01 January 2005	Saturday	19 Ziqa'ad 1425

TOKYO, Dec 31: Iraq coach Adnan Hamd has walked out on the national team after his home was destroyed. Hamd, who took Iraq to the Asian Cup quarterfinals and the last four of the Athens Olympics this year, quit just three weeks after being named Asian coach of the year.

"I was hoping that I could continue... but there are a lot of security problems in Iraq," Hamd was quoted by FootballAsia.com on Friday.

"I have just received a call that my home was destroyed... this situation is very hard for me."

Hamd's resignation comes a week after the end of the 2004 Gulf Cup in Doha, where Iraq suffered a first-round exit. -Reuters