Billerback, Germany: Serbia & Montenegro manager Ilija Petkovic said on Saturday he would step down after the World Cup, following his side's 6-0 drubbing by Argentina which knocked them out in the first round.
"I will resign when we come home but I will not step down while the tournament is still in progress," he told reporters at the team's Billerbeck base, less than 24 hours after watching his team being thrashed by Argentina.
"We did well to qualify for the World Cup and I am not going to apologise to anyone for what happened against Argentina. Football is like that sometimes," he said.
Petkovic, who has been in the job for two years, blamed the media for putting "too much pressure on the team" before the tournament but admitted the players had let themselves down against the Argentines.
"This is a severe blow and we have to take it on the chin. This defeat has stained everything we have achieved but we must get back on our feet and move on," he said.
"My conscience is clear. We should have played with everyone behind the ball against Argentina and I backed down under pressure from the media that called me a coward after the Netherlands game," he added.
Petkovic's contract was up for renewal after the finals.
Questioned on how he responded to defeat in the dressing room, Petkovic said: "Well, I surely didn't jump with joy. It seems many of you (the media) want me to stick my face into the mud but I am not going to."