Haan keen on Irish job

Former Cameroon coach Arie Haan has this morning announced his keen interest in succeeding Stephen Staunton as Republic of Ireland manager.

Haan, a five time European Cup winner and twice World Cup finalist as a player, claims to have great admiration for the Irish "spirit" and according to his agent he "believes he can make the team one of the best in Europe".

The former midfielder was an integral part of the great Dutch sides of 1974 and 1978, which were renowned for playing 'total football', but beaten in consecutive finals by West Germany and Argentina, respectively.

In a statement issued by his Hong Kong-based agent today, Hann said:  "The Irish team has some talented players such as Robbie Keane and Stephen Ireland and the lads have a great fighting spirit, which I always admired when playing against them.

"The team has great potential and I'd love to get involved," he added.

The 59-year-old's managerial CV is patchy but spans over 20 years and shows some success, though mostly in the early years.

In 1986, he won the Belgian league and made the European Champions' Cup semi-finals with Anderlecht in his first full season. The Dutchman added another title before leaving for Stuttgart in 1987.

He reached the Uefa Cup final in 1989 only to be denied by a Diego Mardadona inspired Napoli side.

He returned to Belgium where he won the cup with Stanadard Liege. He then had his first of two terms with Greek side PAOK before a spell with Feyenoord, where he came second in his first season.

In a two year spell with China his side were beaten by Japan in the Asia Cup final. In February this year, after serving just six months of a two-year contract, he stepped down from the Cameroon job, claiming there was too much interference from the Football Federation president.

His managerial career has been nowhere near as dazzling as his playing days when he represented Ajax, Anderlecht and Standard Liege. With Ajax he won three consecutive European Cups, three leagues, three Dutch Cups, two European Super Cups and an Intercontinental Cup.

After joining Anderlecht in 1975 he won the European Cup Winners' Cup twice, a Belgian championhsip and a Belgian Cup.  He then helped Liege to a European Cup Winner's Cup final and two league titles.

His international career saw him play under legendary Dutch coach Rinus Michels and alongside the likes Johan Cruyff and Johan Neeskens.

Haan's agent, Mark Mullan, claimed today that the Dutchman is "exactly the kind of coach Ireland needs right now.

"He's managed teams in seven different countries and has worked wit players such as Juergen Klinnsman, Ronald Koeman and Samuel Eto'o. He's the perfect mix of experience, intelligence and tactical mastery."

"Arie would like to build a team that will qualify for the next world cup in South Africa and go beyond."

Ireland have been drawn in Group Eight of the World Cup qualifiers alongside defending champions Italy, Bulgaria, Cyrpus, Georgia and Montenegro.

The FAI are currently thought to favour a move for former England and Spurs manager Terry Venables with Frenchman Gerard Houllier another option after the withdrawal of Paul Jewell.

Chief executive John Delaney would like to see a manager in place before Brazil come to Dublin in February, though Venables is expected by some to be appointed long before that.

A delegation from the international set-up will need to be present at the fixtures meeting for Ireland's forthcoming World Cup campaign, which is in Sofia on January 16th.  Managers would be expected to play a key role in the meetings.