Slovenia coach Oblak gets the sack

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LJUBLJANA, Slovenia -- Former national team captain Darko Milanic is favorite to become Slovenia national team coach after the sacking of Brane Oblak was announced by the Slovenian FA on Tuesday.

Local media said that Milanic, the 38-year-old is deputy coach at Austria's Sturm Graz, was expected to fill the gap.

The Slovenian FA said: "The executive board of the association is expected to choose a new coach at its next meeting in the middle of December.

Slovenia made a poor start to their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign by losing 3-0 to Bulgaria and 4-2 against Belarus in Group G games in September and October, with a 2-0 win over Luxembourg in between.

They are seven points behind leaders the Netherlands.

"The change is needed not so much because of the results but mainly due to bad atmosphere inside the team," association president Rudi Zavrl told the national Television Slovenia.

The 59-year-old Oblak had been in charge since May 2004.

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