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Ikoli Victor
DOHA
Al Rayyan Club announced late on Sunday that they are in search of a successor to Michael Laudrup after the coach was not given any extension at the end of his two-year contract.
A club statement also confirmed that the Danish coach's contract will not be extended into the 2018-19 season. Only last week, he had hinted he will take an indefinite absence from the game.
Abdullah Ezzedine al Mutawa, Vice-Chairman of the club, said:"The club will hire a new coach to lead the first football team in our club during the coming season."
Mutawa added that there are many coaches interested in the job and the"most suitable coach. capable of achieving the ambitions of the club and fans, will be chosen."
The decison to end the contract of the Danish legend wasn't too far after the club's 2-1 defeat in the Amir Cup final to Al Duhail (Lekhwiya) last week, Laudrup's former club.
Two successive defeats in the Amir Cup and a loss in the Qatar Cup epitomised the former Swansea manager's job in Qatar. In the domestic league, Al Rayyan ended in a third place. In the Asian Champions League, the club had to finish with a somewhat disappointing third place after a lone victory in the group matches.
Following the team's poor run in the league and cup competitions, the former Real Madrid and Barcelona player missed out in the best coach of the year award in the recent QFA Awards.
The 54-year-old Dane arrived in Al Rayyan in October 2016 and was in charge in 46 matches, winning 27 and losing 10. The Lions never went beyond the group stage of the Champions League in Laudrup's reign.
About a week ago, Laudrup had the following comment on TV 2 Sport.
"I want to take a break. After all, I've been working on high-level football since I was 17, so now is the time when life's going to offer something else for a while. It's a time-out break. It can be 6 months, 12 months or permanent. It will only show time, but right now there is a pause."
"I have weighed in favour and came to the conclusion that I'm definitely not tired of football, but I just want and need a break. Also, to try something else in life. I need that, and I think that's healthy, he said. Laudrup emphasised that the decision has nothing to do with either Qatar or Al Rayyan. He had said before the final of the Amir Cup, that it was a personal matter.
"It has not been about victories or defeats - of course, I would like to finish off with a victory in the Amir Cup. But it was a strong team we met. They have not lost a match this season, either in the league, the Champions League or the Amir Cup. But we reached the final and I'm very pleased with that."
Laudrup has trained Brondby, Getafe, Mallorca, Swansea, Spartak Moscow and in Qatar, Lekhwiya and Al Rayyan respectively.
