Soccer: Coaches clamour for vacant City job

Waitakere United coach Chris Milicich is one of the applicants for the vacant City job. Photo / Getty Images

Being the first cab off the Fifa Club World Cup rank has sparked more than usual interest in the now-vacant head-coach role at Auckland City.

With their aggregate 9-4 win over Solomon Islands champions Koloale FC, City became the first club to qualify for December's Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

It has brought an immediate response from prospective coaches to fill the role left vacant by interim coach Paul Posa who had no intention - win or lose - of continuing beyond last Sunday.

Advertising the position on the New Zealand Football website has attracted more than the usual overseas interest, with the club already receiving three applications from outside New Zealand, and a fourth, from Australia, expected in the next day or so to join the others from Brazil and Ireland.

Suggestions that Chris Milicich - whose two-year contract with Waitakere United is coming to an end - was set to be appointed the new coach at City, were quickly dismissed by club chairman Ivan Vuksich.

He said that while he was aware Milicich had applied, he had not seen his or any other applications as "the envelopes haven't been opened".

Vuksich said about eight or nine applications had been received with at least another four expected.

"We have extended the [application] date until May 18 because of the interest," said Vuksich. "It seems a combination of the tough economic times and the fact we have qualified for Abu Dhabi has led to more than the usual interest."

Vuksich said a yet-to-be-appointed three-person sub-committee will vet the applications. "If we feel we have not attracted the right person for the job, we will re-open applications."

While winning a match at the Club World Cup has so far been beyond Auckland City (in 2006) and Waitakere United (2007 and 2008), the feeling is the Oceania Champions might have a slighter better than even chance this time.

Auckland City seems certain to play the UAE champions first up, with the winner progressing to the last six.

Whereas Waitakere last year had to play Adelaide United in that preliminary match - losing 2-1 after leading 1-0 - City will almost certainly avoid an Australian or a top Asian side.

Provided an UAE team does not win the 28th Asian Champions League - and that seems unlikely as three of their four representatives have failed to win through to the knockout stage, and the fourth, Al-Shabab Al-Arabi, need to beat Uzbekistan champions Bunyodkor in their final match to progress - City will play a team from the host nation in the December 9 tournament opener.

The tournament's second qualifier will be a Mexican side, either Atlante FC or Cruz Azul, who will be crowned Concacaf champions after next Tuesday's Champions League final.

Mexican club Pachuca, who played in last year's tournament in Japan - losing 1-0 to Gamba Osaka in the play-off for third - did not qualify for the inaugural Concacaf Champions League.

The third team to book their place will be either defending World Club champions Manchester United or Barcelona (who played in the 2006 tournament along with Auckland City) or Chelsea.

Barcelona and Chelsea clash early this morning to find Manchester United's opponent in the Uefa Champions League final in Rome on May 28.

The remaining two places will be filled in November when the African and Asian winners are found.

In a major surprise, top Egyptian club Al Ahly, chasing a place in their fifth successive CAF Champions League final, were eliminated last weekend by Nigeria's Kano Pillars.

Plenty of matches remain to be played in Asia, but A-League premiers Central Coast Mariners have already been eliminated and are likely to be followed by Newcastle Jets.