Former Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou linked to J-League giants Yokohama F Marinos

ANGE Postecoglou had his sights set on Europe but Japanese side Yokohama F Marinos’ swift approach sees them on the verge of luring the former Socceroos coach to Asia instead on a multi-year deal.

Ange Postecoglou celebrates the Socceroos’ intercontinental playoff win against Honduras. Picture: Getty Images

JAPANESE giants Yokohama F Marinos look set to swoop for free agent Ange Postecoglou.

The ex-Socceroos boss had his sights set on Europe but Yokohama’s swift approach after quitting the national team sees them on the verge of luring Postecoglou to Asia instead on a multi-year deal.

An 11th hour offer has come in from a Chinese club, but Postecoglou was understood to be leaning towards a Japan move and his appointment could be ratified within days.

Ange Postecoglou looks set for a move to Japan.

RACE: ANGE TWIST IN HUNT FOR NEW BOSS

CRISIS: WARNING TO FFA, FIFA TO BE FEARED

INTEREST: LEGEND SCOUTING SOCCEROOS JOB

City Football Group — part owners of Yokohama and owners of Melbourne City —

have intimate knowledge of the Australian market and that has played been central in the pursuit of Postecoglou.

Manchester-based Brian Marwood, who oversees Melbourne City’s football affairs, met with Postecoglou while he was in Melbourne last week along with a senior Yokohama official.

The CFG conglomerate own 20 per cent of Yokohama, with Nissan owning an 80 per cent majority.

CFG takes charge of football matters under the arrangement and the football department has flourished under Marwood’s stewardship.

Meanwhile, Australian football’s future was due to be decided at a FIFA Associations Committee meeting in Zurich on Tuesday morning (EST).

CFG were among the owners that FFA chairman Steven Lowy fired a broadside at in last Thursday’s press conference after they failed to force through their preferred goverance structure.

“If we were to allow the game to be controlled by privately owned clubs, football will go back to where it was 13 years ago (the bad old days) and it won’t be this board that will be making that decision,’’ Lowy said.

FFA chairman Steven Lowy can expect some corrspondance with FIFA this week.

“The objective of the clubs is very clear – to bring (in) the normalisation committee to kick the current board out, because it’s not in their interest that the board is fighting for the independence of the game. They have a commercial interest.

“Five of the professional clubs are controlled by overseas owners, one of those is Manchester City. It’s not in their interests that there is an independent board here that is allocating funds for the whole of the game.

“It’s in their interests that a larger and disproportionate share of the game’s revenues end up in really the pockets of the clubs owners.”

The FFA political power struggle was believed to be a key reason in Postecoglou’s stunning decision to quit despite qualifying the Socceroos for Russia 2018.

Postecoglou conceded that his agents had been scouring for overseas club opportunities in recent months.

He was on the shortlist for Glasgow Rangers, but European clubs still need some convincing to take on non-European coaches.