The chance of Adelaide United boss Marco Kurz winning the Brisbane Roar gig have all but diminished
With Marco Kurz to leave Adelaide at the end of the A-League season, a plethora of very good coaches are lining up to take United’s soon-to-be-vacant coaching job.
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Marco Kurz’s chances of leading Brisbane Roar have all but disappeared as a plethora of global stars emerge as potential Adelaide United coaching candidates.
The Aloisi brothers — Ross, an ex-Adelaide captain and ex-Roar assistant and Socceroos legend John — have had had their agent flag interest in the gig according to sources.
The pair are still living in Brisbane with their families.
However, it’s understood Adelaide is considering a number of Dutch coaches who have ties with sister club Qingdao Red Lions to replace Kurz after he was told on Monday his contract would not be renewed.
Dutchman Jan Poortvliet is the strongest to emerge as a candidate after Adelaide confirmed a Qingdao coach Robin Westerman is on his way to lead the Reds community programs.
Poortvliet, 63, is a former coach of Qingdao and England’s Southampton.
He has had business interests with Adelaide chairman Piet van der Pol for many years.
On loan Reds striker Jordy Thomassen also played under Poortvliet in the Netherlands.
The pair have a common link to Dutch agent Fred van der Hoorn who was in Adelaide recently and is a director of football of Den Bosch of Holland.
Former Adelaide coach Aurelio Vidmar — an ex-football director under van der Pol’s regime before he quit for personal reasons in February has been connected to the now vacant job for months.
Vidmar’s brother Tony Vidmar — currently an assistant at Melbourne City — is another as Adelaide’s NPL coach Paul Pezos could be earmarked for an assistant A-League role.
However, there is also a true international flavour about to flood Australia’s shores as Uruguayan and Juventus legend Paolo Montero, 47, is keen to taste the A-League says Argentine Sergio Almirón.
The Sicily-based former Juventus, Catania and Newell’s Old Boys midfielder told The Advertiser he is looking after the interests of the respected Montero.
He has another former Juventus star, ex-Italian international Nicola Legrottaglie, 42, also hoping to taste the A-League.
“They’re very interested in coaching in Australia if the right opportunity arrives,’’ said Almiron from Catania, Italy.
Another former Juventus player and ex Italian national team centre back Dario Bonetti has also signalled interest in coaching in the A-League according to former Adelaide City striker Claudio Pelosi.
Bonetti has coached Scotland’s Dundee, Dinamo Bucharest and the Zambian national team.
“Bonetti is a very experienced coach with a very good CV,’’ Pelosi said from Como.
Damian Mori — arguably the best NPL coach in the country — is a good candidate, familiar with local talent after he coached Adelaide City to major titles for 13 years before he left the club after the grand final last year.
However Kurz’s chance of remaining in a country he and his wife Tammy have fallen in love with remain slim as Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler firms for the vacant Roar job.
Kurz was linked to Roar despite not applying for the role which was open when John Aloisi quit after Christmas.
Sources claim Fowler and interim coach Darren Davies are the last men standing.
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