Brussels  - Rene Vandereycken was sacked on Tuesday night as Belgium national team coach over a poor World Cup qualifiying campaign with almost no hope of making the 2010 finals.

Vandereycken's time was over after begium lost twice to Bosnia-Herzegovina, on March 28 and April 1, to rank fourth in their group, 11 points behind runaway leaders Spain. Only the top team qualifies directly for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

"We are disappointed in the results ... (and) particularly disillusioned by the two matches against Bosnia-Herzegovina," said Belgian football boss Francois De Keersmaecker.

The former star player Vandereycken took the coaching job in January 2006 on a contract until 2010. He failed to lead to the team to Euro 2008 and his overall record of 10 wins, seven draws and 13 defeats was not impressive either.

Current Olympique Marseille coach Eric Gerets was on Wednesday named a potential new man for the job by news reports. Marc Wilmots and Zenit St Petersburg's Dutch coach Dick Advocaat were also mentioned.

De Keersmaecker said that his federation will not rush to a decision on the vacant job, saying "we will look for a coach with charisma to be the leader of our young squad."(dpa)