Boss was touted for top Switzerland job
But Di Matteo doesn't have UEFA Pro Licence
MK Dons boss Roberto Di Matteo was a genuine contender to take over as manager of FC Basel, the Citizen can reveal.
The Swiss Super League outfit were looking for a new manager after former Tottenham Hotspur head coach Christian Gross ended his 10-year reign.
And Swss-born Di Matteo made it on to the club's final three-man shortlist, before they decided to give the job to former Bayern
Munich and Champions League winning midfielder Thorsten Fink.
The Citizen understands that it was the 39-year-old not having a UEFA Pro Licence that stopped the Swiss giant's interest in him from going any further.
And FC Basel's president Gigi Oeri seemed to back this up.
She said: "Roberto Di Matteo was on our list. But since he didn't have the necessary papers, we simply didn't want to invest any more time and effort."
It is thought that Di Matteo and assistant manager Eddie Newton sat their exams for the UEFA Pro Licence earlier this year. Both had declared that they were studying towards the top qualification when they joined Dons last summer.
It is not known whether Di Matteo was interested in taking up the position with Basel – one of the biggest clubs in Switzerland having secured the Swiss championship title in three of the last six years.
They will also be playing in the Europa League next season.
And with the Dons boss having played in the Swiss league for both FC Shauffhausen and FC Zurich, he does have some experience of that division and is highly thought of in his homeland.
The former Italian international has been on holiday in Rome since the end of the season and the club did not come back to the Citizen with a comment when asked if an official approach was made to take him away from stadium:mk.
Also reportedly interested in the Dons boss are Championship club Swansea City following Roberto Martinez's departure for Premier League Wigan Athletic.
>> Meanwhile Dons have secured their second signing of the summer as striker Jabo Ibehre completed a move to Milton Keynes yesterday (Wednesday).
He will officially join the club on July 1 on a two-year deal.
The former Walsall front man scored a hugely impressive goal at stadium:mk back in April and is now hoping to strike many more like that, but this time in a Dons shirt.
He said: "It's absolutely fantastic to be signing for this club and I am now really looking forward to the prospect of playing here and furthering my education in football.
"The club enjoyed a great season last time out and only just missed out on the automatic promotion places. So with a couple of additions in the summer we should have a great opportunity to go one step further and really build something for next season.
"I'm itching to work along side boss Roberto Di Matteo and Eddie Newton. I can't wait!
"I am someone who likes to learn and someone who wants to improve and excel at everything I do."
Dons chairman Pete Winkelman added that it wasn't just his strike at stadium:mk that attracted the club to the 26-year-old.
He said: "Robby and his team were very impressed with Jabo last year, not just because of his performance here, but having monitored him for some time before that.
"At 26 he should have his best years ahead of him and everyone can all look forward to seeing him flourish in a Dons shirt."
>> Former Dons striker Ali Gerba has now moved back to his native Canada and is looking forward to a season playing in Major League Soccer.
The 27-year-old international is linking up with Toronto FC after being released by the Dons along with five others last month.
Gerba featured 24 times for the club and scored 10 goals during his stop-start season. He had signed on a one-year deal, with an option for a second year.
But the big front man was let go despite enjoying a fantastic scoring record in front of the home fans, scoring nine times at stadium:mk.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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