Michel quits as coach of Equatorial Guinea
Reuters - Thursday 20 October 2011, 19:01
Former France manager Henri Michel has
quit as coach of Equatorial Guinea just three months before the
tiny country co-hosts the African Nations Cup finals.
His decision was confirmed on the country's official
government website on Thursday
although no reason was given.
The much-travelled former France captain announced his
intention to leave after a meeting with the FA on Monday .
His departure comes less than a week after Equatorial
Guinea, ranked 155th in the world, earned a creditable 1-1 draw
with Cameroon in a friendly in Malabo, where the Nations Cup
finals kick off on January 21.
Equatorial Guinea are co-hosting the three-week tournament
with Gabon.
Radio France International said Michel had given up in
frustration over conditions in the former Spanish colony.
Equatorial Guinea, which is rich in oil resources, has a
recent history of offering players from Brazil and other
countries passports to play for the national team without
satisfying the necessary FIFA qualifying criteria.
Michel was hired last December on a 13-month contract.
His move to Malabo continued a nomadic career for one of
French football's greats who has coached in 10 different
countries.
Michel managed France, Cameroon, Morocco and the Ivory Coast
at four World Cup finals and has also worked at clubs in Egypt,
Morocco, Qatar, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.