http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/world-cup-2010/ffa-to-break-the-bank-for-verbeeks-successor/story-fn4k63e5-1225879184120
FOOTBALL Federation Australia boss Frank Lowy is prepared to sanction a wallet-busting $6 million a year to land the right man to replace departing coach Pim Verbeek.
Dismayed by the poor calibre of applicants for the role of taking Australia to the 2011 Asian Cup in Qatar, and beyond it the bid to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil in the post-Verbeek era, Lowy and the FFA board have been forced to up the financial ante in the quest for a quality successor to the Dutchman.
Which means the $2.5m a year enjoyed by the cut-price Vereek - more a natural sidekick than main man at national team level - will have to be doubled, at the very least, if Australia are to get the best.
Privately, the panel appointed by Lowy and his CEO Ben Buckley to oversee the search for a new coach have not been able to make inroads with any of world footballs top tier, mainly because Australias budget was too low. Hence the change of tactics.
The fact that Australia is also viewed as a second-world nation has also played a part with sources close to the selection process indicating that no candidates of genuine calibre have stepped forward and that it will only happen if FFA stump up more cash.
While Verbeek got Australia to the World Cup and Asian Cup finals in his two-and-half year tenure, he was very much a second choice at short notice option after Dick Advocaat decided he didnt want the job at the last minute.
Those who have raised their interest so far are coaches who have struggled to get a job anywhere else.
Verbeek, whose only senior coaching appointment before the Socceroos job came up was with South Korea at the 2007 Asian Cup finals, previously assisted Advocaat at UAE and Borussia Moenchengladbach and then Guus Hiddink at the 2002 World Cup as South Korea stormed to the semi-finals.
His exit to take on the mantle of technical director with Morocco next month has left the FFA scrambling for a replacement with names like fellow Dutchman Leo Beenhakker, the former Polish national coach and currently technical director at Feyenoord, being mentioned without setting any pulses racing.
The names which do invoke genuine intrigue, those of Galatasaray duo of Frank Rijkaard and Johan Neeskens were never genuinely interested, nor former Holland coach Marco van Basten.
But with FFA loosening of the purse strings they will be better placed to approach top-line coaches after the World Cup.
Both Lowy and Buckley are in South Africa, mainly lobbying for votes to get Australia's 2022 World Cup hosting bid over the line, but sealing the deal with a Verbeek successor is also high on the agenda with Buckley saying: "We know with the Asian Cup ahead we need to act with some haste but we won't be acting without diligence either.
"We've been talking to various parties and that process continues."
The silver-haired Beenhakker, a distinguished 67-year-old, resembles the man from Havana in his ubiquitous white suits, and is considered a bland option by some on the FFA panel who are keen for a coach with more drive and dynamism.
Beenhakker twice coached Holland (1985-86 and 1990) and also had stints with Saudi Arabia (1993-94), then Trinidad & Tobago (2005-06) before three years in charge of Poland, parting company with them last year.
His resume at club level also reads well with two stints at Real Madrid (1986-89 and 1992) and Dutch heavyweight Ajax (1979-81 and 1989-91).
Italian coach Nevio Scala, former Spurs boss Martin Jol and Frenchman Philippe Troussier, who was pipped for the post by Verbeek in 2007, have also been all linked to the job.
One man already in place is former Adelaide United coach Aurelio Vidmar, who will be one of the assistants for the new man in charge.
Vidmar is daydreaming of a time when an Australian will caoch the national team, but admits that could still be 10 year away.
"For now we're in learning phase and we need to find our feet in national football and that means leaning on the expertise of foreigners," he said.
