September 28, 2008	Sunday	Ramazan 27, 1429

BAGHDAD, Sept 27: Iraq’s Brazilian coach Jorvan Vieira has left the embattled country as a friendly charity match with a European team was put off by two months.

Vieira, who this week conducted the national squad’s first training session in Baghdad since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003, left on Thursday, Bassem Ridha, a sports adviser to the government, said.

“He left because the match with Super Stars of Europe was postponed from Oct 6 to Dec 22,” Ridha said on Saturday. “He was training the team for this friendly match which was to raise money for Iraqi children.”

Vieira is expected back in about two weeks, he added.

Ridha said the postponement was requested by the Italian organisers of the match citing other engagements for some of the European players slated to play the Baghdad team at a venue in Rome.

Stars scheduled to appear included Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo and AC Milan’s Kaka.

However, Iraqi Football Union Secretary Ahmed Abbas said Vieira leaving Baghdad came as a surprise to them.

“We don’t know about the sudden departure of Vieira,” Abbas said. He added that Vieira is contracted for 600,000 dollars, of which 100,000 is coming from the football union while the balance is to be paid by the government in two instalments.

Around 20 Iraqi players resumed training this week at Al-Shaab stadium, the main football venue in Baghdad, under Vieira, who returned to the job this month after guiding Iraq to Asian Cup victory in 2007.—AFP