Steven Gerrard is reportedly set to be snubbed in the race to be Poland manager due to a lack of international coaching experience.
Sportsmail reported earlier this month how the former Aston Villa and Rangers manager had emerged as a shock candidate to become Poland’s new head coach.
The 42-year-old was seen as a strong option to replace Czeslaw Michniewicz – who departed at the end of last year after his contract wasn’t renewed following the World Cup.
Steven Gerrard is set to miss out on the Poland job due to a lack of international experience
However, Gerrard is now reportedly set to miss out on the role after Polish Football Association chief Cezary Kulesza revealed they want to only appoint a manager with previous experience coaching international football.
Kulesza told radio station RMF FM: ‘The candidate is from abroad. I would like the decision to be made today or tomorrow, but it depends on the other party.
‘The most important criterion was whether he had previously led a national team.’
This criteria set by the Polish FA seems to rule out Gerrard – who was sacked by Aston Villa in October after just 11 months in the role.
The Liverpool legend was reportedly open to taking on the role and he would have received a significant salary for doing so.
The former Aston Villa boss had emerged as a candidate to replace Czeslaw Michniewicz
However, Gerrard’s links to the Poland job weren’t particularly well-received in the country, with former Poland star Zbigniew Boniek criticising his potential appointment.
He had said: ‘Any Polish coach who has been sacked or resigned recently would be better than Gerrard.
‘He doesn’t really know anything about the Polish national team. He is not the manager for Poland.
‘They have to come up with a new man quickly because the first games for the Euros are in March.’
Polish Football Association chief Cezary Kulesza revealed they only want to appoint a manager with previous experience coaching international football to replace Michniewicz
Sportsmail previously explained how Gerrard has spent the last two months re-energising himself after losing his job at Aston Villa, and enjoyed the opportunity to spend Christmas with his family.
He will carefully consider his next move, given the way things ended at Villa Park. Gerrard arrived in the Midlands after doing a superb job at Rangers, where he led them to the Scottish Premier League title in 2021. The prospect of him leading Poland to Euro 2024, however, had come out of left field.
Herve Renard, who was in charge of Saudi Arabia at the World Cup, is also reported to be under consideration.
