Serbia part with Tumbakovic after Euro 2020 fiasco

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Serbia have parted company with head coach Ljubisa Tumbakovic by mutual consent after the team failed to qualify for the European Championship finals, the Balkan nation's football association (FSS) said on Monday.

"The FSS and Ljubisa Tumbakovic have parted ways by mutual consent and we wish him all the best in his future endeavours," the soccer governing body said on its website.

"FSS vice-president Marko Pantelic has started the process of interviewing the candidates to take over and Tumbakovic's successor is to be named by the year's end."

Serbia, who have never qualified for the European Championship as an independent nation, missed out on Euro 2020 after a penalty shootout defeat by Scotland at home in their playoff final last month.

Having made a group stage exit in the 2018 World Cup, their next task is to reach the 2022 tournament in Qatar and they have been drawn in Europe's qualifying Group A alongside Portugal, Ireland, Azerbaijan and Luxembourg.

Euro 2020 was originally due to be held June 12-July 12 this year but was pushed back a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is now to be staged June 11-July 11 next year in 12 venues across Europe.

(Writing by Zoran Milosavljevic; Edititng by Christian Radnedge)