Henri Kasperczak, Senegal coach, has resigned after his side's shock 3-1 loss to Angola in Group D left them on the brink of elimination from the African Cup after being touted as one of the early favourites.
Le Soleil newspaper in Dakar said that the Polish coach announced his intention to stand down hours after Sunday's defeat in Tamale, and it was confirmed by the Polish coach on Monday.
"I have offered my resignation to the football federation and it has been accepted," Kasperczak told a news conference.
"I have told the players of my decision. I'm the one who is responsible for the results.
"The disappointment is enormous, even if there's still a small chance of qualifying," the Pole added.
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"I don't handle defeat well, I've always been a winner."
Henri Kasperczak,
Senegal coach |
"I resigned in order to trigger something in the team, perhaps it will be the key for the rest of the competition.
"My aim was to go the final. So we can consider it as a defeat. I don't handle defeat well, I've always been a winner.
"After yesterday's loss I thought about it and I said to myself perhaps it was down to me, to my handling of the squad."
Lamine Ndiaye, assistant coach, will step in as caretaker boss for Senegal's final Group D tie against South Africa in Tamale on Thursday, RFM radio reported.
Kasperczak, a veteran African campaigner who played at the 1974 World Cup in West Germany, was named Senegal coach in May 2006 after previous stints with Ivory Coast, Tunisia and Mali.
Sunday's crushing defeat which left Senegal, who finished second and 2002 and fourth in 2006, on one point was greeted with disappointment by the Senegelese press.
"It's the African Cup of damnation" was the headline in the Cocorico newspaper.