SOCCEROOS DO SUMS ON COACH
ROBERTO Mancini would have to take a pay cut of almost 85 per cent to accept the challenge of leading the Socceroos into the World Cup, illustrating the gulf between what Football Federation Australia can afford and the riches on offer in some of Europe’s cashed-up leagues.
The former Manchester City and Inter Milan boss, who led City to the EPL title but has never coached at international level, has emerged as one of the figures on FFA’s shortlist, despite being under contract to Russian club Zenit St Petersburg for another two seasons.
It’s understood there has been no direct contact, but a major stumbling block is likely to be the $1.5 million salary that FFA has signalled it can offer. Mancini is on an annual net salary of some €7 million ($10.7 million) at Zenit.
The salary on offer in Australia is a gross (pre-tax) figure, expected to be for roughly five months’ work. On an annualised basis, that equates to around $1.8 million.
And while the Italian national team cannot offer the opportunity of coaching at a World Cup, as a former Italian international with 36 caps – and a successful coaching record in Italy, where he has won three Serie A titles – there is popular support for him to replace Gian Piero Ventura at the helm of the Azzurri.
He also turned down €15 million ($22.9 million) to coach in China, suggesting he is not driven solely by money. Nonetheless, the salary being mooted for the Socceroos role is meagre in European terms.
Another stumbling block is FFA’s plan to replace the foreign coach in charge at the World Cup with a domestic candidate afterwards.
Mancini is only one of the figures on FFA’s shortlist.