One of our favorite candidates to replace Bruce Arena as national team coach is Jurgen Klinsmann but I don't think we should overlook one of the world's great tacticians, Guus Hiddink.

The Dutchman has taken successive sides to the final four in the world - Holland in '98 and South Korea in '02 and despite the fact that Australia are playing the heavily favored Italians tonight in Kaiserslautern, I for one would not bet against him.

This is a coach who has succeeded at all levels and he's not afraid to make tough judgement calls. You just have to go back to Euro '96 to see that when he sensationally sent Edgar Davids home during the tournament.

Above all, Hiddink wants his teams to play attractive, positive football. Australia may be a limited team but they use all their resources magnificently. That is due to the tactical genius of the Dutchman who was a disciple of the great, Rinus Michaels and Johan Cryuff. He has learnt his trade and the knowledge he would bring to US soccer would be far greater than Klinsmann's limited international coaching career.

To cap it off, he likes the US having played in the old NASL,  for the Washington Diplomats and San Jose Earthquakes. Yes, he would be expensive but in world football you often get what you pay for. And as we've seen from Guus, he'll have no problem moving continents, he's been successful on three so far. Just show him the job and show him the money.

Just imagine 'TOTAL FOOTBALL' from the USA, now that would be exciting.

PS. I know he's supposedly going to Russia but coaches are always changing their minds. and I've just heard that it may not even be a done deal...now how's that for up to the minute reporting.