Iraq has a manager, Hiddink to coach Russia until 2010

They are a country that does not train at home, play games at home and where the majority of the players do not live at home. Despite the obstacles Iraq miraculously captured the 2007 Asian Cup. Will this success carry over through 2010 World Cup qualifying? We will see in just a few months time.

One person with a vested interest in Iraq’s football success is Egil Olsen. The 65-year-old has announced that he has signed on as the next coach of Iraq’s national football team. Olsen guided Norway to the World Cup in 1994 and 1998 and he briefly coached at Wimbledon when they were in the Premier League. It will be a challenging task guiding a country that is in the midst of a war.

In other coaching news, the in-demand Guus Hiddink has agreed in principle to stay on as the manager of Russia through 2010. Following his success with Australia at the 2006 World Cup, Hiddink had his pick of club and national team jobs and ended up choosing Russia. In addition to getting paid mondo money, Hiddink has had some success with Russia, but he will have his work cut out for him to guide the country to a spot in Euro 2008.