Dujkovic keen on coaching national team

Ratomir Dujkovic, head coach of the Chinese Olympic football team, reacts during a team training session at Chelsea Football Club's training ground in Cobham, south of London February 2, 2007. TOULON, France -- Chinese Olympic soccer team coach Ratomir Dujkovic said Saturday at the Toulon U-21 tournament that he would feel honored to take the reins of Chinese national squad after the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The Serb, in Toulon with his Olympic team competing in the international U-21 tournament, is regarded as a most likely candidate to replace embattled China head coach Zhu Guanghu, who has been under fire over the last year and suffered even more serious trust crisis for the U.S. tour defeat before July's Asian Cup.

"Everybody would be keen for that opportunity," Dujkovic told Xinhua in an exclusive interview through an interpreter, when asked if it's possible for him to coach the national team after completing the Olympic mission.

"I mean, if offered the chance, everybody would like to lead the Chinese team into their second world cup. And I think the Chinese players have the ability to do that." he said.

His contract with Chinese Football Association will last till the end of the Beijing Games and rumors said that CFA would probably want him to coach the national team for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers if he could steer China into the semifinals in the Olympics.

"But for the time being, as you know, my job is coaching the Olympic team and, to me, now the most important thing is to do my job well," Dujkovic said.

After his men bettered team's record in Toulon by reaching into the final, Dujkovic received heaped compliments in contrast to Zhu's misery that his senior side were routed 4-1 by the United States on Sunday and then suffered a 1-0 defeat at the Salt Lake City, prompting more calls for the sacking of Zhu.

Dujkovic, who led Ghana into the last 16 at last year's World Cup, sympathized with Zhu.

"It's unnecessary to make big fuss over the results of warm-up friendlies. That didn't say much. Maybe they can do well in the Asian Cup," he said.

Dujkovic refused to comment on soccer fans' suggestion that the Olympic team, instead of the national squad, should compete in the Asian Cup.

"You'd better ask the Chinese Football Association that question. I'm not supposed to say anything about it," he said.

"In fact, even if we got the permission, we wouldn't make it because the Asian Cup won't fit in with our schedule. We've arranged an Italian tour in July."

Dujkovic, 56, is the fifth foreign coach at the helm of a Chinese national or Olympic team since 19 after Klauss Chlappner (Germany), Bobby Houghton (England), Bora Milutinovic (Serbia), and Arie Hann (Holland).

He said he had talked with "Milu", the most successful foreign manager in China who steered China into their first World Cup, for advices on coaching in China.

"But I won't make public what we talked," he said.

"China have a very unique culture and win the world's respect for that. Definitely I can feel the difference in culture and thinking ways but that doesn't affect my work.

"I have no problem coaching in China because I know I can't change anything but have to adapt to it. You know, I coached in different countries and that's part of my job."

The Serb was building his authority after he took the post in October. At his helm, Chinese young players presented an inspiring performance in the Asian Games in December and then made the breakthrough in Toulon, which apparently wooed Chinese media and fans.

Dujkovic also coached Venezuela, Burma and Rwanda national teams. He proved his ability when he took Rwanda to their first-ever African Nations Cup finals in 2004. And the success with the "Black Stars" in Germany earned him more reputation.