Otto Rehhagel has quit as Greece’s national team coach after nine years at the helm following the team’s exit from the World Cup, according to reports out of Athens Wednesday.
NovaSport FM said the 71-year-old German informed his players of his plans to resign as their coach following Greece’s 0-2 defeat to Argentina in Group B Tuesday.
Greece’s football federation was expected to formally announce Rehhagel’s resignation and successor when the team returns from South Africa on Thursday.
Former PAOK coach Fernando Santos is reportedly lined up for the top job. The 55-year-old Portuguese quit the northern Greek club in May despite earning a spot in next season’s Champions League.
Rehhagel’s long-time assistant, Giannis Topalidis, also resigned.
“For me it is the last night as part of the national team. I am happy for everything I experienced these past nine years. I had no idea that I would get to experience so much,” Topalidis said.
“My decision is definite, even if Rehhagel ends up staying on,” he said.
Greece were eliminated from the World Cup on Tuesday after losing their final group game to Argentina. South Korea joined Argentina in the Round of 16 after holding Nigeria to a 2-2 draw.
Greece’s exit from the World Cup means the end of an era not only for the 71-year-old German coach, but for many of his senior players - including Kostas Katsaouranis and Giourkas Seitaridis - who took part in the surprise win at Euro 2004 in Portugal.
Greece were considered outsiders to qualify for the knockout stages of the World Cup. But many Greeks had hoped that the team could have sprung a surprise as they did in Portugal six years ago.
“We leave the World Cup with out heads held high,” read the headline of the daily newspaper Eleftheros Typos.
We figured as much. Thanks for the memories Otto, i suspect the miracle of 2004 will be spoken about for generations to come. Obviously Greeces most successful football coach in terms of silverware and win/loss record. Rehhagel was in charge for 106 matches with the Greeks winning 53, drawing 23 and losing 30. My onlu hope is that the HFF actually takes the position left vacant by Otto as serious as it did right before it appointed him to begin with. Once again, thanks Otto
Hawkesy wrote:COLOSSUS...........Congratulations, you have won the title fair a square.
Good riddance 4 years too long in the position, imagine what they could have done if they promoted the rest of the players in the under 21's who were even better than Ninnis??? Idiots...Greek FA need their heads read. Negative football is what cowards play...and the greeks unlike some of their neighbours are not a race or people of cowards...
About time I reckon. Sure, he did great in 2004, but you can't live with memories only, have to look forward. And Greece didn't play up to their potential after winning Euro. Wonder who will be in charge next.
you guys have short memories or are in the dark....what were greece's fooballing achivements prior to 2004???? one WC performance in 1994 where they conceded 10 goals and scored 0............
otto identified a style of play which suited the 'greek' player. a style allowing them to stay in the game for as long as possible with the hope of playing and scoring on the counter.
more importantly, he showed and made the greeks believe that with tactical discipline they can compete and in many cases beat the best in the world......
it might not always be smoothe sailing for the greeks but he will surely be considered as the 'father' of contemporary greek football....he has set the bar for others now to follow.....
“Hence, we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes fight like Greeks." Winston Churchill
