Saudi coach quits after poor run

Al-Johar resigns after only eight months in charge. Defeat to North Korea was latest setback.

• The Saudi Arabia coach, Nasser Al-Johar, has resigned after a poor run of form in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, the country’s football federation has announced.
• Al-Johar, who led the Saudis to the 2002 finals, quit in the wake of their 1-0 defeat to North Korea last week, which left them second from bottom in Group Two, with four matches remaining. He will remain with the team as a technical advisor, the Saudi federation said in a statement, according to the Asian Football Confederation.
• Al-Johar took over last June after the Brazilian Helios Dos Anjos was sacked, despite having steered the side to the final round of World Cup qualifiers. His replacement, which local reports suggest will be a foreigner, will become Saudi Arabia’s 20th coach since 1994.