Chinese Olympic soccer team coach Ratomir Dujkovic said on
Saturday at the Toulon U-21 tournament that he would feel honored
to take the reins of the Chinese national squad after the Beijing
2008 Olympic Games.
The Serb, in Toulon with his Olympic team competing in the
international U-21 tournament, is regarded as the most likely
candidate to replace embattled head coach Zhu Guanghu, who has been
under fire over the past year after a string of poor
performances.
"Everybody would be keen for that opportunity," Dujkovic told
Xinhua when asked if it's possible for him to coach the national
team after completing the Olympic mission.
"I mean, if offered the chance, everybody would like to lead the
Chinese team into their second World Cup. And I think the Chinese
players have the ability to do that." he said.
His contract with Chinese Football Association will last until
the end of the Beijing Games and rumors abound that the CFA will
want him to coach the national team for the 2010 World Cup
qualifiers if he can steer China into the semifinals of the
Olympics.
"But for the time being, as you know, my job is coaching the
Olympic team and, to me, now the most important thing is to do my
job well," Dujkovic said.
After his reached the final at Toulon for the first time
Dujkovic was widely praised by media and fans. This contrasts with
the wrath endured by Zhu after the senior team was routed 4-1 by
the United States last week and then suffered a 1-0 defeat to MLS
side Real Salt Lake.
Dujkovic, who led Ghana into the last 16 at last year's World
Cup, sympathized with Zhu.
"It's unnecessary to make big fuss over the results of warm-up
friendlies. That don't say much. Maybe they can do well in the
Asian Cup," he said.
(Xinhua News Agency June 11, 2007)