Sir Alex Ferguson Not Wanted by Australia for World Cup

The chairman of the Australian Football Association, Frank Lowy, has played down speculation that former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson could become the next head coach of the Socceroos.

According to Sky Sports, Lowy insists an Australian coach for the national team would be the preferred choice, having dismissed German Holger Osieck at the weekend following consecutive 6-0 defeats to Brazil and France.

Ferguson's name was raised as a possible replacement—per Ben Burrows' Daily Mirror article—by former goalkeeper Mark Bosnich, who now works as a broadcaster:

Lowy, though, was quick to play up the possibility of a homegrown coach taking the reins ahead of next summer's World Cup in Brazil:

"Our preference is clearly an Australian coach. Three names are being talked about and it's not wrong that we have three possible Australian candidates."

Per the Sky Sports report, Melbourne Victory boss Ange Postecoglou and Central Coast Mariners coach Graham Arnold, who led his side to title success in the 2012-13 A League season, are favourites for the job.

Postecoglou, for his part, led Brisbane Roar to the title in 2010-11, and both coaches are regarded as among the best Australia has to offer domestically:

Indeed, Arnold was heavily linked with a move to Chinese Super League side Guangzhou R&F and Sheffield United earlier this summer, per Goal's Paul Barbieri, having seen his Mariners team shine in the early stages of the AFC Champions League.

In appointing a domestic coach, the FFA would be taking a longer-term view than simply hiring Ferguson or any other of the big-name foreigners linked with the job for next year's World Cup alone.

In January 2015, Australia host the Asian Cup for the first time—a tournament at which they will be keen to put on a show against the best that Asia has to offer.

Whoever takes the job for the World Cup must also be given the task of leading the country into that tournament, and the rejuvenation must begin now.

Lucas Neill should be the first to be axed. The veteran centre-back, 35, accused the country's younger players of lacking desire to play for the national side, per FourFourTwo.

Neill, though, has hardly been a shining light for the side in recent games and, having drifted around between UAE, A League and now Japan over the past couple of years, his inclusion as captain must be questioned:

Australia's talent pool is not what it may have been 10 years ago, but there are still good players available—although they may not currently be in Europe.

It is time for the Socceroos' management to give a fresh group some opportunities, rather than continue to rely on an ageing core that has little chance of making the Asian Cup in 18 months' time.