Rugby league-Walters confirmed as Kangaroos coach for Ashes tour
The post became vacant when Mal Meninga was recruited to head up the new National Rugby League (NRL) expansion team in Perth and 57-year-old Walters was favourite to get the job once Brad Fittler ruled himself out.
"Kevin has played for the Kangaroos, had a successful coaching career with Brisbane Broncos and Queensland Maroons, and will bring that expertise into the national team for the Ashes," Australian rugby league supremo Peter V'landys said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Kevin has toured with the Kangaroos as a player, was a leader as a player and as a coach. His coaching pedigree is a natural fit for the national team."
Walters has been handed a contract only for the three matches in London, Liverpool and Leeds in late October and early November, but a good showing by Australia could earn him an extension until next year's much-delayed World Cup.
Similar to the cricket rivalry of the same name, rugby league's Ashes were contested between Australia and Britain 39 times between 1908 and 2003. Australia won the last 13 editions. REUTERS
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Straits Times
33 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Piardi call in Australia-Lions test should be accepted, Erasmus says
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CNA
39 minutes ago
- CNA
Piardi call in Australia-Lions test should be accepted, Erasmus says
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AsiaOne
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Another name on the shortlist is former Australia winger Harry Kewell, who won the 2005 Champions League with Liverpool as a player. The 46-year-old Australian's last role was as head coach with J1 League powerhouse Yokohama F. Marinos, where he was dismissed after less than seven months. Kewell reached the Asian Football Confederation Champions League final in his first season at the helm, but struggled in Japan's top flight, where he won just eight out of 22 matches. The former Liverpool and Leeds United star has had four senior managerial appointments in England's lower divisions after hanging up his boots in 2014, with little success at Crawley Town, Notts County, Oldham Athletic and Barnet. Kewell was also an assistant coach to Ange Postecoglou at Celtic when he joined the Scottish side in 2022 before leaving for the Marinos role in January 2024. Another former Postecoglou assistant who is among the candidates is Nick Montgomery, who was most recently an assistant coach at English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. The Englishman left Spurs in June along with Postecoglou after the Australian manager was sacked despite guiding the club to their first major trophy in 17 years at the Europa League. Montgomery, 43, also won the 2023 A-League championship with Central Coast Mariners and later that year he became head coach of Hibernian in the Scottish Premier League, but was sacked in May 2024. Other names believed to be on the shortlist include former Persib Bandung and Indonesia national team coach Luis Milla; Serbian coach Nestor El Maestro, who has had spells at Saudi Pro League club Al-Taawoun and Slovakia's Spartak Trnava; former New Zealand national coach Anthony Hudson, who is currently the Football Association of Thailand's technical director; and former Iraq coach Jesus Casas. Another name is a familiar figure in ASEAN football - Mano Polking who led Thailand to 2020 and 2022 ASEAN Championship triumphs. The War Elephants impressed with a stylish, attractive brand of football under his charge. The 49-year-old Brazilian is currently head coach of Vietnamese side Cong An Ha Noi, with whom he won the 2025 Vietnamese National Cup. ST understands that the FAS made it clear in the search that the association want a strong communicator, a coach who has managed in Asian football, and a manager who has made the most out of the resources at his disposal, among other considerations. More interviews will take place in the coming weeks before the shortlist is further whittled down and a decision is reached. On top of salary demands, the FAS and the selected candidate will also need to settle on the size of staff that the latter will look to bring along, if any. Football commentator and former Singapore Premier League (SPL) coach Khidhir Khamis said that the FAS is sending a "statement of intent" with the calibre of candidates. "It is good that they are looking at coaches outside of Japan for a start and searching globally for who they feel is the best for the role," said Khidhir, 40. "People will be able to recognise the different direction that the FAS is heading in and there is bound to be excitement because of the names. It's a good sign." While Kewell and Cannavaro are names that will get most fans' attention, he urged caution, noting that they have not had much success as coaches. He added: "Maybe these guys are big names in football but I am not sure if they have the pedigree to be national coaches. It is wrong to just go for a big name without the confidence that they can steer us forward. We need to look at coaches who have had success closer to home." Agreeing, sports broadcaster and former professional footballer Rhysh Roshan Rai said that the FAS "shouldn't just aim for a huge name if they haven't shown they can produce in the job". He added: "We should also remember that this is an international level coaching job. It is a great opportunity for a coach and to put this on their resume in the longer term. It shouldn't be just about whether we can attract them but they also need to show why we should hire them." He said that Polking and Casas stood out as candidates as the former has been in the region for a long time and is a "fantastic coach and man manager" while Casas "did a solid job while with Iraq". "Polking is also someone with experience, a track record of success, charisma, is a popular figure with his players and wants his teams to play entertaining football," he added. In the interim, former BG Tampines Rovers coach Gavin Lee, 34, is leading the Lions, who will face Causeway rivals Malaysia in a friendly match at Kuala Lumpur's Bukit Jalil Stadium on Sept 4. It will serve as preparation for October's crucial Asian Cup qualifying matches. Singapore are top of Group C on goals scored, ahead of Hong Kong (four points), Bangladesh and India, who have a point apiece. Only the group winners will advance to the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia. Singapore, who face India in back-to-back matches in October, have never qualified for the Asian Cup on merit, with their only appearance coming as hosts in 1984. [[nid:719901]] This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
