Croatia coach Zlatko Kranjcar has been sacked after the national team’s disappointing showing at the World Cup.

“We made it clear before the World Cup finals that if we do not advance in the second round it would be seen as a failure. This is exactly what has happened,” the association’s chief Vlatko Markovic said.

“However, Kranjcar was and is still claiming that this failure is a consequence of bad luck and that he would not change anything if he would have been in a situation to do so.”

“Thus this move is a logical reaction,” Markovic emphasized.

Croatia finished third in their Group F, after a 0-1 defeat by Brazil, and draws against Japan and Australia respectively.

Kranjcar has repeatedly rejected criticism of his tactics, as well as accusations of nepotism as he picked his son Niko to play in the squad.

“I never ever claimed that we will for sure qualify for the second round,” Kranjcar told journalists Friday.

The former Dinamo Zagreb star has been in charge of the national side for two years. His successor is expected to be unveiled within the next seven days.