Voller took over as coach from Erich Ribbeck following a disastrous Euro 2000 in which Germany-failed to win a match. The highlight of his four-year tenure was leading his side to the 2002 World Cup final, where they lost 2-0 to Brazil.
Voller admitted his spell as coach, which included the famous 5-1 defeat by England in Munich, had its "highs and lows" but added: "We nearly won the World Cup two years ago and that will remain unforgettable."
The rest of Europe may be chuckling today but it is hard not to have sympathy for a coach who has so obviously done his best to make bricks out of straw.
Take away Michael Ballack and you wonder if Europe's most successful national team have looked more impoverished.
Voller disagrees. "Players like Bastian Schweinsteiger, Lukas Podolski, Philipp Lahm, they're the future of German football - and that future's much brighter than it was four years ago," he said.
But in truth, Germany were utterly pedestrian in their final two matches and the land that gave us Gerd Muller and Jurgen Klinnsman fielded five strikers who looked as if they couldn't hit a barn door from five yards.
Mayer-Vorfelder, though, was also confident Germany can rebuild. "I think the friendlies over the next two years can be used to experiment. There are good young players. I'm not hearing alarm bells," he said.
The leading candidate for the post is Ottmar Hitzfeld, who was sacked as Bayern Munich coach at the end of last season.
Meanwhile, Italy's humiliated team needed police protection after they flew home today to be greeted by angry supporters.
Dozens of police were on hand as hundreds of furious supporters gathered to jeer at the team who were eliminated on Tuesday. An egg was reportedly thrown at Alessandro Nesta.
