Australia coach Bert van Marwijk is paying his support staff out of his own pocket in an attempt to maximise the country’s chances of progressing past the World Cup group stage.
Van Marwijk was appointed on a short-term basis in January following the resignation of Ange Postecoglou, who guided the Socceroos to the World Cup via the inter-confederation play-offs.
Although there was already a coaching team in place, Van Marwijk insisted upon putting together his own structure, despite reportedly being told by Football Federation Australia (FFA) there were insufficient funds to do so.
Van Marwijk – who will be replaced by Sydney FC boss Graham Arnold after the World Cup – was not to be deterred, however, opting to pay his desired staff out of his own salary.
“I need that because I don’t have the time,” Van Marwijk was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald. “When you try to develop a team in such a short time I need to work with people who know me.
“They must look through my eyes, they must know what I mean. I cannot afford communication problems. You need time to get to know each other and I don’t have the time. I would like to work with Australian people.
“I need them [his coaches] because they know how I work, they know how I want to work, they know how I want to play.
“They have their own initiative and they’re not afraid of me. I know I can trust them and everything. Because of the time, I could not do it another way.
“I know these guys and they don’t come for the money, they only come to perform. That must be very professional. When you want to have a chance in the World Cup, those things must be very, very professional and I think that’s the case now.”
Australia get their Group C campaign under way against France on June 16 in Kazan, before also playing against Denmark and Peru.