Alexandre Chivadze has resigned asGeorgia's coach on the eve of his team's Euro 2004 Group 10 homequalifier against Switzerland.
The Georgian soccer chief MerabZhordania said today that: "Wednesday's game will be his last with the national teambecause Chivadze said he no longer wants the job," Zhordaniatold local reporters.
"He was very disappointed after losing to Ireland and wantedto quit right away, but we have persuaded him to stay for justone more game against the Swiss," Zhordania added.
"So, we will have to find a caretaker coach for our nextEuropean qualifier against Russia on April 30 and hopefully wewill have a permanent coach in place after that."
Chivadze did not talk to the media after a 2-1 home defeatby Ireland last Saturday. It left Georgia, who also lost 4-1 toSwitzerland in their opener last September, bottom of the groupwith no points from two games.
Chivadze only reluctantly agreed to coach the national teamin June 2001 because no one else wanted the job. The 48-year-oldformer Soviet captain also coached Georgia from 1993 to 1996.
Meanwhile, crowd trouble at Tbilisi's Lokomotivi stadiumlast Saturday, when missiles were thrown on to the pitch, haveadded to the headaches of Georgian soccer chiefs.
European soccer's governing body UEFA said it will hold aninquiry into the incidents, in particular the one in which asmall knife landed close to Ireland midfielder Kevin Kilbane.
Russian soccer officials said they were also worried aboutsecurity ahead of their qualifier against Georgia in Tbilisi andhave written to UEFA, asking them to move the April 30 game to aneutral venue.
Zhordania, however, said he was hoping the UEFA sanctionswill not be too severe.
"We are hoping it will be just a fine and not the stadiumban," he said. "We also hope the match against Switzerland willgo without any problems."