Babbel was sacked by the Wanderers on Monday morning after a nightmare run of results.

The German filmed a classy touching exit video for the club where he paid tribute to fans, management and media in the Australian football community.

But speaking to Germany's Sport1 he was less complimentary about the standard of the football locally and match officials.

"The football level is poor," he told the German media. "Now I can say it without being punished for it.

"I had a great time at the club. What I haven't had in the past few weeks was the fun of our performance on matchday.

"There were decisions that cost us the job. There were situations when you asked yourself, 'What does the referee see?'

"The level of the games is far from being comparable to the Bundesliga."

He added: "I might have made it another year, but the referees' achievements are marginal."

He repeated his praise for the club, and continued to dismiss reports of a split with assistant Jean Paul de Marigny – now appointed caretaker coach. He falsely claimed Dom Bossi, the journalist who wrote the story in the Sydney Morning Herald, was a member of Sydney FC.

"He just tried to report polemically," claimed Babbel.

"I had a good cooperation with the TV journalists. They evaluated and analyzed the whole thing fairly and critically. And with a lot of respect, I have no problem with that either.

"I know how my job works and it's normal for me to be criticised. Only there was a print journalist who tried to hit the club extremely badly and attacked my assistant coach. That was call murder. That was not possible."

He added: "I wasn't surprised at myself. If my family, in this case my assistant, with whom I have worked very closely and trustingly, is attacked without facts, I can be completely different.

"I always try to be very polite, kind, and respectful of people, but if I get no respect back, I freak out."

Babbel also highlighted the club's youth philosophy compared to rival clubs and its effect on results.

"Maybe my assistant has that little bit of luck that I was missing," he said. "The club focuses on the youth and I went along this path. I tried my best to implement it.

"But you have to know Australian football. There are also difficulties when you look at the other teams.