Football
Colin Udoh, Special to ESPN 5y

Libya coach Amrouche quits days before Nigeria clash

Libya coach Adel Amrouche has left his post with just days before their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Nigeria.

The Libya Observer, referring to sources close to the Libyan Football Federation, has reported that six months of unpaid wages and unhappiness among the players at the coach's methods had prompted his exit.

Omar Al-Miryami, the local coach who Amrouche replaced in May, is a contender to take charge of the team for both games against Nigeria on October 13 in Uyo and October 15 in Tunisia, according to the report.

Amrouche's first and only game in charge was last month's 0-0 draw away to South Africa which consolidated Libya's position as group leaders with four points from two games.

The Algerian is not new to controversy, he also resigned from his first job as an international coach when he packed up and left Burundi citing poor conditions.

In his second national-team job - overseeing Kenya - he was handed a suspension by CAF for allegedly spitting at a referee.

Last month, the 50-year-old sparked anger in Nigeria immediately after his team held South Africa by claiming that the Super Eagles, his next opponents, only believed in black magic.

He was later forced to retract the comments, claiming they were made as a joke.

A 54-person Libyan delegation - sans Amrouche - is expected to arrive in Nigeria on Thursday, two days before the game against Nigeria.

The Super Eagles currently lie third in the group, behind the Libyans and South Africa, and are in desperate need of at least four points from these two games to get themselves in a position to progress to next year's tournament in Cameroon.

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