Pacific / Fiji

Sport:Fiji Football searching for new head coach

11:02 am on 20 August 2019

The Fiji Football Association is looking for a new head coach following the resignation of Frenchman Christophe Gamel.

Roy Krishna playing for Fiji against New Zealand in 2017. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

In a statement the association confirmed Gamel quit last week citing personal reasons.

Fiji Football president Rajesh Patel praised Gamel for lifting the men's team's FIFA world ranking from 189 to 163.

Patel said Gamel's last outing with the national team was at the Pacific Games campaign in July when both the Fiji men's and women's teams won bronze.

Goalkeeper coach Xavier Henneusse, who was brought in by Gamel, will also be leaving at the end of the month.

While the search for a new head coach continues, Mr Patel said Fiji women's coach Marika Rodu and Lautoka coach Anginesh Prasad would look after the men's team.

Fiji coach Christophe Gamel speaks to media following their World Cup Qualification match against New Zealand in Wellington. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Gamel told the Fiji Sun he quit his job because he wanted to spend more time with his eight-year-old son.

He said he was proud of what he had achieved with the national team including winning six, losing three and drawing one of their last ten international matches, a record he said had not been achieved in a long-time.

Gamel acknowledged, however, he had also experienced some low points during his tenure.

Earlier this year, he was accused of assaulting players in the country's youth teams.

Gamel denied the allegations saying they were drummed up because he was trying to clean up Fiji Football by introducing new accountability measures such as drug testing for players.

An investigation into the allegations was completed in February but it is unclear whether the results have been made public.

Gamel said he would always have a heart for Fiji and would consider returning if the country required his services again.