BAMAKO: Alain Giresse resigned as coach of Mali on Thursday after the country’s heavy defeat in World Cup qualification last week effectively left them out of contention for a place at next year’s finals in Russia. Mali were hammered 6-0 in Morocco last Friday and hostile Mali supporters voiced their displeasure with Giresse as the team drew 0-0 at home to the same opposition on Tuesday. That kept Mali bottom of Group C on only two points, five behind leaders Ivory Coast with two games to play. “He is not in the right frame of mind to continue, plus there are concerns for his security,” said Mali Football Federation president Boubacar Baba Diarra. It was 64-year-old Giresse’s second spell as coach of Mali.
Published in Daily Times, September 8th 2017.