FFA must be aggressive in finding a replacement for Pim

 
Adrian Musolino Columnist

By , 23 Mar 2010 Adrian Musolino is a Roar Expert

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Australia's coach Pim Verbeek reacts from the sideline during the friendly match between The Netherlands and Australia at the Philips stadium in Eindhoven, southern Netherlands, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008. AP Photo/Ermindo Armino

It’s official. The worst kept secret in Australian football was finally revealed yesterday when the FFA confirmed that Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek will stand down after this year’s World Cup.

“It has been a very difficult decision for me after more than two years but it is time for me to look for a new challenge,” Verbeek said.

It had long been speculated that the Dutchman wanted to return to Europe with his family following his stint in South Korea then Australia, possibly with an eye on coaching at club level.

Now, as he and the Socceroos focus entirely on South Africa, the FFA must begin the challenging task of replacing Verbeek, especially if they aren’t in the advance stages of finding someone already.

The task that awaits the new Socceroos coach is immense.

While Verbeek inherited a team that retained the core group of Australia’s golden generation, disciplined under Guus Hiddink, his successor won’t have that luxury.

South Africa is likely to be the World Cup swansong for many of the golden generation, namely Mark Schwarzer, Lucas Neill, Harry Kewell and more.

Verbeek’s replacement will have to rebuild from what many consider to be a diminishing stock of talent.

Assuming the FFA will have the replacement ready to go for the Asian Cup next January, as opposed to resorting to a caretaker (with Graham Arnold Central Coast bound, who the caretaker would be is an interesting question in itself) the new coach will have little time from the end of the World Cup to form the nucleus of a squad to take to Qatar, and then preparing for the qualifiers for Brazil 2014.

It is a mighty task, greater than what Verbeek has ever faced.

The FFA needs to be looking to a manager with immense experience at the international level. One who, preferably, has experience in developing football nations who will be sympathetic to Australia’s domestic situation, as they will be relying more on talent emerging from the domestic scene, such as National Youth League and the A-League, than Verbeek ever had to.

Who that will be remains to be seen.

It’s great for pundits to speculate, but the reality is there will enormous movement following the World Cup, and the FFA may wait and see who turns up on the market come July.

We can only hope they are aggressive in the marketplace and don’t compromise. If they can be aggressive is another question entirely, however.

With the World Cup bid burning a hole in the FFA’s pockets, not forgetting their need to prop up the A-League and assist struggling clubs such as the Brisbane Roar, North Queensland Fury and Adelaide United, whether they have the financial pull to attract one of football’s coaching heavyweights remains to be seen.

We’ll watch this space intently, with fingers crossed. They need to get it right.

As for Verbeek, his legacy as coach of the Socceroos will be determined solely on what happens in South Africa.

His style hasn’t won over many fans, with his end justifies the means mentality to World and Asian Cup qualification doing the job on the both fronts, albeit mundanely, for some.

He’ll be keen to put himself in the shop window for European clubs in South Africa as well as leaving his legacy on the Socceroos.

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