German Holger Osieck is the new Socceroos coach.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/soccer/german-in-line-to-coach-socceroos/story-e6frfg8x-1225903938743The 61-year-old arrived in Ljubljana just 24 hours before Australia’s friendly with Slovenia and will be unveiled just hours before kick off.
He will take charge of the Socceroos straight after tonight’s friendly against Slovenia, with the next match scheduled for September 3 away to Switzerland.
Osieck only senior international experience came while coaching Canada’s national team between 1999-2003, while he served as Franz Beckenbauer’s assistant when Germany won the 1990 World Cup.
Osieck, who served on FIFA’s Technical Study Group Committee at the 2010 World Cup, has hugely impressed FFA’s five-man selection panel during interviews.
Osieck most famously led Canada to the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup, upsetting the likes of Colombia, Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago on their way to the final.
He is familiar to Australian crowds from his stint with J-League side Urawa Red Diamonds.
Urawa, which was Osieck’s last coaching job, faced Sydney FC in the 2007 Asian Champions League group stage in the season that they won the prestigious trophy.
His Asian experience weighed hugely in his favour with FFA about to compete in the 2011 Asian Cup, while he had a long stint as youth coach of the German FA.
After a brief playing career in Germany and Canada, Osieck completed a degree in humanities and social science before acquiring his coaching licenses.
He obtained the highest available coaching qualification at the German Sport University Cologne in 1976 before joining Canada’s national team as assistant coach.
Thereafter he joined the German FA as a youth coach before joining French side Mbehindille as assistant, prior to taking charge of Bochum (Germany), Fenerbahce (Turkey), Urawa and then Kocaelispor (Turkey).
Osieck’s CV
1977-1979: Assistant coach of the Canadian national team
1979-1990: Youth coach at the German Football Federation and assistant coach of the German national team
1990-1991: Assistant coach of Olympique Marseille
1991-1992: VfL Bochum
1993-1994: Fenerbahçe Istanbul
1995-1996: Urawa Red Diamonds
1997-1998: Kocaelispor
1998-2003: National team Canada
2007-2008: Urawa Red Diamonds