SYDNEY: Holger Osieck guided Australia to the World Cup finals but he will not be going to Brazil.

A 6-0 friendly defeat by France in Paris on Friday, on top of a similar beating by Brazil in Brasilia the previous month,  gave Football Federation Australia the excuse it needed to replace him.

The modest manner of qualifying for the World Cup finals was also a factor.

An FFA statement said: “The decision was taken after an internal review of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign and the international matches played since, including the 6-0 defeat to Brazil on 6 September and the 6-0 defeat to France.”

Germany role

Osieck, an assistant coach with the Germany team that won the 1990 World Cup, was brought in after Australia bowed out at the group stage of the 2010 finals to oversee the transition from an ageing ‘golden generation’ to a younger group.

The 65-year-old German started his reign encouragingly by taking Australia to the final of the 2011 Asian Cup, where they were unfortunate to lose a close match to Japan.

But the fact the team for Friday’s match was captained by 35-year-old defender Lucas Neill with 33-year-old Tim Cahill leading the forward line indicated that he had only been partially successful in overhauling his squad.

FFA chairman Frank Lowy said: “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,” “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.”

Osieck’s assistant Aurelio Vidmar will act as caretaker coach for a friendly against Canada in London on Tuesday but is unlikely to be handed the job full time.

** Hungary manager Sandor Egervari quit after the 8-1 thrashking by Holland in their penultimate World Cup qualifier on Friday.

Egervari, in charge for the past three years, said: “After a loss like this it goes without saying that I must offer my resignation. For Hungarian football this loss is a massive slap in the face.”

Former international Jozsef Csabi will take charge of their final match against Andorra in Budapest on Tuesday.

Angola have sacked Uruguayan coach Gustavo Ferrin after their World Cup elimination in the group phase. They finished third in the  group win by Senegal and won only one game.

Last week Botswana sacked Stanley Tshosane.

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