Livingston coach goes back to Brazil

Mystery surrounded the surprise resignation of the Livingston coach, Marcio Maximo, yesterday after only four months in the job.

Maximo, the first Brazilian to take charge of a British team, steadfastly refused to go into the details of his decision to quit and return home, only going as far to say he had "personal reasons".

The Almondvale chairman, Dominic Keane, said the team's results - with two league wins, three draws and three defeats under their belt this season - were not an issue as he thanked the 40-year-old for his contribution since his controversial arrival in the summer.

Maximo did stress that he did not have another job lined up, but insisted he would be staying in football in the future after recharging his batteries in Brazil.

He said: "I'm not homesick, it's not the food, it's not the weather, nothing like that. I think a coach with my experience doesn't have these problems. It's personal reasons that I don't want to go into too deep. But it's nothing superficial or foolish. It's very private. I don't like to talk about problems because that is something bad. It's just personal reasons.

"Dominic Keane always tried to give me support. I had a normal professional relationship with [general manager] Davie Hay and the fans always gave me support.

"I will always stay in football, it is my life, my job. I have nothing sure now, but I will go back to Brazil because I live there. I will rest, relax and refresh myself. I hope that Livingston do well. I gave my contribution here in many aspects, on the pitch and off the pitch - ideas, training, everything. I hope Livingston will be successful."

Maximo defended his side's performances and results this season, with the 3-0 win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie a fortnight ago coming days after Keane had successfully convinced him to reconsider his decision to leave the club.

He added: "I said that after eight or nine games the team would come good because it's normal. If you analyse our last three games we won two and drew one and we had solid performances.

"I think now the team is coming well and I hope the next coach benefits from my job here as well, to put Livingston in the position they deserve."

Keane insisted that he did everything in his powers to get Maximo to stay at the club for the length of his one-year contract, but admitted there was nothing he could do in the end.

He said: "I did do my best, believe you me. I've known for a couple of weeks and I convinced him to take the team to Aberdeen and we talked again the following week - but it's something that is outside football.

"I understand some things in life are more important than football and I have to respect that."