Monday, November 19, 2007
The Journeyman Option
I suspect that everyone is more or less Advocaat-ed out by this point, so I won't go to any great lengths over the "betrayal". Plenty of journos and bloggers have already had their say, and have detailed the issues involved far more cogently than I could.
Pim Verbeek has, not surprisingly, thrown his hat in the ring. The FFA would be fools not to consider his "application" very seriously.
Mike Cockerill has, also predictably, come out in support of Graham Arnold again. His alternative suggestion of Gianfranco Zola (a magnificent footballer, but a rank novice as a manager) is faintly ridiculous, but no more ridiculous than the possibility of Jurgen Klinsmann, a remote control manager if ever there was one.
Let me throw another name into the mix. A gentleman who was considered a possibility for the Australia post some time ago, but has slipped out of contention in recent times (partly, I suspect, due to the knee-jerk mistrust of British coaches, which has become one of the more distasteful of Johnny Warren's legacies).
In the Euro 2008 qualifiers, Roy Hodgson has once again done what he does best: gotten a relatively modest team to punch above its weight. His Finnish charges found themselves in a distinctly tough European qualifying group, with Poland, Portugal, Serbia and Belgium all in the mix. Yet the Finns have kept pace, and are still in with a very slim chance of qualifying.
Yet it is just that, a very slim chance; their final game, away to Portugal (who only need a point to qualify) is on Wednesday, and they will almost certainly be eliminated from the reckoning. And then:
Hodgson has taken Finland to the brink of qualification for Euro 2008, but his contract expires at the end of the campaign, with the Finnish FA keen to retain the services of the former Blackburn Rovers manager.
They may be keen to retain him. But there's nothing to prevent the FFA making him an offer as well.
Hodgson has experience in Asia - he coached the UAE in the early part of this decade - and has a record of success at international level, even if his forays into club management have not always been as happy.
One to keep in mind.
Pim Verbeek has, not surprisingly, thrown his hat in the ring. The FFA would be fools not to consider his "application" very seriously.
Mike Cockerill has, also predictably, come out in support of Graham Arnold again. His alternative suggestion of Gianfranco Zola (a magnificent footballer, but a rank novice as a manager) is faintly ridiculous, but no more ridiculous than the possibility of Jurgen Klinsmann, a remote control manager if ever there was one.
Let me throw another name into the mix. A gentleman who was considered a possibility for the Australia post some time ago, but has slipped out of contention in recent times (partly, I suspect, due to the knee-jerk mistrust of British coaches, which has become one of the more distasteful of Johnny Warren's legacies).
In the Euro 2008 qualifiers, Roy Hodgson has once again done what he does best: gotten a relatively modest team to punch above its weight. His Finnish charges found themselves in a distinctly tough European qualifying group, with Poland, Portugal, Serbia and Belgium all in the mix. Yet the Finns have kept pace, and are still in with a very slim chance of qualifying.
Yet it is just that, a very slim chance; their final game, away to Portugal (who only need a point to qualify) is on Wednesday, and they will almost certainly be eliminated from the reckoning. And then:
Hodgson has taken Finland to the brink of qualification for Euro 2008, but his contract expires at the end of the campaign, with the Finnish FA keen to retain the services of the former Blackburn Rovers manager.
They may be keen to retain him. But there's nothing to prevent the FFA making him an offer as well.
Hodgson has experience in Asia - he coached the UAE in the early part of this decade - and has a record of success at international level, even if his forays into club management have not always been as happy.
One to keep in mind.
Comments:
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Good thinkin Mike...not the worst option at all
More than anything, Hodgson appears a decent bloke, and I think that's important for Australia. I never did have that impression Dick really wanted to come here, or, more importantly, would fit...problem is, as Cockerill points out, does Roy wanna leave Europe at his age? Worth a crack I reckon.
Agree Cockerill is well off the mark with Zola and Arnold
Carle's performance against the Super Eagles emphasised, for me, just how much Arnold didnt/couldnt see....that Carle is a starter, a tempo setter, someone that makes you play, not an impact player. Cahill is more the impact man.
More than anything, Hodgson appears a decent bloke, and I think that's important for Australia. I never did have that impression Dick really wanted to come here, or, more importantly, would fit...problem is, as Cockerill points out, does Roy wanna leave Europe at his age? Worth a crack I reckon.
Agree Cockerill is well off the mark with Zola and Arnold
Carle's performance against the Super Eagles emphasised, for me, just how much Arnold didnt/couldnt see....that Carle is a starter, a tempo setter, someone that makes you play, not an impact player. Cahill is more the impact man.
Could not disagree more about Klinnsman. Klinnsman put in place a team of coaches and trainers that transformed the German side from easybeats to one of the more attractive teams playing in the WC. They went from figures of fun under Voller to a team that an entire nation got behind because of the football they played.
The future is with young, intelligent spirited ex-players who were succesful at club and country level. Check out Slavan Bilic, Roberto Donadoni...not Roy Hodgson, who has never really done anything significant, unless you call managing Inter to stay up.
The future is with young, intelligent spirited ex-players who were succesful at club and country level. Check out Slavan Bilic, Roberto Donadoni...not Roy Hodgson, who has never really done anything significant, unless you call managing Inter to stay up.
# posted by 
: November 20, 2007 at 3:18 AM
: November 20, 2007 at 3:18 AM
...Could not disagree more about Klinnsman. Klinnsman put in place a team of coaches and trainers that transformed the German side from easybeats to one of the more attractive teams playing in the WC....
Beeds, that's the whole point. We don't have the money to do that.
Beeds, that's the whole point. We don't have the money to do that.
Zola would at least be keen to prove himself but I agree he should not be a priority target. I've never been a fan of Verbeeks style of football. As for Hodgson I haven't seen Finland play but Hodgson does have a good international record. It's definetely worth taking a closer look. Beedie you lost me as soon as you praised Roberto Donadoni cronyism is something we want to avoid in Australian football.
# posted by : November 20, 2007 at 10:00 AM
: November 20, 2007 at 10:00 AM
I say why not. SocAus chased Hodgson once before, lets have another crack.
# posted by : November 20, 2007 at 3:41 PM
: November 20, 2007 at 3:41 PM
Mikey wrote: "Beeds, that's the whole point. We don't have the money to do that."
Yeah, you do. Money is not the issue as long as Lowy has a say.
Yeah, you do. Money is not the issue as long as Lowy has a say.
# posted by : November 20, 2007 at 9:36 PM
: November 20, 2007 at 9:36 PM
Lowy won't be tipping money in to the FFA willy nilly. He doesn't own the FFA, and won't be funding it out of his own pockets.
You have to be kidding me. Three years out from the pot of gold that is SA...if Lowy has to spend for that, he will.
# posted by : November 21, 2007 at 4:07 AM
: November 21, 2007 at 4:07 AM
as far as i know, lowy has never put his own money into the ffa. you don`t get rich like that by throwing your money around.
question for mike (if you are checking this comment page still).
what do you think about the pros and cons of jordan vieara as national coach? just won the asian cup with iraq, coached in asia before, interested in the job. he seems a good fit to me, but i think he doesn`t have the `profile` FFA seems to want.
question for mike (if you are checking this comment page still).
what do you think about the pros and cons of jordan vieara as national coach? just won the asian cup with iraq, coached in asia before, interested in the job. he seems a good fit to me, but i think he doesn`t have the `profile` FFA seems to want.
# posted by : November 21, 2007 at 2:13 PM
: November 21, 2007 at 2:13 PM
...question for mike (if you are checking this comment page still).
what do you think about the pros and cons of jordan vieara as national coach? just won the asian cup with iraq, coached in asia before, interested in the job. he seems a good fit to me, but i think he doesn`t have the `profile` FFA seems to want....
He's certainly one to consider. There's no problem with his "profile" in Asia, but I'm not sure he would be a good fit for the players culturally, as it were.
Still, he's a good candidate.
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what do you think about the pros and cons of jordan vieara as national coach? just won the asian cup with iraq, coached in asia before, interested in the job. he seems a good fit to me, but i think he doesn`t have the `profile` FFA seems to want....
He's certainly one to consider. There's no problem with his "profile" in Asia, but I'm not sure he would be a good fit for the players culturally, as it were.
Still, he's a good candidate.
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