had a contract with the BFU
until the end of 2009, has been released after three
disappointing draws in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers this
autumn.
Markov, a former CSKA Sofia coach who won five league titles
and three national cups as a player, had shrugged off calls for
his resignation after Bulgaria's humiliating 6-1 loss against
Serbia in a friendly last month.
Mihaylov said the BFU would do their best to find a
replacement before their extraordinary congress on Jan. 30.
"It could be a Bulgarian coach but it's not impossible to
hire a top-class foreigner," he said.
Five foreigners, including former England manager Terry
Venables and Macedonia's Slovenian coach Srecko Katanec, were on
the shortlist for the job before the BFU appointed Markov for
the second time in January.
He had previously quit after the Euro 2004 finals in
Portugal where Bulgaria suffered three defeats.
Bulgaria are third in World Cup European qualifying Group
Eight with three points from three matches. Italy top the
standings with 10 points from four games, followed by Ireland
with seven points from three matches.
(Editing by Alan Baldwin)