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DWIGHT Yorke has spoken for the first time about new Sydney FC coach Terry Butcher, warning him that he has a hard act to follow.


Butcher, 47, was named as Pierre Littbarski's successor on Wednesday, signing a two-year contract with the A-League champions.

The former England and Rangers captain cut short his contract with Scottish Premier League side Motherwell, saying he felt the challenge of coaching Sydney was too good to turn down.

Yorke, who has yet to confirm if he will complete the second year of his contract after the World Cup, has told Butcher he will have a lot of expectations to live up to.

"He can expect a footballing public who are dying for football to take off in a massive way in that part of the world," said Yorke, who spent last week in England for a training camp with Trinidad and Tobago.

"But with Sydney having success this year, they'll be expecting him to win games and take the championship again.

"I'm sure it'll be a hard act to follow because Littbarski led us to the championship, and Sydney being the favourites and the big team, they won't expect anything less than winning the championship again."

Yorke and Butcher have rarely crossed paths, although they did play against each other in the early '90s.

Butcher, an uncompromising defender who won 77 England caps, was player-manager at Coventry while Yorke was cutting his teeth at Aston Villa, and Yorke remembers Butcher's pedigree as a player.

"I must admit, I don't know a great deal about him," Yorke said. "I did play against him when he was at Coventry during the latter stages of his playing days, and he's been such a fantastic player for club and country over the years.

"I'm sure he will want to do well at Sydney and I'm sure the people will want him to do well."

Butcher's managerial career looked to be over before it had begun after unsuccessful spells as player-manager at Coventry and Sunderland. But he was given another chance at Motherwell, becoming assistant manager in 2001 before taking over as manager a year later.

This time Butcher proved he could cut it as a manager. In his four years in charge he led the club out of administration and established it in the Scottish Premier League.

He will take control in Sydney on July 10 after completing his commitments with the BBC at the World Cup.