Dutchman Pim Verbeek, who was on Sunday named by the Oman Football Association (OFA) as the front-runner to take over as the national team coach, is expected to arrive in Muscat this week.
Speaking to Muscat Daily from Australia on Monday, the former Australia and South Korea coach said, “I have received a call from the OFA chief Sheikh Salim [al Wahaibi], inviting me to Muscat. I will be flying in to Muscat before the weekend to hold talks and discuss the contractual terms. I hope to finalise the deal.”
Verbeek, whose last job was in Morocco as the technical director of the Morocco Football Federation, is currently in Australia on a family holiday. The 60 year old coach is considered to be a tactician and has picked up much of his coaching knowhow from Dutch greats Guus Hiddink and Dick Advocaat.
He served as assistant coach to both Hiddink and Advocaat during their spells in South Korea. Verbeek later took over as South Korea coach in 2006. A year later, he took charge of another Asian giant, Australia, and led it to the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa.
He was dismissed by Australia soon after the World Cup, in which it failed to get past the first round.
Verbeek then moved to Morocco, where he was worked till 2014, serving as the Olympic team coach and technical director. The Dutchman has also worked as a TV expert during the last Asian Cup in Australia.
