ARMENIA COACH CHALLANDES QUITS AFTER POOR RESULTS

Associated Press International
March 30, 2015 Monday 5:12 PM GMT

YEREVAN, Armenia

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) – Armenia coach Bernard Challandes has quit after
his team made a poor start to qualifying for the European championship.

Armenia has not won any of the four qualifiers it has played so far
and is bottom of Group I.

The Swiss coach, who had been in charge since February 2014, offered
his resignation in response to Sunday’s 2-1 defeat away to Albania,
Armenian Football Federation spokesman Tigran Israelyan told The
Associated Press.

“I came to Armenia around one year ago with one aim, to progress from
the qualifying stages of the European championships with the Armenian
team,” Challandes said on the federation website.

“It was a big challenge for me. In my contract it was clearly stated
that we must earn a certain number of points to get through the
qualifying stage and that otherwise I must leave my post.”

Armenia came close to qualifying for a first major tournament at Euro
2012 and last year’s World Cup. That raised hopes it could reach the
finals of Euro 2016 in France, which have been expanded from 16 teams
to 24.

Armenia’s next qualifying match is at home to group leader Portugal
on June 13.