Zagreb (Croatia): Croatia coach Zlatko Kranjcar was fired on Saturday following fierce public criticism of his team's first-round exit from the World Cup.
"We won't extend his contract," Croatian football federation head Vlatko Markovic said on Saturday, adding that a replacement would be chosen within a week.
Kranjcar's contract was set to expire on July 31.
Croatia, which finished third at the 1998 World Cup in France, scored two goals in three World Cup games, losing to Brazil and drawing with Japan and Australia.
Kranjcar has rejected any criticism, insisting that luck and not tactics were to blame, infuriating commentators and fans.
Football officials had initially defended Kranjcar.
Markovic said Croatia's failure to advance in the World Cup "was a failure. The result was not adequate for the quality of our team. That is clear to everyone now."
Among the candidates to replace Kranjcar are Branko Ivankovic, a longtime coach of Iran and assistant coach when Croatia finished third at the 1998 World Cup.
Zvonimir Boban, a former Croatia captain, and Igor Stimac, are also in the running, according to local media.
Markovic said two "foreign coaches" are also interested, but he did not name them.
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