TIRANA, Nov. 22 – Otto Baric resigned as coach of the Albanian national team after a loss with Romania during a qualifying match for the 2008 European Championship, the Albanian soccer federation said Thursday.
Albania lost 6-1 with Romania in its last qualifying Wednesday.
75-year-old Baric, the former Croatia and Austria coach, took the post more than a year ago to replace Hans-Peter Briegel, who declined to extend his contract with Albania after coaching the team since December 2002.
Albania failed to qualify for the 2008 European Championship getting 11 in 12 matches at the Group G.
The federation said that Baric resigned immediately after losing with Romania, which followed another loss at home with Belarus.
Looking at the team’s situation in the last two matches he said he was not capable of leading the team and did not feel himself strong enough to continue to work with the national team, said a statement.
