Leo tipped to coach PolandZAID MOHAMMED,Sports Editor Friday, July 7 2006
DUTCHMAN Leo Beenhakker is heavily tipped to take over as coach of the Poland national football team.
According to a report in a leading Warsaw newspaper the 63-year-old Beenhakker has agreed to a contract worth 250,000 euros (TT$2M) a year.
“Beenhakker is a huge personality and he is our favourite,” Ryszard Czarnecki, head of the Polish Football Association’s international department, told the daily Gazeta Wyborcza.
“The only problem is money because he will not be cheap. But I am sure we can find sponsors to subsidise the cost.”
If the report is correct it would be a huge blow to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation who were hoping to persuade the very experienced Beenhakker to stay on as coach of the Soca Warriors.
Towards this end Jack Warner, Special Advisor to the TTFF had offered Beenhakker an extension of his contract with the national football team during the World Cup.
The Dutchman, who at the time was with the team at their base in Rotenburg, northern Germany asked for some time to consider the offer.
Warner again held talks with Beenhakker on Wednesday before the World Cup semi-final between France and Portugal in Munich.
But when contacted in Munich, Warner, a FIFA vice-president refused to divulge whether an agreement had been reached with Beenhakker regarding his future with the Soca Warriors.
Warner said that the discussions were very cordial and that he would issue a media release on Tuesday.
However the Poland football federation are expected to announce on Monday that Beenhakker will take control of their national team leading up to the 2010 World Cup Finals in South Africa.
The Poles started their search for a new coach after their team made a disappointing first-round exit from the World Cup in Germany.
Reports are that coach Pawel Janas is expected to confirm his resignation at a meeting this weekend.
Beenhakker, who previously coached The Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Real Madrid and Ajax Amsterdam, led the Soca Warriors in their debut World Cup Finals in Germany.
The Dutchman’s contract with Trinidad and Tobago ended after their first-round elimination.
Trinidad and Tobago, considered rank outsiders in the tournament played creditably drawing with Sweden 0-0 and losing to England and Paraguay 2-0 in Group “B.”
Following the World Cup, Beenhakker’s stocks as a exceptional coach rose several notches because of the outstanding performance of the Caribbean team.
Since Trinidad and Tobago’s exit from the World Cup, Beenhakker has reportedly received an offer to replace Guus Hiddink as coach of Australia.
Hiddink is leaving to take over as Russia coach.
Late last month Warner, on a break from the World Cup Finals, told local radio that an arrangement was proposed whereby one of Beenhakker’s assistant, fellow Dutchman Wim Rijsbergen would take over the Soca Warriors for two years.
During this period Beenhakker would periodically visit Trinidad and Tobago and would assume the coach’s duties for the next two years leading up to the 2010 World Cup Finals.
http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,40328.htmlI thought Jack say he coming back.....