Pim Verbeek Takes Helm of Team Korea

Pim Verbeek (aged 50, Netherlands) has taken on the role of the new commander of the Korean national football team.

Korea Football Association (KFA) technique chairman Lee Young-Moo announced during a press conference held at Football Hall on June 26 in Jongno-gu, Seoul that “the current assistant coach of the national team, Pim Verbeek, will replace Dick Advocaat (59), whose contract as the coach expired.”

The newly appointed coach Verbeek is also Dutch, like his predecessors Guus Hiddink and Advocaat. Verbeek had assisted coach Hiddink back in the 2002 Korea- Japan World Cup and led the Korean team into the semi finals.

Verbeek has served as a coach in the Netherlands’ Professional Team 2 Group and Japan’s professional football team Kyoto Purple Sanga, and came to work as the Korean National team’s assistant coach at the request of the former coach Advocaat last September.

Chairman Lee stated Verbeek’s well-founded knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the current national football players, as well as their deep trust in him as reasons behind appointing Verbeek as the new coach.

The new coach’s contract period lasts two years from August 1, 2006 to July 31, 2008 and the details of the contract were not made public as is the custom. Former coach Advocaat will leave Korea on June 27 for Russia to become the new coach of the Russian professional football team of Saint Petersburg.

Chang Jeon jeon@donga.com