NANTES, July 31 — FC Nantes coach Vahid Halilhodzic has resigned after just one season and will leave the club less than two weeks before the start of the new Ligue 1 campaign, sources close to the club said today.

Bosnian-born Halilhodzic, 67, who took over as coach from Miguel Cardoso in October last year, has had stormy relations with club owner and president Waldemar Kita and his son Franck who is director general.

The former Nantes and Paris Saint-Germain player, who was an international for the former Yugoslavia, has been critical of the club’s strategy and recruitment policy.

The club declined to comment on Halilhodzic’s impending departure but the sources indicated that he will quit the club after Friday’s friendly against Genoa.

Stephane Zani, the current youth coach, will replace him for the first Ligue 1 match of the season against Lille on August 11. — AFP