Bucharest (AFP) – Romania have parted company with German coach Christoph Daum following their failure to qualify for next year’s World Cup, the country’s football federation (FRF) announced on Thursday.

“The FRF president Razvan Burleanu and coach Christoph Daum have agreed to end their collaboration before the last two qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup,” the FRF said in a statement.

Romanian fans had been hoping Daum, 63, would breathe new life into a struggling team and take the country to a first World Cup since 1998.

However, a 1-0 defeat away to Montenegro in Podgorica 10 days ago ended their chances, leaving them fourth in qualifying Group E, seven points behind second-placed Montenegro with two games to play.

Their only wins in this campaign have come against Armenia and they will have nothing at stake in their final matches against Kazakhstan and Denmark next month.

Daum became the first foreigner to coach Romania after Anghel Iordanescu was sacked in the wake of the country’s poor showing at Euro 2016.

Daum has won league titles with Stuttgart, Besiktas and Fenerbahce in his career. He was set to be appointed Germany coach in 2000 but he never took up the position after he became suspected of cocaine use.