Dutchman Bert Van Marwijk to lead Socceroos to 2018 Russia World Cup
BERT van Marwijk will lead Australia at the World Cup in Russia later this year, after concluding a rapid deal with Football Federation Australia to succeed Ange Postecoglou.
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DUTCHMAN Bert van Marwijk will lead Australia at the World Cup, after concluding a rapid deal with Football Federation Australia to succeed Ange Postecoglou.
DAVID DAVUTOVIC: Socceroos get coach they could afford
Van Marwijk will arrive in Australia next week to begin a crash course on the Socceroos, after agreeing terms for a contract through to the end of the team’s involvement in Russia.
Meanwhile, Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold is expected to be confirmed as his post-Russia 2018 successor within weeks.
Van Marwijck arrives having been partly responsible for the Socceroos having to qualify via the play-offs, after his Saudi Arabian side finished ahead of Australia to earn direct entry to the World Cup.
As revealed by News Corp Australia last week, the 65-year-old van Marwijk has been the frontrunner throughout the process due to his reasonable wage demands and his intimate knowledge of Asia and the Socceroos.
“Bert was our preferred candidate to take the Caltex Socceroos to the World Cup so we are delighted to have secured his services,” said FFA CEO David Gallop.
“We went through a thorough and disciplined process and used internal and external experts to build up a profile of the person who would be the best fit for the task in Russia. We had a number of outstanding coaches very interested in the role but Bert was at the top of our shortlist.”
Van Marwijck also brings the experience of having taken Holland to the final of the World Cup in 2010 - where they lost to Spain 1-0 - and becomes the third Dutch coach in four tournaments for the Australian side.
“I know a lot about the players and how the team has been playing after coaching against them for the two World Cup qualifiers, in 2016 and in June last year,” he said in a statement.
“I have also been impressed by the national team set-up that the FFA has developed over the past few years.
“I want to thank Steven Lowy, David Gallop and (FFA’s Head of National Performance) Luke Casserly for the confidence they have shown in me.
“My response to them has been that we are not going to Russia just to be competitive. I want to win our matches.”
His first assignment will be two friendlies with Norway and Colombia in Europe in March.
FFA told Socceroos players on Thursday morning that they are expected to announce that “in the weeks ahead, we also expect to announce the head coach who will take the Socceroos post World Cup in the next four-year campaign”.
Arnold will attempt to defend the Socceroos’ Asian Cup crown in January 2019 before leading them into qualification for the Qatar World Cup in 2022.
Originally published as Dutchman Bert Van Marwijk to lead Socceroos to 2018 Russia World Cup
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