FORMER Brazil star Ze Maria is a shock contender for the Motherwell job.
SunSport understands the 25-times capped defender, who won the Italian league and cup double with Inter Milan in 2005-06, has applied for the role left vacant by Stevie Hammell’s sacking on Saturday.
Well chiefs are intrigued by the contact from the 49-year-old, who is currently technical assistant coach of the youth set-up at Italian Serie B outfit Parma.
Ze Maria has previous dugout experience, beginning at Italian lower-league outfit Catanzaro in 2010.
He also had spells coaching Romanian side Ceahlaul and Kenya’s Gor Mahia before taking over at Albanian outfit KF Tirana in the summer of 2017.
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He won promotion to the top flight in 2018, but was sacked a few months later.
He was then appointed to his current role at Parma last October. Ze Maria enjoyed a distinguished career as a player, mostly in Italian football with Parma, Perugia — for whom he played against Dundee in the Uefa Cup in 2003 — and Inter Milan.
He won the Italian Cup in 2005, then the Serie A and cup double under Roberto Mancini 12 months later.
Ze Maria gained his 25 Brazil caps over a five-year period from 1996 and played in all six matches as Brazil won bronze at that summer’s Olympics in Atlanta.
He also played in two Confederations Cups and the Copa America, but he wasn’t picked for a World Cup squad.
The Fir Park board met yesterday to discuss applications for the post while Stuart Kettlewell takes interim charge.
Well, who have won just two of their last 18 games, face St Mirren at home tomorrow night.
Meanwhile Hibs chief executive Ben Kensell says the Easter Road club’s search for a director of football is well underway.
It was announced at the start of the year that the capital giants would appoint an experienced candidate to work alongside the CEO and Lee Johnson to improve the club’s sporting performance.
A busy January transfer window meant the search for someone to fulfil the position had to be put on hold.
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But speaking on Down the Slope podcast, CEO Kensell says the club are ready to review their final shortlist.
He said: "In terms of timing we had a very busy January window we knew was pivotal.
"And it was pivotal for a couple of reasons, yes protecting the players we wanted to keep at the club, removing some of them, bringing some quality in but also assuring we position ourselves in the best possible way for the summer so we can give a director of football and Lee as much opportunity to bring in the quality we're gonna need to compete.
"That focus on the window had to be the sole priority which then allowed people to naturally come to us and tell us they were interested in the role.
"They did in their numbers, and now we've built that candidate brief, we've got some interest in the role and can now start having proper conversations you need to have about what the fit looks like.
"Those conversations have started already. It's a good list, Lee and I are across the list of people who could be available and we need to bring that down to a credible shortlist and appoint as soon as possible."
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