Dutch coach Guus Hiddink warned Australia Friday that his appointment as their national football coach was no guarantee they will qualify for next year's World Cup finals in Germany.
The master coach, who has guided The Netherlands and South Korea to the last two World Cup semi-finals, was officially announced Friday by the Football Federation Australia as the Socceroos' coach.
Australia is bidding to reach the finals for the first time in 32 years.
Hiddink, 58, will continue in his current capacity as technical director of Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, but will be at Australia's home and away qualification matches against the Solomon Islands in September and a yet-to-be-determined South American team in November.
"To be honest, in the outside football world many people think that Australia does not have any chance to qualify (for the World Cup finals)," Hiddink told a press conference to announce his appointment.
"If you mention in Europe that Australia is playing against a South American team who is experienced, many people will say that's impossible.
"But that, I think, is the challenge for me to make the impossible happen."
Hiddink, who shocked the football world by getting South Korea into the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup, said it would be a miracle if Australia reached the World Cup finals in Germany next year.
"But we must be optimistic and energetic and try to create the circumstances that we have a good chance to qualify.
"But me being here now with my coaching past is not a guarantee. Australia not being on a world stage for over 30 years gives me a challenge to make it happen."
Hiddink said he had an arrangement with PSV Eindhoven to take a national team to his third World Cup if the opportunity arose and they were happy with the Australian connection.
Hiddink said he had watched DVDs of Australian matches, but said his goal would be to implant a more tactical and strategic approach to the Australian team in the short time he has available ahead of the qualifiers.
He has scrapped a planned August friendly with Colombia, a likely World Cup opponent in November, for a three-to-four day training camp in Holland with a squad of Australian players.
"I have noticed in the past the general attitude of the Australian players, as tremendous commitment.
"The Australian team which I saw playing live was in the 2001 Confederations Cup in Korea, just one year before the last World Cup, when Korea played Australia.
"At that time Australia was a technically good team, but I found them playing rather open, that means that tactically we could handle them rather easily.
"If there is more balance in the way Australia plays and their commitment, then I think we can make progress."
Hiddink replaces Australian Frank Farina, whose contract with the Socceroos was terminated early after Australia conceded 10 goals at the Confederations Cup in Germany late last month.