Coach Henri Michel gives up and bows out

National Coach Henri Michel announced Monday in Rabat he "is compelled to stop his activity within Morocco's national squad" because of vitriolic press reviews following the debacle of the squad ousted in the first round of CAN-2000.

Michel, who did not manage to glean a single title with the Atlas Lions, said he was sorry for the poor performance yet deemed his mandate very positive. He also thanked all those who helped during the four years and a half he coached the team, insisting he was forced to leave.