Laudrup quits Real Mallorca in frustration

Michael Laudrup resigned as Real Mallorca coach yesterday.

Laudrup made the announcement at a press conference in the morning - hours after the dismissal of his assistant Erik Larsen, who was sacked on Monday night after criticising Lorenzo Serra Ferrer.

"This situation cannot continue like this. From now on, Mallorca will be whatever it is Serra Ferrer wants," Laudrup said.

The former Real Madrid and Barcelona star revealed at Tuesday's brief press conference, during which he did not take questions, he had been contemplating his future for a while but did not want to leave with the team in the lower reaches of the standings.

"Why go now that you've won a game and you're in the middle of the table?" he questioned. "I had long been thinking about this, but I could not do it with the team in a bad situation.

"Now I can quit being in the middle of the standings.

"You want to ask me, 'Why did you do it if there was only one person who didn't want you?'

"Stay, and if things go badly they sack you and give you all the money from your contract.

"But I did not come here for the money. I came for the project; Mallorca were a club in need, that had to start from zero and I looked forward to working with many youth players and veterans."