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Chris Coleman: Wales national team manager resigns, joins Sunderland

By Alex Butler
Wales head coach Chris Coleman during the international friendly soccer match between France and Wales on November 10 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris, France. Photo by Yoan Valat/EPA-EFE
Wales head coach Chris Coleman during the international friendly soccer match between France and Wales on November 10 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris, France. Photo by Yoan Valat/EPA-EFE

Nov. 18 (UPI) -- Wales soccer manager Chris Coleman has resigned after nearly six years at the helm.

Coleman, 47, leaves the team after it failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. He departed in order to coach Sunderland, according to the BBC.

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"The FAW and Wales as a nation will be eternally grateful for the job he has done over the last six years as National Team Manager, from traveling the length and breadth of Wales outside of the media spotlight to talk to players and supporters, to guiding us to the semi-finals of the European Championships," Jonathan Ford, chief executive of the Football Association of Wales said in a statement.

"We wish Chris the very best of luck for the future as he returns to club management, a desire for which he has always been honest and open about."

Coleman became Wales manager in January of 2012. He led the squad to the semifinals of EURO 2016.

Wales finished in third place in Europe's Group D in World Cup Qualifying. Assistant Kit Symons is also leaving the team, according to the BBC.

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Sunderland fired Simon Grayson three weeks ago. Sources told ESPN that Sunderland hope to finish their deal with Coleman so he can coach Tuesday against Aston Villa.

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