Spain coach Saez 'has handed in resignation'

Spanish coach Inaki Saez has already handed in his resignation to the Spanish football federation after his side's Euro 2004 flop and will leave his post, Spanish media reports said.

Spanish coach Inaki Saez has already handed in his resignation to the Spanish football federation after his side's Euro 2004 flop and will leave his post, Spanish media reports said.

Saez said on Tuesday he would remain at the helm of the national side despite Spain's first-round exit, saying he believed he had the players' support to continue.

But Spanish radio station Cadena Ser and sports daily Marca reported he had met Wednesday with federation president Angel Maria Villar to say he intended to quit and make the position available to someone else.

The federation said in a statement that it had met Saez, who only days before Euro 2004 extended his contract through to the 2006 World Cup, in order to discuss "the situation created by his decision to continue at the head of te national side until the 2006 World Cup."

Villar later postponed to Friday a press conference originally scheduled for Thursday to enable both himself and Saez "to communicate the content of their conversations" to the federation's ruling council.

After beating Russia in their opening match in Portugal, Spain drew wth Greece, but lost their final Group A match to host nation Portugal, allowing Greece to pip Spain to the second qualifying spot in Group A on the basis of goals scored.

If Saez does fall on his sword he will share the fate of Germany coach Rudi Voller, who resigned Thursday after his team's first-phase elimination.