Šušak steps down as Georgia coach

Emphatic victory
The 56-year-old Croatian announced his decision after Saturday's Georgian Premier League game between Dinamo and FC Torpedo Kutaisi, which champions Dinamo won 3-0 to maintain their position at the top of the table.

'Concentrate on club'
"I would have loved to remain coach of Georgia, but only if Dinamo had agreed," Šušak told reporters. "But my job with Dinamo is very important to me and I have to concentrate on the club."

Finest hour
Šušak's finest hour with the national side came as Georgia beat Russia 1-0 in Tbilisi on 30 April in qualifying for UEFA EURO 2004™, a result which came less than a month after he had taken control.

Domestic triumph
The next month, Šušak led Dinamo to a domestic league and cup double, the club's eleventh championship victory but their first since 1999. However, Dinamo's subsequent campaign in the UEFA Champions League ended at the first hurdle, as they were unable to preserve a 3-0 first-leg lead against KF Tirana in the first qualifying round, eventually losing 4-2 on penalties.

Search started
That defeat prompted Šušak to choose to focus fully on his club commitments. Merab Zhordania, president of the Georgian Football Federation, said the search for a new national coach was already under way.

Three games to go
Georgia currently lie bottom of EURO 2004™ Group 10 with four points from five games. The team have three matches remaining, against Albania at home and away before travelling to Moscow for a final qualifier against Russia on 11 October.