Australian football officials today said they were confident Frank Farina would stay as coach and Mark Vidkua would not turn his back on the Socceroos after their failure to qualify for the World Cup finals.
Soccer Australia chairman Ian Knop said Farina would be offered a new four-year deal and that his association had not been financially crippled despite missing out on a $6 million bonus as one of the 32 finalists.
Farina, who has reportedly been approached by a number of European clubs, said he would sit down with Soccer Australia officials in the next two weeks to discuss his future.
"If they happen to offer the job to me I would be flattered and seriously consider it," he told reporters. "If I decide to stay in Australia it will be a decision I am very comfortable with. I have no intention of really leaving the place".
Farina played down Viduka's imminent retirement from international football.
Viduka said he would probably focus on his club football for Leeds United after Australia lost 3-0 to Uruguay in Montevideo on Sunday. "I don't know if I'm going to back up after this," Viduka told the Sydney Morning Herald.
"It's exhausting, mentally exhausting. I'll probably go back to concentrating on club football. I was planning on making the World Cup and all the hype around that, but it's not to be".
However, Farina said he had spoken to "big Dukes" and that he was in good spirits. "He's a good lad. Maybe the emotions have gotten in as well. Sometimes you say things that you change your mind about later on".
AFP