Estonia replaces Morocco in Thai football tournament

Morocco's national football team was replaced by Estonia in a Thai football tournament, that started Sunday in Bangkok.

Morocco was replaced after it failed to attend the cup of the Thai king.

National teams of Thailand, Finland, Brazil and Estonia are vying for the cup, in which Morocco was supposed to represent Africa.

The Moroccan team is currently without a coach, following the resignation of French Henri Michel, blamed for Morocco's poor performance in the recent African Cup of Nations, co-hosted by Nigeria and Ghana. The Moroccan federation is expected the disclose the name of the new coach this week.

Football circles were expecting Raja of Casablanca, winner of the African Champions League, or Hassanya club of Agadir to replace the Moroccan national team.

Thailand is among the 24 nations who will elect the host country of the 2006 World Cup.

England, which is competing with Morocco, South Africa, Brazil and Germany to stage the planetary competition sent its former star, Geoff Hurst, to kick off the tournament.