Ratomir Dujkovic has one last wish before retirement: to take China to the Olympic soccer title.
The Serb, who has led teams from Myanmar to Rwanda, Venezuela to Ghana, knows that lifting one of the sport's biggest underachievers to such heights could be considered wishful thinking by others.
Especially since the Chinese team has been drawn in the same group at the August 8-24 Beijing Games as Brazil, the country that beat Dujkovic's Ghanian side in the second round of the 2006 World Cup when he was sent off from the bench at halftime.
"Soccer in China has finally gained in importance, but it is still far from where it should be in such a populous nation," he said. "What the Chinese need is a big result. And what is a better time for that than the Olympic Games in their own country? Maybe it's only my dream, but I think we have a chance."
The 62-year-old former Red Star Belgrade goalkeeper has brought the Chinese team to his native country for final preparations for the Olympics. He says that Chinese soccer officials are already asking him to lead the national team to the 2010 World Cup. But Dujkovic insists he'll retire after the games.
"I have already made up my mind - after the Olympics, I'll thank them and I'm gone," he said.
China failed to score at its only World Cup appearance, in 2002 under Serbian coach Bora Milutinovic. The domestic league is underfunded, there is little grassroot support, and a population of 1.3 billion people has failed to produce a single marquee player.
In Sunday's draw in Beijing, China was also placed with New Zealand and Belgium in Group C at the men's 16-team Olympic tournament, with the top two teams progressing.
"New Zealand is said to be the weakest team in the tournament, but we have the world's soccer power, Brazil, in our group," Dujkovic said. "Playing Brazil will bring back some memories."
Under Dujkovic, Ghana made its World Cup debut at Germany 2006 with victories over the Czech Republic (2-0) and United States (2-1).
Ghana was the only one of five African qualifiers to advance to the second round, where it lost 0-3 to Brazil. Dujkovic was thrown out of that game for complaining to the referee as they walked into the tunnel.
(Agencies April 22, 2008)