The setback has all but ended the Poles' hopes of making it to South Africa next summer with even the runners-up spot looking unachievable.

Speaking in the immediate aftermath of the defeat in Maribor, Polish Football Association president Grzegorz Lato said: "I don't want to make a rash decision after the match, but this decision cannot be changed: Leo Beenhakker is no longer the coach of Poland.

"We were terrible against Slovenia and something must change.

"We are now looking for a new coach, though we'll perhaps use a caretaker in our remaining qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Slovakia."

Dutchman Beenhakker took over in 2006 and led the country to their first appearance at the finals of the European Championships in Austria and Switzerland in 2008.