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SYDNEY - Moments after being unveiled as the new Socceroos coach, Dutchman Pim Verbeek pronounced that Australia would qualify for the 2010 soccer World Cup.
Australia have been drawn in a "group of death" alongside China, Iraq and Qatar for their first World Cup qualifying campaign through Asia, in what is been touted the most difficult passage since losing to powerhouse Argentina in the last stage of 1994.
But Verbeek, who guided South Korea to the semifinals of this year's Asian Cup, was positive Australia would be in South Africa in 2010.
"I promise that we will do everything to succeed and I am 100 per cent convinced that we will succeed and that we will go to the World Cup and we will have a good (tournament) over there also," Verbeek said yesterday via video hook-up from Singapore, where he had met with Football Federation Australia officials.
"It's a major challenge, it's a big challenge, and I am really looking forward to coming to Australia and to learn about the A-League, the Australian football players over there."
Verbeek will base himself in Australia and will have two months to familiarise himself with the A-League players before the World Cup qualifiers begin on February 6 against Qatar.
The man he replaced, caretaker coach Graham Arnold, will return to assistant while fellow Dutchman Rob Baan, who has also filled in a caretaker capacity, will remain heavily involved with the national side.
A former assistant to Dick Advocaat, who turned down the Socceroos post at the last minute last month, Verbeek also worked under previous Socceroos coach Guus Hiddink in 2002.
The 51-year-old's most noteworthy achievement in 25 years of coaching was guiding South Korea to the Asian Cup semifinals this year.
He has also coached Sparta Rotterdam, Feyenoord Rotterdam and Fortuna Sittard in the Dutch league.
While his pedigree is not as impressive as Frenchman Phillippe Troussier, who was the other front-runner for the job, FFA chairman Frank Lowy said it was a "major, major plus", that Verbeek would base himself in Australia.
Lowy was also encouraged by Verbeek's extensive knowledge of Asia, which "is our home turf", and said 10 to 15 candidates had been considered but Verbeek stood out because he was the "most compatible" with the Australian side.
"I think it's an understatement that I'm relieved," added Lowy, referring to the marathon process involved in finding a long-term replacement to Hiddink.
The appointment continues Lowy's love affair with the Dutch style of football, having previously appointed Hiddink and Baan, and also aiming for Advocaat.
But the multi-millionaire businessman hoped Verbeek would not be too stringent on embedding the attacking, flowing "Dutch philosophy" into the Australian psyche, saying it was time the Socceroos invented a style they could call their own.
- AAP
