Guinea minister angry with Fifa

Guinea will organise international friendlies for the national team

Guinea's sports minister Abdel Kader Sangare has reacted angrily to Fifa's ban as the country's French coach Bernard Simondi resigns.

The developments come after Fifa confirmed this week that an indefinite international ban has been imposed on Guinea.

Fifa cannot dictate what should be done with football in Guinea

  Minister Sangare

Mr Sangare said there was now no room for compromise with Fifa.

He argued that Fifa never intervened whenever a club - like those in Italy, France, Spain, England or anywhere else in the world - sacked its coach and he wondered why Guinea was being penalised for sacking its the former FA executive after a string of bad results?

French coach leaves

Meanwhile Guinea's French coach Bernard Simondi has resigned saying he was tired of working under difficult conditions..

The former Grenoble and Creteil coach, who had been in the job since last year told French reporters that every day of working in Guinea country presented new difficulties and that he felt "fatigued".

How could Fifa deprive our youngsters of a final?

  Minister Sangare

The Frenchman's position had looked secure after wins against Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso in mid-year in the opening two matches of the group E qualifiers.

But Guinea had a miserable run in January with a home draw against Togo in the Nations Cup and then dropping two vital points inn the World Cup qualifiers, when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Malawi.

It was after the draw against Malawi that the sports minister dissolved the executive committee of the Guinea Football Federation (Feguifoot).

Fifa then suspended the country because of government interference, to which Sangare responded by organising new elections for the football executive, but Fifa rejected this move.

Youngsters suffer

Mr Sangare - who says he is the chairman of a regional football grouping - indicated that he will now be touring West African nations to attract support for his government's position.

He repeated his earlier position that the world football governing body did not have the right nor the powers to interfere in the internal affairs of a sovereign country.

"The fact that the Guinea FA is affiliated to Fifa does not mean that Fifa can dictate what should be done with football in Guinea," he said.

He lamented the immediate effect of the Fifa ban which meant that Guinea's national junior team was withdrawn from playing in the final game of the African Under-17 Championship earlier this month.

"How could Fifa deprive our youngsters of a final? It was a very important game in their young lives," the minister said.

Self help

The Fifa ban also meant that the junior team lost its well-earned position to represent Africa at the Fifa World Under-17 Championship in Trinidad and Tobago in September.

The Sports Minister said that he would now try and organise international friendlies for the national team.

He added that the government would now concentrate on developing grassroots football across the country.

He also revealed that the fact that the current FA chairman Mamadou Sylla is the President of the Employers Association of Guinea means that it would be much easier to attract funding from the private sector for boosting football in Guinea.