Former Socceroo Robbie Slater says Pim Verbeek is the wrong man to lead Australia to the 2010 World Cup.

Football Federation Australia announced the 51-year-old Dutchman as the new national coach, but Slater believes Verbeek does not have the right credentials.

Verbeek had spent time as an assistant coach to fellow Dutchmen Dick Advocaat and Guus Hiddink, and he also led South Korea to the semi-finals of this year's Asian Cup.

Slater preferred the other front-runner for the post, highly-successful Frenchman Philippe Troussier, who had coached a number of national sides, including Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco and Australia's Asian Cup opponents Qatar.

Troussier also guided Japan to the 2000 Asian Cup title and the second round of the 2002 World Cup.

"If you ask me it's the wrong choice in some respects. I think Verbeek has been known more as an assistant than a front man, particularly at international level," Slater told Fox Sports.

"Troussier definitely had the better record. He has coached at two World Cups. What he did with Japan between 1998 and 2002 was remarkable ... I think his CV was much more impressive."

Slater, who won the English Premier League with Blackburn Rovers in 1994-95, said the FFA would have been better served appointing Graham Arnold fulltime, who had filled in as a caretaker since Hiddink left the post after last year's World Cup.

"... I would go so far as to say if you're going to get Pim Verbeek you may as well have stayed with Graham Arnold," added Slater, a leading football analyst.

Verbeek comes in after another Dutchman, Dick Advocaat, reneged on a deal to join the Socceroos last month.

"What happened with Advocaat was obviously very disappointing," Slater said.

"And you'd have to say the appointment of Verbeek is definitely not a big name. We were promised a big name and we're not really getting one.

"He's known more as an assistant but it's not the name we've waited for really."

Slater's other major concern was Verbeek's lack of knowledge of A-League players, considering it would be them and not the European stars that would be key to Australia's World Cup qualification campaign through Asia.

"(Qualifying) starts in February so it's not far away and for four out of six games we are going to have to use basically Hyundai A-League players," he said.

"Whatever we say he can't have any knowledge of the local players (yet).

"That's a worry and that goes to the comment I made that you may as well keep playing Graham Arnold, because he has done at least as well at the Asian Cup as South Korea, except for a penalty shootout.

"And at least he knows the homegrown players."

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