A recent poll shows that local soccer fans favor Bruno Metsu, the former skipper of the Senegalese national team, to be the new South Korean head coach.

22.4 percent of respondents said they prefer Metsu to lead South Korea to the 2006 World Cup games in Germany.

Guus Hiddink, who guided the South Korean team to the semi-finals at the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea-Japan, came in second with 15.8 percent of the votes.

The survey was jointly conducted by monthly football magazine Best Eleven and a local football website, www.soccerline.co.kr.

Meanwhile, officials at the Korea Football Association said they are already in contact with Metsu for negotiations on the terms of a prospective contract.