Germany Coach Rudi Voeller Quits After Euro 2004 Exit

Germany soccer coach Rudi Voeller, who led the team to the 2002 World Cup final, quit after the three-time European champion was knocked out of Euro 2004 by a 2- 1 defeat to the Czech Republic's second-string team. Germany, without a win at the competition since its 1996 title, became the third team ranked in the world's top 10 to exit in round one, joining Italy and Spain. The 44-year-old Voeller, who scored 47 times in 90 games for Germany, blamed his team's attack, which mustered two goals in three games. Germany drew 1-1 with the Netherlands and 0-0 with 500-1 outsider Latvia before losing to a Czech team that rested 10 players after sealing its quarterfinal place after just two games. ``We are the idiots of Europe,'' German daily Bild raged, calling the players ``traitors'' who should be ``ashamed.'' Croatia coach Otto Baric quit after his team failed to progress beyond the first round of the 16-nation tournament in Portugal and is set to be followed by Italy's Giovanni Trapattoni and Inaki Saez of Spain, according to press reports in those countries. Voeller, who took over in 2000, led the team to the 2002 World Cup final, where it lost to Brazil.