Serbia coach Javier Clemente has been sacked after failing to reach Euro 2008, Serbian Football Association (FSS) president Zvezdan Terzic has confirmed.
“The results are always the final barometer of whether someone has been successful or not and we have made the decision not to extend Clemente’s contract expiring on December 31,” Terzic revealed.
“Clemente himself said he didn’t want to carry on unless he had unanimous support from the FSS, the fans and the media, which he doesn’t although only a few people wanted him out,” he added.
“He had a difficult task of reaching the Euro 2008 finals with a young team in the process of being rebuilt and we were unrealistic in our expectations.”
Terzic criticised the media for “building a negative atmosphere” towards Clemente and accused fans of showing a “complete lack of commitment”.
“To see only a few hundred fans turn up for home matches when we still had a chance of reaching next year’s tournament is very disappointing,” added Terzic.
“I can understand the fans are disappointed but too many of them have shown no commitment to their country or support for the national soccer team when we needed it most.”
Terzic declined to name possible successors to Clemente but confirmed that an appointment should be made within a couple of months.
“We should have a new coach by January 24 but it’s not the end of the world if we take a little longer to pick the right man for the job,” Terzic said.
