Football Federation Australia chiefs have continued down the Dutch line after Guus Hiddink's success with the national team at last year's World Cup and also the arrival of Rob Baan as the country's technical director.

Verbeek will have just two months to familiarise himself with the Australian team before the World Cup qualifiers begin in February.

Frenchman Philippe Troussier this afternoon took a call from FFA officials telling him they had decided to go "in another direction", after he had held his own in-depth talks with the FFA on Monday in Sydney.

Verbeek is a replacement for fellow Dutchman Dick Advocaat, the Zenit St Petersburg coach, who reneged on a contract to succeed Graham Arnold three weeks ago.