France's globe-trotting soccer coach Philippe Troussier said he would like to
make China one of the world's top 20 teams, if he is selected to coach the
nation's Olympic side.
 France's soccer coach Philippe Troussier
[sina.com] |
"I hope that I can help China become one of the top 20 teams in the world
within the next 10 years," China Central Television quoted Troussier as saying
on Thursday.
"I hope the China Football Association (CFA) can sit down with me
face-to-face and discuss this."
Troussier, who recently converted to Islam and changed his first name to
Omar, made the remarks at a press conference for Chinese journalists in Toulon,
France, after watching China's under-23 team beat Argentina 1-0 in an
international tournament Wednesday, the report said.
Troussier, who coached Japan to the last 16 of the 2002 World Cup, tops the
list of candidates for the China manager's job.
So far negotiations for the position have only been held between agents,
reports said.
"Troussier has not come to Beijing yet because of some issues concerning his
agent," the Beijing Daily Messenger quoted Yang Yimin, vice head of the CFA as
saying.
"So far the CFA has not had any contact with him whatsoever."
Troussier told journalists that he was looking for a two-year contract to
take him through to the Beijing Olympics and then for an extension to take the
Chinese side through the World Cup 2010 qualifying competition.
"The salary is not a big issue," he reportedly said.
Besides Japan, Troussier has coached Qatar, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Burkina
Faso and South Africa.
Other candidates for the China job reportedly included Yugoslavs Milorad
Kasanovic, who has coached Dalian Shide in China's Super League, and Liobu
Petrovic, the former coach of Red Star Belgrade. Ilija Petkovic, the current
coach of Serbia Montenegro, was also being considered, according to Titan
Sports.
The CFA hope to name a coach for the Olympic team by the middle of May, the
reports said.