Verbeek keen to raise Korean standards for next finals

SEOUL, June 28 (Reuters) New South Korea coach Pim Verbeek believes he is the right man to help the Asian soccer power close the gap on the world's leading teams.

The former assistant replaced Dutch compatriot Dick Advocaat, who resigned the post on Monday following Korea's disappointing first round elimination from the World Cup in Germany, and immediately set out his plans for building a stronger side.

''On our way to 2010, it is very important that we close the gap with international football,'' Verbeek said at his first news conference as coach on Wednesday, adding that he hoped to lead Korea to a quarter-final berth at the South Africa tournament.

''Because I am from European football, you can be sure that I have a very good idea how we can close that gap and improve our players to be as good as they were in 2002,'' he said.

Four years ago, Verbeek's countryman Guus Hiddink became a national hero in South Korea for leading the side to the semi-finals of a tournament the nation co-hosted with Japan.

Verbeek was also an assistant for Hiddink four years ago and the 50-year-old has amassed 25 years of international coaching experience since retiring as a Sparta Rotterdam player in 1980.

Not lacking confidence, Verbeek said his initial goals for the team were to win the 2007 Asian Cup and the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Verbeek plans to reach out to college teams and coaches in the country's professional K-League to build a base of players for the 2010 World Cup.

He also would like to see more friendly matches against global powers.

''I think the mentality and the commitment of the players is fantastic,'' he said.

''For the best fans in the world, we will create the best Asian team for the coming years and we will do everything for the next World Cup to go back where we were. That means in the last 16 or the last eight.'' REUTERS PDS PC1121