ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER MOURNS IAN PORTERFIELD’S DEATH
ARMENPRESS
Sep 12, 2007
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS: Armenian prime minister Serzh
Sarkisian has expressed today his condolences over the death of Ian
Porterfield, the Scottish head coach of Armenia’s national soccer
team, who died yesterday at the age of 61 from colon cancer in a
Surrey hospice.
"It was with a deep sorrow that I learned about Ian Porterfield’s
premature death. During a very short period of time, as he managed
Armenia’s national team, he succeeded in giving it a new breath, to
become a unifying center that conveyed resolution to the players and
advanced the team spirit and the idea of victory," his message says,
in part.
Sarkisian has also conveyed his condolences to the family and relatives
of Ian Porterfield, Armenian football players and all football fans.
Despite being diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, Porterfield
carried on with his duties as manager of Armenia’s national team
until just before his death. He took charge of his side for their
superb 1-1 draw against Portugal in August.
Porterfield, who played for Raith Rovers before joining Sunderland,
began his managerial career in December 1979 at Rotherham, where he
guided the South Yorkshire club to the Division Three title. He then
had a successful spell at Sheffield United before replacing Sir Alex
Ferguson at Aberdeen in 1986.
After Reading, he had a spell in charge of Chelsea before embarking
upon an international odyssey.
Porterfield managed the Zambia, Saudi Arabia, Zimbabwe, Oman and
Trinidad & Tobago national teams, as well South Korean club side
Busan I’Park, before heading to Armenia.