Dutch coach Dick Advocaat has apologised to Australian officials for walking out on the Socceroos coaching job to remain at Russian club Zenit St Petersburg.

Advocaat had signed to become Australia's new head coach in August but reneged on the deal this month to remain with his club side on a deal he claims to be "much more" than double the Socceroos offer.

"I couldn't refuse this offer. It was quite a lot of money, to be honest," Advocaat told News Limited when cornered in Russia after his side's UEFA Cup qualifier.

"It was not double, it was more. Much more."

Advocaat was initially reluctant to discuss his decision to walk away from the contract he signed with Australia and refused to offer an explanation or apology.

"If I do something I do it personally and not via the camera or via you," he said.

"If I have something to apologise (for) I will do it to the right people. Not here by the press conference."

But afterwards he said he was "sorry" for letting down Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy and chief executive Ben Buckley.

He explained that he wanted to coach both the Socceroos and his club side, but Australia would not allow it.

"I feel very sorry for them," he said of leaving Australia without a coach just two months until World Cup qualifiers begin.

"Emotionally I was already in Australia.

"First of all it took me a lot, emotionally, because the people who I spoke to, Mr Frank Lowy and Mr Ben Buckley, I felt, personally, I had a good relationship with.

"So I definitely feel so sorry, but at the same time you have to take a decision in life that it is quite difficult to do."

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