French coach Troussier in talks with Iran's Football Federation

IRNA - French trainer Philippe Troussier has begun talks with Iran's Football Federation for the vacant national team coaching post, the bi-weekly kickers sports magazine reported Thursday.

Troussier who has been out of work after leaving French first division club Olympique Marseille at the end of the 2004 season, is one of several candidates to succeed Branko Ivankovic whose contract was not extended after Iran's dismal performance at the 2006 World Cup.

The last international coaching job of Troussier was in Japan where he took the national team to the second round of the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.

Troussier has also trained the national teams of Qatar, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and South Africa over the past 13 years.