Shanghai ready to pounce if Ange quits
ONE of Asia’s most cashed-up clubs wants Ange Postecoglou to take over as head coach, presuming the Socceroos boss quits the national team next month as expected.
Shanghai Shenhua are believed to have prepared a contract worth $US3 million ($3.8 million) a year to tempt Postecoglou, who has told his bosses at Football Federation Australia that he intends to step down after the World Cup playoffs against Honduras next month.
Shenhua sacked boss Gus Poyet last month and have installed technical director Wu Jingui while they seek a replacement for next season.
It would be a high-profile move for Postecoglou to coach a squad that includes former Manchester United star Carlos Tevez, who is reported to earn more than $1 million a week but it is a club that is notoriously fickle over its coaches and has a reputation for not honouring contracts.
Whether Postecoglou – who remains contracted to FFA until next month at least, having not yet resigned – will be tempted remains to be seen.
One of his reasons for leaving next month, and not waiting until the World Cup, is apparently in order to be free to take up a club job.
He is known to prefer a position in Europe and may want to bide his time to see if opportunities open up in January.
FFA chief executive David Gallop said yesterday Postecoglou had yet to officially confirm he would step down following the Russia 2018 qualifiers against Honduras on November 10 and 15.
“He’s made no secret of the fact he wants to coach week in, week out again but his focus is on November,” Gallop said.