Hiddink makes brief comeback to Australia’s dugout

Former national team coach Guus Hiddink returns to the Australian national football team for one game.

The 75-year-old veteran coach from the Netherlands will act as assistant to head coach Graham Arnold in the World Cup friendly against New Zealand in Brisbane this Thursday.

“Arnie called me. There was no question. He said: I want you to come,” reported Hiddink. “I didn’t hesitate for a second and said: I’m coming.”

Hiddink coached the Australians during the World Cup in Germany in 2006, with Arnold as his assistant. Four years earlier, Hiddink had surprisingly led the then co-hosts South Korea into the World Cup semi-finals, where they lost 1-0 to Germany.

Australia will meet France, Tunisia and Denmark in the preliminary round of the finals in Qatar, which begins on 20 November. Arnold would like Hiddink to provide further information about the last test.

ttn-9