.Iraq coach forced out of Baghdad
ARBIL, Iraq, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Iraq's national soccer coach Akram Salman has fled to Kurdistan after receiving death threats and having his resignation refused by the country's football association.
"Because of the security situation and the curfew and the lack of services in Baghdad, which are not suitable for training, and since I received the threats, I have submitted my resignation and come to Kurdistan," he said.
A bomb beside a soccer pitch in western Baghdad on Wednesday killed at least 12 and wounded 13 people, mainly young soccer players, underlining the deadly conditions in the capital.
Baghdad is under a curfew from 9pm until 6am and Salman said this made it hard to train.
"While we are in Arbil, we can play during the day or the night," he added of the more peaceful northern town.
Salman took over from Adnan Hamad last year as coach of Iraq, who opened their 2007 Asian Cup qualifiers with a defeat by Singapore and a win over China.
They face Palestine in Amman, Jordan in their third qualifier on Aug. 17.
Guardian
"Because of the security situation and the curfew and the lack of services in Baghdad, which are not suitable for training, and since I received the threats, I have submitted my resignation and come to Kurdistan," he said.
A bomb beside a soccer pitch in western Baghdad on Wednesday killed at least 12 and wounded 13 people, mainly young soccer players, underlining the deadly conditions in the capital.
Baghdad is under a curfew from 9pm until 6am and Salman said this made it hard to train.
"While we are in Arbil, we can play during the day or the night," he added of the more peaceful northern town.
Salman took over from Adnan Hamad last year as coach of Iraq, who opened their 2007 Asian Cup qualifiers with a defeat by Singapore and a win over China.
They face Palestine in Amman, Jordan in their third qualifier on Aug. 17.
Guardian
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