SOCCEROO coach Pim Verbeek last night confirmed the worst-kept secret in Australian soccer - that he would quit when his contract ends after Australia's involvement at the World Cup is over.
The Dutchman, speaking by phone, said that he wanted fresh challenges and did not want stay so far away from family in Europe. The travel, jet lag and other challenges made it too big an ask to carry on, he said.
Not even the lure of coaching the national team at the Asian Cup finals in Qatar in January 2011, proved tempting enough for him to renegotiate a new deal on a seven-figure salary.
Been there, done that, was his reply when asked why he was leaving before that tournament, referring to his involvement with South Korea at the 2007 Asian Cup.
Football Federation Australia boss Ben Buckley said that the search for a successor had already begun.
Verbeek is likely to have some influence on who might fill his shoes, as Buckley said he would be consulted about a replacement.
''We have a very close relationship with Pim and we respect his views and of course we will talk to him and get his views [on prospective successors],'' Buckley said last night. ''We have started looking at who might be available and drawn up a list of potential candidates.''
Buckley stressed that the FFA wanted a long-term coach to take the Socceroos to the Asian Cup and to the next World Cup. Graham Arnold took temporary charge after Guus Hiddink's departure in 2006 and took the team to the Asian Cup in 2007 as caretaker before becoming Verbeek's assistant. Australia was disappointing in 2007 and the FFA does not want a repeat.
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