Armenia coach Bernard Challandes quits after poor qualifying results

Armenia coach Bernard Challandes has quit after his team made a poor start to qualifying for the European Championship. ESPN FC reports.

Armenia have not won any of the four qualifiers they have played so far and are bottom of Group I.

The Swiss coach, who had been in charge since February 2014, offered his resignation in response to Sunday's 2-1 defeat away to Albania, Armenian Football Federation spokesman Tigran Israelyan told The Associated Press.

"I came to Armenia around one year ago with one aim, to progress from the qualifying stages of the European championships with the Armenian team," Challandes said on the federation website. "It was a big challenge for me. In my contract it was clearly stated that we must earn a certain number of points to get through the qualifying stage and that otherwise I must leave my post.''

Armenia came close to qualifying for a first major tournament at Euro 2012 and last year's World Cup. That raised hopes they could reach the finals of Euro 2016 in France, which have been expanded from 16 teams to 24.

Armenia's next qualifying match is at home to group leaders Portugal on June 13.