Charlesworth tipped to coach Kookaburras

The man with hockey's Midas touch - Ric Charlesworth - is set to work his magic with the Kookaburras.

The successful former Hockeyroos mentor is on Monday expected to be unveiled as the
Australian men's coach.
Hockey Australia will also name the women's coach, expected to be Charlesworth's
former assistant Chris Spice.
Barry Dancer walked away from the Kookaburras after the Beijing Olympics, ending a
successful seven year tenure that included an historic gold medal in Athens.
Dancer will be remembered as the man who helped the Kookaburras break their Olympic
hoodoo with Athens gold, ending 48 years of frustration.
However Dancer's stint ended in frustration after the Kookaburras failed to defend
their Olympic title in China.
They were ambushed in the Beijing semi-finals by Spain and had to settle for Olympic
bronze last month.
If anyone can pick the Kookaburras up after their Games disappointment, it is
Charlesworth.
His stint as Hockeyroos coach from 1993-2000 is legendary.
Charlesworth transformed the women's team into world beaters, winning four Champions
Trophies and two World Cups.
But the highlight was back-to-back Olympic gold medals in Atlanta and Sydney.
He has long coveted the men's job but timing was never on his side - until now.
Hockey Australia chief executive Linden Adamson has confirmed he has had numerous
discussions with Charlesworth about the men's job.
Charlesworth captained Australia for seven years from 1977 to 1984 and played at
four Olympics.
The Kookaburras have entered a new era with captain Bevan George, senior defender
Matthew Wells, and strikers Travis Brooks and Andrew Smith announcing their
retirement after Beijing.
The women's job is expected to go to Spice who assisted Charlesworth in Atlanta.
The Hockeyroos have fallen away since Charlesworth left, failing to win a medal at
the last two Olympics.
After a disappointing fifth placing at Beijing, incumbent Hockeyroos coach Frank
Murray said that he would stay if Hockey Australia asked him.
"I'm probably likely to coach somewhere, so if they (Hockey Australia) ask me then I
will probably do it - hopefully in some way I can help," Murray said after the
Olympics.
Ten rookies were in the Beijing squad and Murray believed the likes of Kobie McGurk,
Teneal Attard, Madonna Blyth and Casey Eastham - the youngest at just 19 - would
form the nucleus of their assault on London where he predicted a top three finish.