A-League expansion winners Macarthur South West United target Ante Milicic as inaugural coach
A-League expansion winners Macarthur South West United are targeting Ante Milicic as the club’s inaugural coach — but hopes of securing Mile Jedinak could be dashed.
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Ante Milicic could be looking at his first head coaching gig amid revelations Macarthur South West United is targeting the Socceroos assistant-turned-scout to lead their new A-League team.
But their delayed entry may put hopes of landing former Australia skipper Mile Jedinak as marquee in jeopardy.
A year after he turned down the vacant Western Sydney Wanderers job to stay with the national team, Milicic is believed to be in discussions with the amalgamated super-bid announced as one of two expansion winners.
With Western Melbourne set to be introduced into an 11-team competition next season, the Lang Walker-backed NSW winners will join in 2020-21.
But they’re wasting little time headhunting an inaugural coach, with Milicic understood to be top of the pile, though the bid team declined to comment on the matter.
The 44-year-old has held numerous roles within the Socceroos set-up including assistant coach, Olyroos coach and Young Socceroos coach.
He and his family relocated to Croatia in 2017 but might yet be tempted by the carrot of a brand new team to call his own in the region he grew up.
Born and bred in western Sydney and with A-League experience as an assistant at the Wanderers and Melbourne Heart, he fits Macarthur South West United’s criteria to a tee.
“We are an Australian team, based on Australian values so the coach will be Australian,” bid director Sam Krslovic said after Football Federation Australia’s announcement.
“We’d like to think it’s someone who comes from the area, who grew up in the area, played in the area and understands the DNA of the demographic of the area.
“People might think that’s a very small subset but it’s a large subset. We have a number of options … and all are experienced in the A-League.”
Also fitting the bill is fellow local Jedinak, who they hope to sign as a marquee.
The recently retired Socceroos captain comes off contract at English Championship club Aston Villa next June, which would have made for perfect timing to return to the A-League for the first time since 2009 when he played for Central Coast Mariners.
However the unexpected delay of their entry by a season, partly to give the Wanderers breathing room during their first campaign at their rebuilt stadium, could hurt their chances.
“Me and Mile go back a long long way, so the chances of him coming back are strengthened by this bid,” said Sam Krslovic.
“Obviously I do know he’s thinking in a certain mindset. He’s out of contract at the end of June, so we are allowed to discuss post January, so we’ll have a discussion and see where he fits.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he stayed an extra year in Europe to keep himself ticking over.
“But for our club he ticks all the boxes, he grew up in the area, he played in the area, he captained the Socceroos, won the Asian Cup as captain and went to World Cups.
“He would set what the club is about.”
It came as bid boss Gino Marra pledged to be the “best community-based team in the country” complete with an academy to link grassroots right through to the A-League.
“This is a historic day for Macarthur and the south-west region, especially our community who are some of the strongest supporters of football in the country,” Marra said.
Crucially, it’s one he said won’t tread on the Wanderers’ toes.
“The Wanderers are a great club, Paul Lederer and JT (John Tsatsimas) are two of the smartest football people in the country,” he said.
“The Wanderers have done phenomenal over the last few years and they will be a force once they’re back in their home.
“Ours is all around the south-west and that Macarthur region. We’ll be massive competitors to them on the field but great mates off of it. We believe together we can build football as the driving sport in the region.”
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Originally published as A-League expansion winners Macarthur South West United target Ante Milicic as inaugural coach
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