Tunisian coach Faouzi Benzarti has announced again his refusal to remain in charge of the Tunisian team following the departure of president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.
“As I said recently, I am not the Tunisian team coach. The contract terms were so humiliating for me, but I had no chance to refuse,” Benzarti was quoted as saying by Algerian newspaper Al-Hadaf on Wednesday.
“We are living a new era of freedom after the ouster of Ben Ali. Now I can say a big no as the contract's financial and objective terms were not reasonable at all,” he added.
The former Esperance coach was named as the new coach of the Tunisian team on the 3rd of January of this year, replacing French tactician Bertrand Marchand.
Tunisia have been struggling in the 2012 African Cup of Nations (ACN) qualifiers and conceded a stunning 1-0 defeat to Botswana in November.
The 61-year old Benzerti has revealed that he was obliged twice, in 1994 and 2010, to be the coach of the Tunisian team during the reign of Ben Ali.
“Who was capable of saying no at that time? They only called me in crisis. When matters stabilized, they thought only of landing foreign coaches with millions of dinars,” added Benzarti.
Benzarti also confirmed that he refuses to re-negotiate with the Tunisian Football Association (TFA) over a new contract for the time being.
“I am busy with the current revolution in my country. When the matters settle, I will decide my future,” he concluded.
The Tunisian team will resume their ACN qualifiers campaign in June when they host Chad.
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