Australia sack soccer coach Osieck after French rout
Socceroos boss pays ultimate price after his side are thrashed 6-0 by Les Bleus, a month after conceding the same number of goals against Brazil
Australia coach Holger Osieck was sacked on Saturday just eight months away from the World Cup after the Socceroos were thrashed 6-0 by France in an international friendly.
Despite guiding them to next year’s flagship tournament in Brazil, the veteran German’s position was on the line ahead of Friday’s match in Paris after the team were hit for six by Brazil a month ago.
But the latest embarrassing result proved the tipping point and the 65-year-old, who replaced Dutchman Pim Verbeek as national coach in August 2010, has now paid the price.
Football Federation Australia said the decision was taken after an internal review of the World Cup qualification campaign and subsequent international matches, including the 6-0 defeat to Brazil on September 6 and the latest hammering by Les Bleus.
FFA chairman Frank Lowy said the long-term interests of Australian football were paramount in making the change. “The decision is based on the longer term issues of the rejuvenation of the Socceroos team and the preparations for the World Cup and the Asian Cup,” Lowy said.
“FFA has set a strategic objective of having a highly competitive team in Brazil and then handing over a team capable of winning the Asian Cup on home soil in January 2015.
“We have come to the conclusion that change is necessary to meet those objectives. I thank Holger for his contribution to Australian football and wish him well in his future endeavours.”