newsflash : New Zealand prepared to admit that quality national coach costs money and decides to pay........just like every other country on earth does - even with the 2010 windfall there has never ever been the suggestion that a Gus Hiddink or even a Ernie Merrick might be given this full-time job and give the national team the boost it deserves.....
That's a bit OTT. You have to remember, up until mid 2012, Ricki has done a good job for 7 years. The reality is, his ideas are stale and this group probably don't respond to the same voice anymore as happens just like at the Phoenix. He (and Ryan) got us to a WC. Yes he has a flaws but like John Adshead (and his Knights fuck up) it does not make him a poor coach. It just means he is dated. He did well in his time but his time is now pretty much over (or he needs a very fresh environment to start again)
Whats a 'Hiddink' type coach going to do? Spend months researching and unearthing new talent and guys coming through? Spend time with them? Fuck off he would. He will take the team a week out from any game, demand a fortune, have his entourage run the show then stuff off. Ricki might not be perfect but he at least knows the NZ landscape. Ernie has learned the NZ landscape and found the talent by being here. Hiddink will not do that. Hiddinks way of doing things, Jason Hicks would not get a leg up, Justin Gulley and Hamish Watson would not show what they are capable of, Alex Rufer would not have doors opened for him. So you would see the same players rolled out each time until someone in the national body (likely FDJ) says 'we think you should look at this player' and then he will get taken into a camp. The national coaching job is not a fulltime job, nor paying and never will be. So you have to find a coach that is prepared to work part time for part time wages and thus, will never invest that time.
Also I'd like to add, no coach worth his salt that you speak of would take the job and the shambolic organisation of fixtures. Do you think a Hiddink type coach would tolerate the lead in we have to tournaments (OFC Nations) or that bullshit of a tour that just happened through America or give two flying fucks what Phoenix players need to be where? We'd get more exposed for being the mickey mouse organisation we already are. Durante would not have played and he would have told the national body to sort it before he picked him (which means it would not have been)
Neil Emblen coming through seems to be achieving good things (and Ryan said the Olympic campaign was excellent under him) so there are resources there that do not bankrupt us. That aside, the national side will not be seen of 2 years anyway because of costs so its pointless.
A certain Ji Sung Park was uncovered by Hiddink.