© Reuters 2002

Coach Nikola Ilievski hit out on Sunday at the Macedonian Football Union, claiming it had neglected the national side and threatened to resign if things did not change.

"Nobody is interested in the team...if things are not changed, I will resign after Wednesday's game against England," Ilievski told a news conference.

Ilievski also said he had not been paid since he took over in February.

Macedonia lost 2-1 at home to Turkey on Saturday in their Euro2004 Group Seven qualifier and now travel to play England in Southampton.

The Macedonians are bottom but one in the group with one point from two games, but Ilievski was delighted with the team's first half performance on Saturday.

They scored after only two minutes through Vlatko Grozdanoski and missed several other opportunities against the World Cup semi-finalists.

Ilievski hopes Georgi Hristov, a key perfomer against Turkey despite battling injury, will be able to play against England. Hristov set up the goal and had two good chances himself.

Delighted to be facing a soccer power like England, Ilievski plans to have one striker and five players in the midfield. "We will play but not defend," he said.

Ilievski, 48, the former coach of local premier division Pobeda Prilep, succeeded Gjore Jovanovski who quit in December after Macedonia failed to qualify for the 2002 FIFA World Cup" finals.