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AS a player, Dwight Yorke put the A-League and Sydney FC on the map.

Now the former Manchester United star has declared his desire to reinvigorate Sydney FC as their next head coach.

The former United, Aston Villa, Blackburn, Sunderland and Sydney striker has confirmed he wants to replace departing coach Viteslav Lavicka in Sydney, with a plan to lift the club out of the mire and back to the top of the A-League.

Yorke, who lit up the A-League's inaugural season in 2005 when he won the championship with Sydney, insists he is ready to take up a full-time manager's role.

"I'm absolutely interested in coaching Sydney," Yorke told The Sunday Telegraph.

"I've been there as a player and know what success is all about in Sydney.

"I also think it's the right time, at 40, to start a manager's job. With the experience of 24 years as a player and having played the game at the highest level, I feel I could offer something special to Sydney FC."

Yorke, who this month will take up a role as assistant coach to Manchester United's reserve team, boasts a wealth of experience at the highest level.

He led his native Trinidad and Tobago to the World Cup in Germany in 2006 and has played more than 470 matches of English football.

He also held a short-term role as assistant coach at Sunderland.

Yorke is in the process of completing his "B" badge UEFA pro licence for coaching.

Sydney FC chief executive Dirk Melton has made it clear that he intends to appoint a coach with a profile that not only maximises the club's worth on the field, but off it as well.

In Yorke, Sydney FC might just have their man.

The one-time playboy of football scored seven goals in 21 appearances for Sydney. He said it hurt him to see the club under-performing and suggested a lack of leadership existed at the club.

"Losing is very much part of sport, but it is the way they're losing. No passion, no fight and no leader," Yorke said.

"Sydney should always be the No.1 team. That's what the owners and the supporters wanted from the outset."

While Sydney FC are expected to target Central Coast Mariners coach Graham Arnold and Italy's Gianfranco Zola, news of Yorke's interest will cause huge debate among sponsors and fans of the club.