Australia cancel Colombia match

Australia have cancelled next month's friendly international against Colombia in London while they continue their search for a new national coach.

Football Federation Australia chief executive John O'Neill said that all of the short-listed candidates vying to replace Frank Farina said they had preferred the team to enter a training camp instead of playing the August 17 match.

"The remaining candidates believe they will get much more value out of a training camp rather than a match," O'Neill said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Once we reach a conclusion on who the national coach will be, we can then finalise the details for the camp which will likely take place in Europe."

The match had been scheduled to be played at Premier League side Fulham's Craven Cottage Ground in west London.

Farina stepped down after six years in charge following Australia's elimination from the Confederation Cup in Germany last month.

He was replaced in a caretaker role by national technical manager Ron Smith and speculation in the Australian media has been rife as to who would fill the role permanently.

PSV Eindhoven coach Guus Hiddink, who guided South Korea to the 2002 World Cup semi-finals, is regarded as favourite to take the job after compatriot Dick Advocaat signed a one-year contract at the weekend to coach the United Arab Emirates.

Australia, who were granted permission by world governing body FIFA to move to the Asian Confederation from Oceania, will now not play again until 2006 World Cup qualifiers against the Solomon Islands in September.

O'Neill said the Socceroos would play at least one match in London in October, with another international fixture also likely.

"We could potentially play another match during October as there is a FIFA double-date available and we are currently scheduled to play on only one of those dates.