Chinese Olympic soccer team coach Ratomir Dujkovic said on Saturday at the Toulon U-21 tournament that he would feel honored to take the reins of the Chinese national squad after the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

The Serb, in Toulon with his Olympic team competing in the international U-21 tournament, is regarded as the most likely candidate to replace embattled head coach Zhu Guanghu, who has been under fire over the past year after a string of poor performances.

"Everybody would be keen for that opportunity," Dujkovic told Xinhua when asked if it's possible for him to coach the national team after completing the Olympic mission.

"I mean, if offered the chance, everybody would like to lead the Chinese team into their second World Cup. And I think the Chinese players have the ability to do that." he said.

His contract with Chinese Football Association will last until the end of the Beijing Games and rumors abound that the CFA will want him to coach the national team for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers if he can steer China into the semifinals of the Olympics.

"But for the time being, as you know, my job is coaching the Olympic team and, to me, now the most important thing is to do my job well," Dujkovic said.

After his reached the final at Toulon for the first time Dujkovic was widely praised by media and fans. This contrasts with the wrath endured by Zhu after the senior team was routed 4-1 by the United States last week and then suffered a 1-0 defeat to MLS side Real Salt Lake.

Dujkovic, who led Ghana into the last 16 at last year's World Cup, sympathized with Zhu.

"It's unnecessary to make big fuss over the results of warm-up friendlies. That don't say much. Maybe they can do well in the Asian Cup," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency June 11, 2007)