Pim Verbeek set to quit Socceroos after World Cup 2010

[TOPGUNJIMMYAUFC]

THE worst-kept secret in Australian soccer will officially be made public in the next 48 hours with the announcement that Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek will leave the Australian set-up after the World Cup.

It's believed no successor has yet been appointed but Verbeek has opted to end the speculation to avoid it becoming a distraction as the World Cup approaches.

Though he had said he intended to sit down with Football Federation CEO Ben Buckley this week to make a decision on his future, in truth their discussion yesterday simply rubberstamped what has been a tacit understanding for months.

Despite Verbeek's success in guiding Australia to both the World Cup and next year's Asian Cup, Verbeek has made no secret of his desire to return to club coaching.

With Graham Arnold also quitting to become head coach of the Central Coast Mariners, and Verbeek's compatriot Henk Duut expected to leave with him, it will mean a blank slate in the national coaching set-up for the first time since Arnold arrived as No. 2 to Frank Farina in 2000.


Pim Verbeek
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All eyes - especially those of the Socceroos themselves - are now on who will succeed Verbeek, with senior FFA sources cool on the prospect of national technical director Han Berger taking over as caretaker coach to oversee the Asian Cup tournament next January.

The FFA's selection committee includes Buckley, Berger, director Phil Wolanski, head of national teams John Boultbee and of course chairman Frank Lowy.

Though their search has been running for months, their consensus is they can afford to wait until after the World Cup, with a greater availability of candidates in the aftermath of a major tournament.

The option of a caretaker boss, with a "bigger name" being appointed for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers starting in just under two years, has one attraction - it would save more than $2 million a year.

With the FFA bankrolling Adelaide United and North Queensland Fury in the short term, the organisation's finances are under stress, though Lowy has been adamant that the national set-up must have the resources it requires.

Verbeek meanwhile will keep the deal he made with himself after resigning as South Korea coach two and a half years ago, that he would resume the club coaching career that he had left to join Guus Hiddink in Korea in 2000.

[Red-4-Life]

no suprise really. I wonder who we can find to replace him?

[ozzie owl]

no suprise really. I wonder who we can find to replace him?

I agree he will need to be very patient given the number of retirements expected in the years after the World Cup.

[the_gun]

dick advocat

edit: yeah ok filter his name why dont ya lol

[DOC]

grenache advocat

edit: yeah ok filter his name why dont ya lol

no huns please, had to deal with moore and vidmar...

hopefully not dutch, there are other nations who play good football also

[the_gun]

grenache advocat

edit: yeah ok filter his name why dont ya lol

no huns please, had to deal with moore and vidmar...

hopefully not dutch, there are other nations who play good football also

who would you like to see...?

[DOC]

grenache advocat

edit: yeah ok filter his name why dont ya lol

no huns please, had to deal with moore and vidmar...

hopefully not dutch, there are other nations who play good football also

who would you like to see...?

not saying yet, wait and see who is available in the wash up of the world cup