Melbourne’s Milicic ready to coach

Melbourne Heart’s new assistant coach Ante Milicic insists he is ready to step into the coaching caper.

The 35-year old former Socceroos, Newcastle Jets and Queensland Roar striker has joined former Denmark international Jesper Olsen as joint assistant coaches to John van ‘t Schip at the Heart and after gaining experience coaching Sydney United in the New South Wales Premier League (where he was named Coach of the Year) and with the Australian U20 team (Young Socceroos), Milicic has had a good apprenticeship to go into a job such as this.

“I believe I am (ready to coach),” he told a media conference today.

“A lot of young coaches such as myself, and then you throw in Paul Okon’s name, Tony Popovic, Aurelio Vidmar, all followed in these kind of footsteps when they finished their playing careers. (They) went into an assistant role and got the opportunity to learn off more experienced coaches and I feel I’m in that position now.

“I think it’s the right time for me to go into this kind of role now and I’m just fortunate that I’m in a position where I’ve got two great names of world football to be given the chance to learn off them and to work with them.”

Milicic, Olsen and van ‘t Schip will begin to put together a strong list of players and other coaches as they prepare for the Heart’s debut season in the A-League which kicks off in the 2010/11 season.