Stoichkov under fire in Bulgaria and Spain

Hristo Stoichkov, who quit as Bulgaria coach on Tuesday and moved to Spain's Celta Vigo, came under fire on two fronts yesterday.

A senior Bulgarian soccer official said the former international striker had been too inexperienced to run the national team and his appointment had been a mistake.

In Spain, sacked Celta Vigo boss Fernando Vazquez said Stoichkov, his successor, had it easy and was in a no-lose situation at the struggling Primera Liga club.

Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) vice-president Stefan Ormandzhiev said: "Stoichkov didn't go the steps which every coach should pass to become a national team coach.

"Every coach should start training youth teams, then prove himself in a strong club before becoming a national team coach.

"Stoichkov has gone back to club level now and I think it's the right way for him to develop."

Meanwhile in Spain, Vazquez lamented: "If Celta go down I will be blamed and if they stay up it will be thanks to my replacement.

"Stoichkov has got it easy as the team has been trained up and worked on. All he has to do is to use his skills to motivate them," he was quoted as saying in sports daily Marca.

Celta are two points adrift of safety with nine league games to play.