Ilievski to leave Macedonian post
Thursday, July 24, 2003
Article summary
The Macedonian Football Union is to part company with national coach Nikola Ilievski in September.
Article body
Final assignments
Ilievski's contract runs until the end of 2005, but he will remain in charge only for the last two Group 7 qualifiers against England and Slovakia on 6 and 10 September. The move follows a run of poor results, with F.Y.R. Macedonia winning only one of six group matches.
Relationship over
"We decided to end our working relationship with Ilievski as we are dissatisfied with the team's results," FSM president Haralampije Hadziristeski said. "We have decided that my contract will expire and my work with the national team cease on 15 September, after the matches against England and Slovakia," Ilievski said.
Group stragglers
Macedonia, who are second bottom of Group 7 and cannot qualify for the EURO 2004™ finals, are next in action in a home friendly against Albania on 20 August. Under Ilievski, the national team have won three games, drawn five and lost six. The country's best result was a 2-2 qualifying draw in England last October.
