Australia are set to offer coach Guus Hiddink a lucrative new four-year contract in a bid to ward off interest from England for the coach’s services.
The PSV coach has emerged as a leading candidate to succeed Sven Goran Eriksson when the Swede steps down as England manager after this summer’s World Cup finals.
Hiddink has achieved success with PSV, as well as leading Holland and South Korea to the World Cup semi-finals in 1998 and 2002 respectively, and more recently, he guided Australia to this year’s finals.
The Australian FA (FFA) are determined to head off any interest England could have in Hiddink, and to that end, they have offered the Dutchman an unprecedented deal spanning four years and worth a £6 million.
Talks have yet to get underway, but Hiddink’s agent Cees van Nieuwenhuizen did not rule out an extension to the current deal.
“The FFA have shown their willingness for for Guus to stay on and will have ample opportunity to talk to him and outline their plans ahead of the World Cup,” he said.
“Guus has a very high regard for the federation and a very good relationship with them. He is also fond of the country as a whole and there will certainly be discussions.”
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