Vukotić tenders resignation

Cyprus coach Momčilo Vukotić has tendered his resignation after his side's 4-1 UEFA EURO 2004™ Group 1 defeat against Slovenia on Wednesday night.

'We have had problems'

Six defeats
The 52-year-old coach from Serbia and Montenegro - who stressed his "decision is final" - was appointed Cyprus's first foreign coach in December 2001, replacing Takis Charalambous. Of his ten games in charge, Cyprus won two - including one on penalties - drew two and lost six. They are currently third in their group on four points, eleven adrift of leaders France.

Partizan great
The Cyprus Football Association had turned to Vukotić because of his vast experience of coaching sides in the Cypriot First Division as well as success in his homeland with FK Partizan. Born in Belgrade, Vukotić was one of the greatest players in Partizan's history, making more appearances (752) than any other player in the club's history and scoring 309 goals. Vukotić was also a Yugoslavian international and scored four goals in his 14 appearances, ten of them as captain.

Coaching career
In the late 1970s he had a brief spell playing in France with FC Girondins de Bordeaux, before returning to Partizan. A decade later, in the 1989/90 season, Vukotić was appointed coach of Partizan, leading the side to a domestic cup win in his first season. He later moved on to Greece where he coached Panionios GS for three seasons before taking charge of Cypriot clubs Apollon Limassol FC, Nea Salamis FC and Ethnikos Achnas FC.