THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
VIENNA, Austria — Josef Hickersberger has stepped down as coach of Austria’s soccer team because his team failed to reach the European Championship quarter-finals.
The Euro 2008 co-host was eliminated in the group stage after losing 1-0 to both Croatia and Germany and drawing 1-1 with Poland.
"We played very well, even sensationally some of the time, but we didn’t reach the quarter-finals and didn’t accomplish our common goal," Hickersberger said Tuesday. "I’m sorry and I’ve drawn the consequences from it."