Former Melbourne Victory coach Ernie Merrick is keen on the Sydney FC job. Picture: Michael Klein Source: Herald Sun
FORMER Melbourne Victory boss Ernie Merrick has thrown his hat into the ring to succeed Ian Crook at Sydney FC, declaring himself "very interested" in a role he said would attract global applicants.
Merrick quit his role as the Hong Kong national team's coach last month and is currently in Scotland on a professional development course to maintain his UEFA pro coaching licence.
But the 59-year-old will return to Australia later this month, and hopes his record of winning the double twice at Victory will be a stepping stone towards replacing Ian Crook at the sky blues helm.
Merrick's name came up before Crook was appointed in May, and did prompt a backlash from sections of the Sydney support then. But some observers have noted the similar antagonism that existed towards John Kosmina before he became Sydney coach in 2008, whereupon much of it evaporated.
"Last time (in May) I wouldn't have been in a position to (talk to Sydney) as I had the situation in Hong Kong which I wanted to have a good go at. As it was that didn't work out," Merrick said from Ayrshire in the south-west of Scotland.
"But it's true I'm very interested in the job, as any serious coach would have to be, and I'd like to think my track record would make me a reasonable candidate.
"Sydney needs success, and that benefits the league. Having spent some time overseas you realise that the A-League is in pretty good health - in Scotland for instance, you've got Hearts struggling financially and Rangers, one of the giants, down the tube.
"Because of the global recession lots of competitions are struggling. The A-League by comparison is very strong at the moment, and it's also a very competitive competition.
"So I imagine the Sydney job would attract a lot of interest from overseas."
Merrick said he was surprised to read online of Crook's resignation, and said he knew all too well the all-consuming pressure that comes with coaching one of the league's highest profile clubs.
"I totally understand that, and what's required of the person who takes up such a position," he said. "Victory finished second bottom in season one, and from that I know exactly what has to be dealt with by the coach.
"You are firmly in the spotlight and there's a lot of pressure, it goes with the job. But I never changed the way I coached, and in the next four seasons we made three grand finals and had something like 54 corporate sponsors at Victory, so I like to think I have something to offer, and the record to back it up."
Merrick conceded that his lengthy tenure at Victory might rile some Sydney supporters, and said there was one way to neuter it.
"At a club like Sydney you have to earn respect through actions and your success or otherwise, not through words alone," he said.
Sydney, meanwhile, will hold a board meeting tomorrow as they sift through the various applications for the coaching role, with the club still aiming to make an appointment sooner rather than later.
No comments:
Post a Comment