Qatar will enjoy an insider's knowledge of the best A-League players should new coach Pim Verbeek stick with plans of opening Australia's World Cup qualifying campaign with a locally-based squad.

Former Football Kingz coach Paul Nevin is now a key part of the Qatar FA's technical team and his knowledge of the A-League's best talent is seen as crucial by national team coaching staff for their chances of upsetting the highly-fancied Aussies.

Nevin, a former Academy boss with Premiership club Fulham, still has ambitions of management, though for now is working on the development of Qatar's best young talent.