Czech Republic's Karel Brueckner is looking forward to an easy life after coaching.

The 68-year-old announced his retirement plans before Euro 2008 and when the side were dramatically knocked out after letting slip a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 to Turkey on Sunday, his six years at the helm came to an abrupt end.

Wearing a sombre black jacket and shirt as dark as the mood in the Czech camp after what he termed a "collapse", he said he would take some time off.

"I am looking forward to a rest," he said. "After six years working in this job and more than 34 years in coaching ... I need to think what to do. I don't really know."

While he had no plans to work with his successor, he said he might eventually consider advising other coaches after the Czech FA suggested it would value his experience.

Having masterminded his fair share of comeback wins, including all three of their Euro 2004 group stage matches, it was ironic Brueckner bowed out after being on the receiving end of one. He summed up his experience in the game.

"Great victories and cruel defeats belong together," he said. "Football is magnificent."

With his mane of white hair and a face etched with lines covering every emotion, Brueckner was a distinctive figure.

Never one to get over-excited or gesticulate wildly, he was more likely to potter towards the touchline, shout something before wandering back to the bench patting down his hair.

He took over after predecessor Josef Chovanec's failure to qualify for the 2002 World Cup and set about transforming a dispirited and disjointed side into a lively attack-minded one that reached its peak at Euro 2004.

Using several of the players he had taken to the under-21 European final in 2000, and tactics befitting the chess-lover he is, Brueckner ensured the Czechs qualified for the three major championships that took place during his reign.

After reaching the semi-finals of Euro 2004 in style before going out to a 'silver goal' against eventual champions Greece, they endured a poor 2006 World Cup when a string of injuries to key players prevented them progressing from the group.

The failure to make it out of their group again this year will raise questions about his approach, having come under fire in the local media for being unwilling to try out new players and sticking with old favourites even if they were lacking form.

While there has been no clue as to who the Czech FA may approach to take on the job, deputy head Vlastimil Kostal said a decision could be made by the end of this month.

Reuters