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ATHENS, June 22 (Reuters) - Greece coach Vassilis Daniil has resigned, the Greek FA (EPO) announced on Friday.

Daniil was due to step down in December after a string of defeats put Greece out of contention for a place in the 2002 World Cup finals but he has moved the decision forward.

"Daniil has stepped down by mutual consent," an EPO spokesman told Reuters. Daniil's last match in charge was a 2-0 home defeat to England and the veteran former Panathinaikos coach insisted afterwards that he would see out his contract.

Greece, in third place in World Cup European group nine, have two qualifying fixtures remaining away to Finland on September 5 and in England on October 6.