Stanimir Stoilov has resigned as Bulgaria coach after successive defeats in the Euro 2012 qualifiers.
The 43-year-old believes captain Stilian Petrov could follow him in quitting international football.
Bulgaria’s hopes of reaching Euro 2012 are in disarray following Friday’s 4-0 defeat by England and a 1-0 loss at home to Montenegro on Tuesday.
Stoilov said: “Stilian might quit. I hope he’ll change his mind and I want Dimitar Berbatov back. We need them.”
Elsad Zverotic’s 35th-minute strike condemned his side to defeat on Tuesday Stoilov admitted that qualification for the finals in Poland and Ukraine was unlikely.
“This was my last game as coach of Bulgaria,” added Stoilov, who took the post in May 2009 following Plamen Markov’s sacking.
“We lost and our chances of progressing are disappearing. Losing to Montenegro was too much.”
Bulgaria’s porting director Nasko Sirakov has also hinted that he too might resign, saying: “I came to help the lads and the team but it seems that I didn’t cope with my task. I don’t think I’ll continue my work.”
Another problem for the Bulgarian Football Association is that they only have until October 8th before their next Euro 2012 fixture against Wales.
“We don’t have much time as we meet,” conceded Bulgarian FA president Borislav Mihaylov.
“It’s too early to say who’ll replace Stoilov, we may appoint someone on a temporary basis.
“It’s not a good idea to appoint a foreign coach – we can’t afford a famous foreign coach and look what happened with Russia, they have a very expensive coach [Dick Advocaat] but still they’re losing at home [Russia being beaten 1-0 by Slovenia].”
