AZ Alkmaar coach Louis van Gaal has said he would be interested in coaching the Australian national team, but stated that it's 'not possible' to win the World Cup with the current squad.
The former Barcelona and Ajax boss has enjoyed success at all the clubs that he has led, and his current contract with Dutch side AZ ends in 2008.
The 55-year-old said that he felt he has yet to achieve his international ambitions, following an unsuccessful spell as Holland coach from 2000-2002, but that the Socceroos may not be able to help him fulfill them.
'I'm always interested in a very good job and I think coaching the Australia team is a very exciting job because I have failed with Holland in 2002 and I want to participate in the World Cup, because I have won everything else,' he told
SBS television in Australia.
'I have also other options and I have to decide. I want to win, always, and I think it's not possible to win with the Australian team at the World Cup. It's exciting to do that but I want to win the trophy and there are other countries at a higher level than the Australian team is now.'
Van Gaal is aware that he would have big shoes to fill as compatriot Guus Hiddink, who qualified the Australians for the World Cup in Germany last year, led the team into the finals for the first time in 32 years.
'The level now in Australia is not as high like Argentina or Spain so if I sign for Australia then I know it will be difficult to be the next world champion,' he said.
'But the ambition is to do better than Guus Hiddink did, but that's difficult because I believe Hiddink did a marvellous job.
'There are many good players in Australia but I think, always, a good base is very important so I think it's very good that there is now a professional championship in Australia but we have to wait for a longer time for the development of the players.'
