Aussie coach hits out at Fifa over match timing

Sydney: Australia coach Holger Osieck has slammed football's global governing body Fifa for scheduling the Socceroos' away World Cup qualifier against Oman in the late afternoon, fearing the effects of extreme heat on his players.

Fifa has listed the kick-off for the June 8 qualifier at 5pm local time in Muscat, where day temperatures regularly soar above 40 degrees Celsius at that time.

"We are working on it and I think it's unacceptable to play that time of the year," German Osieck said yesterday.

"When some bureaucrats make a decision behind their desk in an acclimatised room and not considering the actual situation outside, I think that is a very questionable decision." The country's soccer administration Football Federation Australia had previously expressed their concerns about playing a match in the heat before the time was posted, an official told Reuters, and would write to Fifa again in a bid to have the match moved back into a cooler evening slot.

When asked about the chances of having the match moved back, Osieck struck an ironic tone.

"I've been [dealing] with Fifa for quite a while and we know how flexible they are," he quipped.