BEIRUT: Lebanon’s football association accepted the resignation of national team coach Emile Rustom Tuesday and nominated two foreign coaches as possible replacements.

Rustom resigned despite leading Lebanon to the third phase of qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

“I wish the national team the best of luck for the coming phase and I hope that no obstacles would be put in front of the new coach like they did in front of me,” Rustom said in his resignation letter, as quoted in the local press.

“I hope the association would provide the players of this martyr team with the necessary capabilities,” he reportedly wrote.

The association will choose either German Theo Boukir, who coached the team during the 2002 World Cup qualifiers and recently took over as manager of Ahed premier league side, and Nejmeh coach Algerian Mohammad Qandoz, the reports said.

Rustom was the head coach of Sagesse until 2005, when he first joined the national team. He started a second stint with the national team in 2008, after stepping down from the same role with Nejmeh.