SIDE NETTING

Just as Pim is poised to leave the Socceroos after July 12, we hear rumours of another Dutch coach, one Ruud Gullit. Keeping it brief, the man has had the archetypal football dichotomy ie a great player but a coach with a history of train wrecks in his wake. Gullit may have restored some faith to Chelsea, but lifting the FA Cup hardly qualifies him as a messiah (and not even a naughty boy). His exploits at Newcastle though instill fear into my heart when meantioned as a possible successor for Pim. Maybe the gobber from Italia 90, Frank Riijkaard would be better placed.

Just because Ruud is Dutch, it doesn't follow ipso facto that he would be the fit we want. As Ruud himself said to a coach once:

"Ifs and Ifs. If my ooma had balls she'd be my oompa."

GP