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Sad Coelho to quit as coach
Humberto Coelho announced he was resigning as Portugal coach after his side's Euro 2000 semi-final defeat.
The disappointed manager said: "I will not renew my contract with the FA, which will expire on July 31."
It means that the Portuguese FA have to find a new coach in time to take over and steer the national team through the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Coelho questioned the decsision that presented France with victory but also praised his team for yet another impressive performance on the big stage.
"It was a pity that we are going out the way we are. I don’t doubt that there was a handball but it was not intuitive," he said.
"Our player [Abel Xavier] did not have the time to reflect on what he would do. It was ball to hand, not hand to ball. He did not have time to get out of the way.
"But at the end of the day we must accept the decisions of the referee and that’s the way it is.
"We have performed marvellously once again as we have done all through the competition. Congratulations to the French, I wish them all the best in the final."
Sad Coelho to quit as coach
Humberto Coelho announced he was resigning as Portugal coach after his side's Euro 2000 semi-final defeat.
The disappointed manager said: "I will not renew my contract with the FA, which will expire on July 31."
It means that the Portuguese FA have to find a new coach in time to take over and steer the national team through the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Coelho questioned the decsision that presented France with victory but also praised his team for yet another impressive performance on the big stage.
"It was a pity that we are going out the way we are. I don’t doubt that there was a handball but it was not intuitive," he said.
"Our player [Abel Xavier] did not have the time to reflect on what he would do. It was ball to hand, not hand to ball. He did not have time to get out of the way.
"But at the end of the day we must accept the decisions of the referee and that’s the way it is.
"We have performed marvellously once again as we have done all through the competition. Congratulations to the French, I wish them all the best in the final."
