FOOTBALL
A job for bora
Daily Xpress
Published on July 3, 2008
FAT looks to 'miracle man' Milutinovic to revive the national team's fortunes
The Football Association of Thailand has insisted that the new national team coach would be a foreigner, with high-profile Serbian trainer Bora Milutinovic the latest name linked to the post. The name of experienced Milutinovic, the only person to have coached five different national teams at the World Cup finals, was strongly linked to the post, which has been vacant since Chanvit Pholchivin resigned after a disappointing show at the World Cup qualifiers. Association general secretary Ong-art Kohsinkha was apparently reluctant to confirm as to whether the report was true or not. However, he hinted that Milutinovic, dubbed 'Miracle Worker' after he managed to guide four countries out of the first round in the Cup finals, was among the most likely to succeed Chanvit. "We would like to have a new national coach before September in order to have time to prepare the team for the Asean Championship, which will be held in November," Ong-art said. "Winning the event where we are three-time champions is our immediate target," Ong-art said. The general secretary also revealed that the football association was drawing up a plan to support veteran midfielder Tawan Sripan, who will hang up his boots at the end of this season, to become the national coach sometime in the future.
xtra fine pedigree >> Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic is a Serbian-Mexican coach, and the only person to have coached five different teams at the Fifa World Cup finals >> His success stories include Mexico (1986), Costa Rica (1990), United States (1994), Nigeria (1998) and China (2002) >> He is also the first coach to take four different teams beyond the first round, before failing to do so with China >> Milutinovic's coaching career at club level has not been nearly as illustrious. He coached the MetroStars of Major League Soccer to the worst record in league history in 1999 >> He also had a brief stint in the Qatar league as well as nine matches with Udinese Calcio of Italian Serie B in 1987
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