Berlin: Argentina coach Jose Pekerman bowed out on Friday after his team's World Cup quarter-final defeat to Germany justifying controversial substitutions that handed the initiative to the home team.
"I think the cycle is over. I'm sure I'm not going to continue (as coach)," Pekerman told the post-match news conference at the Olympiastadion.
"I always believed in this team, these players, this squad and they did not let me down" Pekerman
"I'm convinced that everything I had within my reach I have done and it's time to move on to other things," added Pekerman, who took charge in September 2004 after the surprise decision of Marcelo Bielsa to quit.
"I always believed in this team, these players, this squad and they did not let me down. We believed (we could win) until the last penalty," said 55-year-old, whose side lost 4-2 in a shootout following a 1-1 draw after extra time.
"Argentina always looked to win but in our best moments of football we had no clear-cut chances."
"Unfortunately we couldn't deliver for reasons that are part of football. These things can happen, we had two forced changes," Pekerman said of two substitutions he made in quick succession with less than 20 minutes to go and his team ahead.
Goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri had to come off with a rib injury and was replaced by his deputy Leo Franco, but Pekerman also brought off playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme and sent on defensive midfielder Esteban Cambiasso.
"Riquelme looked a bit tired," Pekerman said.
Asked why he had opted minutes later to replace Hernan Crespo with Julio Cruz instead of sending on teenage ball wizard Lionel Messi, Pekerman said: "We always had that option in mind...but it wasn't the right moment."
However, one minute after Cruz came on, striker Miroslav Klose headed the equaliser in the 80th minute.
Pekerman said the outcome of the shootout could not be put down to Abbondanzieri's injury even if the first choice keeper, who has vast experience of penalties with his club Boca Juniors, "was our ace of spades".
"The important thing (with Franco) was that he played well in the minutes of play he was on the field."
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