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World Cup winner Scolari approached to lead Socceroos in Russia

World Cup winner Luiz Felipe Scolari could be set to lead Australia at the 2018 World Cup in Russia with the former Brazil, Portugal and Chelsea boss revealing he has been approached by Football Federation Australia to take over as Socceroos head coach.

Former World Cup winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has been approached to take over as Socceroos head coach

Former World Cup winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has been approached to take over as Socceroos head coach Source: Getty Image

Scolari, who recently ended a two-and-a-half year stint with a club side in China, said the Socceroos had spoken with his agent about him replacing Ange Postecoglou, who resigned in November.

"I am one of the names they spoke with... to see if I was interested in taking them to the World Cup," Scolari told Reuters."

The 69-year-old said he was happy to discuss a role with the Socceroos, but would want it to be long-term, not just for the June-July 2018 tournament.

"I don't intend in just taking a team to the World Cup," Scolari said.

"I intend on leading a team with an organised project for one or two years. But I am interested."

Australia qualified for Russia after beating Honduras in an intercontinental playoff and have been drawn in Group C against France, Peru and Denmark. Postecoglou quit the Socceroos a week after securing Australia's World Cup spot.

Having led Brazil to World Cup glory in 2002, Scolari suffered the ignominy of a 7-1 home defeat by Germany in the 2014 tournament -- their first home loss since 1975 -- and an event Scolari described at the time as the "worst day of my life". Days later his Brazil tenure came to an end after a 3-0 defeat to the Netherlands in a third place play-off.


2 min read

Published

Updated

Presented by Yang J. Joo

Source: Reuters, SBS



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