[Dan]

Humberto Coelho has announced that he is to resign from his job less than an hour after his team lost 2-1 to France.

Bring back Oliveira!!

[Edited by Taco on 29-06-2000 at 00:54]

 

[Dan]

Full Story:

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."

 

[Badge]

So whos gonna be available for Portugal for the start of the WC campaign? The coach is gone and Figo and Gomes will be suspended. Any retirements from international football after the game?

 

[Santamaria]

Figo wasn't sent off, he voluntarily left the field in disgust.

 

[Paulo]

Just imagine Zidane missed Figo ran back on the pitch and pumped in the best goal ever.Figo did the right thing people will notice how we were cheated out of a competition again wait for 2002.
I hope Inacio takes the job , but i doubt it.

 

[ST]

Yeah, Figo left by choice. but im sure uefa will find something wrong with that, like unsportmanlike behaviour or something. Also, I saw Bento spitting on the ref..

 

[Paulo]

They did nothing compared to the things that i would have done to the ref and his mate.

 

[Badge]

Hardly cheated out of it. It was a peno fair and square. Look at Baia when it happened. He immediatley started pleading not to give a penalty cos he saw it straight away. Just a ****ty way to go out thats all. I reckon there will be Eufa action cos at one stage the linesman was obout to be head butted and the ref was being grabbed by all and sundry. I reckon the Portuguese federation will be given a fine and no more than that.

 

[Pablo75]

He started pleading because he knew he was going to get screwed =)

 

[Razor]

There's no bigger Figo fan than me, but I think his walking off the field was the wrong thing to do. I understand the emotion and frustration he was feeling, but Baia had already saved one penalty vs. Turkey. What if Zidane had missed? It happens! That's why they make them take the kicks instead of just awarding them the goal! Look at Holland yesterday, missing two during regular time (never mind blowing a couple more in the PK session). Although it's a team, Figo is the leader; and I think it showed poor sportsmanship to the rest of the world.

I'm still proud of the team, though.

Forca Portugal!