The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has announced that national team coach Aljosa Asanovic has resigned.

Asanovic, who was appointed as Chipolopolo head coach in January, sent his resignation from his home country Croatia after snubbing all efforts by the FA to resolve a contractual matter failed.

The coach is owed US$41,000 in unpaid salaries.

He has been in his native country since Zambia lost 1-0 at home to Mozambique on July 30 to crash out of the Algeria 2023 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers.

“Following weeks of fruitless efforts to get the coach to return to his workstation and resolve contractual matters, we have been notified by Mr Aljosa Asanovic through his lawyers that he has quit his position as Zambia National Team Head Coach,” FAZ General Secretary Adrian Kashala said in a statement on Sunday.

“Understandably, after failure to meet some of the key performance indicators and propensity to leave his workstation after every international assignment made his position untenable.”

Asanovic wants to accelerate the matter to FIFA to seek closure and this could attract sanctions on the national team.

“We welcome Mr Asanovic’s desire to report the matter to FIFA as we equally want finality on the matter especially in the claim for remuneration for the period one is absent from work,” the FA’s generally secretary added.

FAZ, in consultation with government and other stakeholders, will announce the next steps in due course.