New national soccer coach Pim Verbeek says his appointment is a dream come true and a good opportunity.

In an interview with the Dutch soccer magazine Voetbal International Friday, he said he is familiar with and understands the culture and national sentiment of South Korea.

Verbeek will also retain assistant coach Hong Myung-bo and technical analyst Afshin Ghotbi, who both served under former coach Dick Advocaat.

Verbeek said he declined Advocaat's offer to go to the Russian pro team Zenit St. Petersburg, saying South Korea's soccer federation and players asked him to stay and that he wanted to assume a head coaching position given his age.

On the transition from an assistant to head coach, he said he sees no problems as the players see him as one of them. He also cited a recent Web survey that 85 percent of South Koreans wanted him to take over.