AUSTRALIA’S football chiefs will make a desperate bid to persuade Jurgen Klinsmann to end his exile from the game, but Johan Neeskens shapes as a more likely candidate to take the Socceroos’ reins cast aside by Dick Advocaat.
It emerged yesterday that Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy knew more than a week ago that Advocaat was preparing to jilt Australia, and that Lowy’s officials held talks with alternative candidates last week.
Contrary to reports at the weekend, Advocaat’s contract contained no get-out clauses - meaning the Dutchman has breached the agreement he signed in August by electing to stay with Russian league champions Zenit St Petersburg.
The FFA is determined to win compensation from Zenit and Advocaat, but it will probably have to seek redress through FIFA’s dispute resolution panel – which could take up to a year.
With the 2010 World Cup qualifiers kicking off in February, Klinsmann and former France coach Gerard Houllier are among a handful of coaches available - with most tied up with club or country commitments.
Neeskens, assistant Socceroos coach at the World Cup and now at Barcelona, is a serious contender as the man who took him to the Spanish club, Frank Rijkaard, is widely tipped to leave Barca in the near future.
Neeskens was strongly endorsed by then FFA chief executive John O’Neill as a successor to Guus Hiddink in tandem with Graham Arnold, but the Dutchman quit the FFA with his ego bruised by a succession of perceived slights from Lowy.
It is believed the FFA would have to offer a package at least as attractive as the $2 million a year agreed with Advocaat to tempt the Dutchman to return to Australia.
Klinsmann, who walked away from coaching Germany after a successful 2006 World Cup, is a long shot given that he has since rebuffed Chelsea, LA Galaxy and the US national team.
Another Dutchman, Leo Beenhakker, is a long-time favourite of Lowy’s, but his Poland side has qualified for the Euro 2008 finals.
FFA technical director Rob Baan, caretaker coach for the weekend 1-0 win against Nigeria, expressed extreme disappointment at the conduct of his friend Advocaat.
"It is a significant setback because we were so sure he would come," he said yesterday.
"We signed him a few months ago and now we have to look for another replacement. If you sign a contract, you have to accept the consequences. It is very disappointing. There should be reasons but he hasn’t given any yet."
Baan’s calls last week to Advocaat went unanswered.
"I’ve spoken to him many times, and also in preparation for this game, but when they won the championship (on Monday) something has happened," Baan said.
"I couldn’t reach him and the first thing I was thinking was that he was having a big party."
Baan said it could be a few months before there was a resolution to the coaching dilemma.
"The list is not that great because all the quality coaches have signed already," he said.
"You have to look at Klinsmann. He is one of the names who is available and on the quality level we are looking for.
"We want a quality coach. I think we have a quality team. We have shown that today."
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Source: ‘Manhunt’ may take months
