Advocaat, who managed the Netherlands in two spells and took the Dutch to the quarterfinals of the 1994 World Cup, is nearing the end of a two-year deal with Russian club Zenit St Petersburg, which expires on November 11.

The report said that current Socceroos coach Graham Arnold, who has a contract until 2010, will likely focus on qualifying the Olympic (under-23) team for next year's Beijing Games.

Australia, under Arnold, have had a disastrous Asian Cup campaign with a last-gasp 1-1 draw against Oman and a 3-1 loss to Iraq, and must beat co-hosts Thailand later Monday if they are to qualify for the quarterfinals.

Advocaat, 59, was first interviewed by Football Federation Australia in mid-2005, but countryman Guus Hiddink took the Socceroos to last year's World Cup instead.

The Sydney Morning Herald said after a year-long search to find a permanent successor to Hiddink, it is believed FFA is close to finalising a deal for Advocaat to guide the Socceroos through the 2010 World Cup campaign.

The first round of qualifiers kicks off in June next year after the draw is made in Durban, South Africa, on November 25.

Advocaat also has experience with Asian football and has coached South Korea and United Arab Emirates in the past four years.

The Herald said FFA chairman Frank Lowy, one of Australia's richest men, will personally fund Advocaat's wages.

Advocaat has been mentioned for the Socceroos' job along with Gerard Houllier, Jurgen Klinsmann, Louis van Gaal and Leo Beenhakker.

The report said the FFA is looking at using Arnold in rotation with technical director Dutchman Rob Baan to continue coaching the Socceroos on a game-by-game basis until Advocaat is installed as the new boss.

Australia have a match against Argentina in Melbourne on September 11, while another home match against China is mooted for October.

Arnold has been under fire as the Socceroos, full of their leading European stars, have struggled at the Asian Cup and on Sunday he dismissed reports of a rift among the squad.

There has been considerable agitation back home about Arnold's position with a website (sackarnold.com) operating as an online petition to have him fired.

The website said Monday it had garnered 2,287 signatures so far.