Serbia boss Petkovic goes after finals

BILLERBECK, Germany, June 17 (Reuters) Serbia&Montenegro manager Ilija Petkovic said today he would step down after the World Cup, following his side's 6-0 drubbing by Argentina.

''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 side crash to 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 press 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.

Serbia play also-eliminated Ivory Coast in their final Group C match in Munich on Wednesday.

REUTERS PDS PM2010