Football coach Calisto resigns after criticism

National team manager Henrique Calisto resigned suddenly yesterday, saying he could not handle the criticism levelled at him since the team\'s loss in the Southeast Asian Football Federation Cup last December.

The Portuguese coach said the "unfair pressure" from local media and comments from other coaches was too much for him.

"My players and I tried our best but for different reasons we did not succeed," Calisto, 55, said. "However, apart from the federation, no one shared the failure with me. They only criticised, accused and asked me to take responsibility.

"I have been working with Vietnamese football for more than 10 years and triumphed in the AFF Cup with the national team but after only one loss everyone turned their back on me. The pressure is awful and I want to resign."

Calisto\'s contract with the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) runs till 2013 but either party has the right to end the contract earlier than scheduled.

His decision was a surprise because he had said after the team\'s loss that he would not resign. However it is known that he received at least one offer from another team and there are rumours of others.

Thailand\'s Muang Thong United has confirmed the team asked Calisto to coach for them, but would not reveal the amount offered. It should be "big enough" to persuade him, a representative said.

A VFF leader, meanwhile, said Calisto had built a stable playing style for the national team and that the federation had asked him to finish his contract, but he had refused.

Calisto was considered an important part of the national and under-23 team strategy over the next two years and his departure is a disaster for the federation. He will be difficult to replace.

Federation chairman Nguyen Trong Hy said he accepted Calisto\'s decision and would organise a farewell party.

Calisto came to Vietnam in 2001 as head coach of Dong Tam Long An who then won the V-League Cup twice in 2005 and 2006.

He first worked with the national He first worked with the national team in 2002 which won a bronze medal at the Tiger Cup, now the AFF Cup. Six years later he again took charge of the team and led them to the top podium. In March last year Calisto signed a contract with the federation with a record salary of US$24,000 per month