Serbia end Petrović reign after EURO failure
Friday, October 14, 2011
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The Football Association of Serbia has ended coach Vladimir Petrović's contract by mutual consent after the national team failed to qualify for UEFA EURO 2012 from Group C.
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Vladimir Petrović has left his post as Serbia coach by mutual consent after his side failed to qualify for UEFA EURO 2012.
Serbia finished third in qualifying Group C to miss out on a play-off berth for next summer's finals. With Italy confirmed as section winners, they were beaten to second place by Estonia after losing 1-0 in Slovenia in their last qualifier on Tuesday.
"I had an opportunity to work with the best players in Serbia for 13 months," said the 56-year-old Petrović, who had replaced Radomir Antić in September 2010, two games into the campaign and whose contract ran until the end of the year. "But we missed our target – qualification for EURO 2012.
"I am grateful for the support of the Serbian FA but, unfortunately for us all, we haven't achieved the desired result. I wish the national team all the best and believe Serbia will be back at the forefront of the international game." Captain Dejan Stanković has also announced he will play a farewell match for Serbia before retiring from national-team service this year.