Bert van Marwijk is an expert man manager who will extract the best from the Caltex Socceroos, according to his former pupil Brett Emerton.
The 95-time Australia international flourished in the three seasons he spent under van Marwijk at Feyenoord, where the pair won the UEFA Cup in 2002.
Emerton’s successful stint in the Netherlands was his first in European football and the former Blackburn Rovers winger attributes his easy adjustment to the Dutchman’s management style.
“I was a foreign player coming to a new team and he made me feel very comfortable,” Emerton told Fox Sports.
“He’s a great man manager, he knows how to get the best out of every player.
“He can be quite demanding. He knows what he wants from his players and he makes clear what your role and responsibility is in the team.
“At the same time, he’s a pleasure to play under and I’m very happy with the appointment. I think he’s a great choice.”
Van Marwijk went on to take charge of the Dutch national team in 2008, leading his country to the FIFA World Cup final in South Africa.
While that side earned a reputation for its robust approach, Emerton says the 63-year-old shouldn’t be pigeonholed.
“He’s quite flexible in the way he’ll play,” the former Sydney FC star said.
“I think the way the Socceroos play will be determined by who we’re playing against at the time.”