gweeds
June 30th, 2005, 10:39 AM
The gaffer search begins
AAP
Wanted: Football coach to get large island nation to 2006 World Cup. To start: ASAP. Tenure: Five months but may extend if successful. Salary: Last coach earned little but the real chequebook should appear for right person.
Whether the candidates will be beating down Football Federation Australia's door to apply for Frank Farina's job remains to be seen but there are a few potentials for one of the toughest coaching jobs in international football.
You can probably start with Gerard Houllier.
The former Liverpool manager supplied technical advice to the Australians during the recent Confederations Cup.
True, it didn't seem to help much as the Socceroos lost all three games but Houllier is well regarded and has spoken to FFA chief executive John O'Neill about the role in the past.
Much-travelled Serb Bora Milutinovic could be looking for a short term arrangement after being sacked as Honduras' mentor.
At least he has a track record of turning strugglers into go-getters and he is the only man to have coached four different teams into the second round of World Cup competition.
He also saw China through to their first World Cup in 2002.
Frenchman Phillippe Troussier is a hard task master also in search of something to do following his axing as the Qatar national coach.
He was fired after announcing he was going to stand down, showing at the very least he can use the word proactive on his resume.
The 49-year-old guided Japan to victory at the 2000 Asian Cup before leading them into the last 16 of the World Cup two years later.
Then there's one from left field - Pierre Littbarski.
The Sydney FC coach may not have yelled a word in anger from the sidelines of an A-League game just yet but he comes highly regarded.
The only player to be involved in three consecutive World Cup finals with Germany in 1982, 1986, 1990 - Littbarski is well thought of if green in terms of coaching at a national level.
Unlikely, but given FFA chairman Frank Lowy's family ties with Sydney FC, not totally unrealistic.
And this is Australian football after all, so anything can happen.
AAP
Wanted: Football coach to get large island nation to 2006 World Cup. To start: ASAP. Tenure: Five months but may extend if successful. Salary: Last coach earned little but the real chequebook should appear for right person.
Whether the candidates will be beating down Football Federation Australia's door to apply for Frank Farina's job remains to be seen but there are a few potentials for one of the toughest coaching jobs in international football.
You can probably start with Gerard Houllier.
The former Liverpool manager supplied technical advice to the Australians during the recent Confederations Cup.
True, it didn't seem to help much as the Socceroos lost all three games but Houllier is well regarded and has spoken to FFA chief executive John O'Neill about the role in the past.
Much-travelled Serb Bora Milutinovic could be looking for a short term arrangement after being sacked as Honduras' mentor.
At least he has a track record of turning strugglers into go-getters and he is the only man to have coached four different teams into the second round of World Cup competition.
He also saw China through to their first World Cup in 2002.
Frenchman Phillippe Troussier is a hard task master also in search of something to do following his axing as the Qatar national coach.
He was fired after announcing he was going to stand down, showing at the very least he can use the word proactive on his resume.
The 49-year-old guided Japan to victory at the 2000 Asian Cup before leading them into the last 16 of the World Cup two years later.
Then there's one from left field - Pierre Littbarski.
The Sydney FC coach may not have yelled a word in anger from the sidelines of an A-League game just yet but he comes highly regarded.
The only player to be involved in three consecutive World Cup finals with Germany in 1982, 1986, 1990 - Littbarski is well thought of if green in terms of coaching at a national level.
Unlikely, but given FFA chairman Frank Lowy's family ties with Sydney FC, not totally unrealistic.
And this is Australian football after all, so anything can happen.