Report: Colorado Rapids closing in on All Whites coach Anthony Hudson

Anthony Hudson, coach of the All Whites. Photo / Photosport.co.nz

All Whites coach Anthony Hudson is in 'the final stages' of negotiating a contract as the new coach of the Colorado Rapids in the MLS, according to reports.

On Wednesday, the Rapids' sporting director Padraig Smith said the franchise were "very close" to hiring their next head coach, and Goal.com's Ives Galarcep, citing multiple unnamed sources, reported that Hudson is their intended target.

Galarcep said it is unclear when Hudson would take over as Rapids coach, or if his appointment is contingent on New Zealand missing out on the World Cup.

Hudson is currently preparing the Kiwis for a two-legged intercontinental playoff against Peru for a spot at Russia 2018, with the first leg set to take place on Nov. 11 in Wellington before the two teams play the return leg in the South American nation on Nov. 15.

Earlier this month, Hudson moved to quash rumours he was linked with the US team.

In an interview with Radio Sport on October 4th, Hudson said he hadn't spoken to Colorado and knew nothing about the rumours.

"There's been a handful of things that keep coming up and mentioning my name, I think it's quite normal in football that these things happen," Hudson said.

"I spoke about my situation in the last window, my focus is on getting the team to Russia."

The Rapids are coming off a 9-19-6 season that saw them finish 10th out of 11 teams in the Western Conference.

They parted ways with club legend Pablo Mastroeni after three-and-a-half years on Aug. 15. Mastroeni was replaced by interim head coach Steve Cooke, who led the Rapids to a 3-7-2 finish to the season. Per Galarcep's sources, the Rapids plan to keep the same technical staff - including Cooke and assistant Conor Casey - in place under Hudson.

"We know who we want, and I'm very happy to say that we're in the final stages," Rapids sporting director Padraig Smith said of the team's coaching search in a recent radio interview. Smith also confirmed the Rapids wouldn't be retaining Cooke as head coach, but that he would remain on the coaching staff.

"We wanted to be true to our commitment to make this a global search," Smith told Altitude 950 in Colorado. "So we went out to Europe, we went to South America, Oceania. We really conducted a very thorough search to make sure we got the right person."