DUBAI: Bruno Metsu has stepped down as coach of Dubai first division club Al-Wasl and has been hospitalized since Oct. 9 with an undisclosed illness, rumored by the local press to be cancer.
In a statement the club said that “have accepted the departure of Metsu due to personal reasons,” adding that assistant coach Gilles Morisseau will take over as interim head coach.
Metsu replaced Diego Maradona in July after a series of poor results and the 58-year-old has been flooded with tributes in a country where he was national coach between 2006 and 2008 and led them to their first Gulf Cup of Nations title.
The well-traveled Frenchman had a 14 year career as a midfielder before turning to coaching in 1987 and most famously had a spell with Senegal between 2000 and 2002 when he led the “Lions of Teranga” to the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals.
Just months ahead of the World Cup, Metsu also guided Senegal to their only appearance in the final of the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations where they were beaten on penalties by Cameroon.
He has spent the bulk of his coaching career in Africa and the Middle East including periods as coach of Guinea, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
Stricken Metsu steps down as Al-Wasl coach
