Guus Hiddink is willing to listen to a distress call from Australia and consider returning for a second Socceroos salvation act, it can be revealed.
The Dutchman, who famously guided the Socceroos to the knock-out stage at Germany 2006 after stepping in to replace the axed Frank Farina a year earlier, already has two offers from unnamed countries to coach them at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
But his agent, fellow Dutchman Cees van Nieuwenhuizen, declared on Tuesday night that should Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy or his CEO David Gallop make contact, world football's man for emergencies "would seriously consider" anything they put on the table, as the heat intensifies on Holger Osieck after Australia's 6-0 humiliation by Brazil.
Currently on a sabbatical from football after quitting Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala as its billionaire owner Suleyman Kerimov indulged in a player fire-sale as his financial might took a hit, Hiddink, 66, still has the "hunger for another project", according to Van Nieuwenhuizen.
While confirming no initial contact had been made by FFA over Hiddink's availability, Van Nieuwenhuizen declared: "If somebody from the FFA gives me a call I am sure Guus will seriously look at what they have to say.
"We could sit down and talk but the situation now is that Guus is at the moment taking a break and is looking to return to coaching at the end of the year.
"He plans to have a look at the World Cup draw in December and then look at the way ahead from there.
"He certainly still has desire to coach at the top level and he has great memories of his time with the Socceroos.
"He loved the mentality of the players and their approach to the game and while we have not spoken about this issue between ourselves at this point, I am sure he would be more than willing to listen.
"He is in France now recharging his batteries – but I can say he has nothing but good memories of his time in Australia. So we will see what happens if the FFA contacts us again."
FFA is furious over Australia's vapid and vacuous performance in Brasilia and Osieck has been handed a 'please explain' by Frank Lowy and his board.
The possibility of either Ange Postecoglou or Tony Popovic being installed has been mooted but Lowy and Gallop would almost certainly be keener to embrace the prospect of a reincarnation of Hiddink in the hot seat, were that possible.
His list of credits is long - and though he failed to win qualification for Russia to the 2010 FIFA World Cup and Turkey to EURO 2012 - his lustre remains undiminished and the offers keep coming.
Meanwhile, should Australia suffer another humbling against France in Paris on 12 October, it might be the last gasp for Osieck, assuming the FFA does not act before then.
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1166935/Hiddink-would-consider-Socceroos-SOS
