Pim Verbeek insists he is yet to make a decision on whether he will stay with Australia beyond the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, saying negotiations with Football Federation Australia (FFA) are continuing.

Verbeek initially said he would sit down with the FFA after the recent AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Indonesia and discuss his future as national coach. But while a week has elapsed since that time, Verbeek gave no indication of his intentions to stay or go.

"The only people who know where discussions stand at the moment are the two people here," he said motioning to himself and FFA chief executive Ben Buckley. "We know where things stand, but we won't be telling you (the media) until a decision is final."

Reports to date say that Verbeek wants to return to coach club football after South Africa 2010, leaving FFA without a successor just six months out from the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar. But he said that no firm decision has been made yet.

"It's 50-50 at the moment. Ben and I still have a few things to discuss," he said. "We want it resolved sooner rather than later. I like Ben, but I don't want to have coffee with him every day for the next three months."

Culina options
Meanwhile, Socceroos midfielder Jason Culina when asked about where he intends to play in the next two months ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, said he wanted to speak to his club about it first. "I know where I'm going, but I need to sit down over the next few days and chat with Gold Coast about that," he said. It is believed Culina will announce his intended destination on the Gold Coast next Tuesday.

Verbeek and Culina were speaking at the launch of Australia's upcoming friendly international against New Zealand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 24 May. Verbeek said the match would be a good chance for fringe players to push their case.

"We have a big squad, probably more than 23 players, I think it's fair that everybody gets to show themselves in the training, during the games, until the first game we play against Germany on 13 June," he said.

"I think it's too early to be playing our best XI or making final decision as to who will be in that team. So many things can happen in the weeks leading up. In the end, it's a friendly match and it's not a World Cup."