Iranian-American football manager Afshin Ghotbi quit as coach of Iranian side Persepolis, just a week after guiding the club to the league title in his first year back in Iran. Ghotbi, who returned to Iran last year after spending much of his life in the United States, is set to leave the country in the next few days with his South Korean wife.

"After talking it over with his family, Ghotbi officially told us that he does not want to remain in Iran any longer and to work with Persepolis," Habib Kashani, the director of the Persepolis, told the student agency ISNA. "The reason for Qotbi's departure, according to him, is special family circumstances and has nothing to do with financial differences."

Ghotbi took Persepolis, traditionally one of Tehran's top two clubs, to its first league title in six years despite being docked six points mid-season on a technicality. During his one year in charge, Ghotbi endeared himself to Iranian football fans with his tactical thinking, smart dressing and animated comments to the media.

He was seen as a leading candidate to become national team manager until the football federation stunned observers by suddenly naming the relatively inexperienced former striker Ali Daei.

Source: Yahoo News