Bielsa resigns as Chile coach

Santiago: Chile 2010 World Cup coach Marcelo Bielsa announced on Friday he had decided to resign, two days after the Chilean FA (ANFP) said he was staying on.

"I want to say that I have decided to resign from my post as trainer of the Chilean national team," Bielsa told a packed news conference at the ANFP training complex.Bielsa first threatened to quit in November, saying he could not work under Jorge Segovia, who won the ANFP presidential election against incumbent Harold Mayne-Nicholls. However, that result was declared null and void days later due to a clash between Segovia`s personal business interests and his position as chairman and owner of first division club Union Espanola. Sergio Jadue won a second election last month and said he would try to persuade Bielsa to go back on his decision. Jadue said after a meeting with Bielsa on Wednesday: "He told me he would reply in writing. Unfortunately he hasn`t done this yet, but I interpret his silence in an optimistic manner. Marcelo Bielsa stays." Bielsa had told Jadue he would have a decision by the end of January and Jadue opted to interpret the Argentine coach`s silence as a signal he was not resigning. "He`s aware of my interpretation and what I was going to communicate to the news media," Jadue said. Bielsa on Friday added: "The reason I`ve decided to resign is because of the manner in which (Jadue) has acted from when he assumed (office).""He did everything necessary for me to resign." Bielsa, in charge since 2007, steered Chile to their first World Cup finals in 12 years. They reached the second round of last year`s tournament in South Africa. Bureau Report