Netherlands great van Bommel worked under countryman van Marwijk as he coached Saudi Arabia to direct qualification for this year's FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Van Marwijk said the 40-year-old van Bommel's appointment as a Socceroos assistant coach was important given their previous working relationship.

"Yes, that was very important to me," he told Dutch newspaper NRC.

"The Australian federation figured as much already, but if they hadn't I would have stated it as a condition.

"I want Mark with me. I have worked with him for two years in Saudi Arabia, but I also regularly see him working as a coach for the under-19 of PSV Eindhoven.

"He is immensely driven."

The 65-year-old van Marwijk said van Bommel's age meant he would be able to connect with players.

"What I noticed earlier with Frank de Boer and Phillip Cocu is that this generation of footballers has exactly the right distance to the current players," he said.

"They are older, but not so old that no one recognises them anymore."

Former midfielder van Bommel, the husband of van Marwijk's daughter Andra, captained the Netherlands and had successful club stints with PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and AC Milan.

In his decorated club career he won the UEFA Champions League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga twice and Eredivisie four times, in addition to several cups.

Van Marwijk coached van Bommel when the Netherlands reached the final of the 2010 World Cup.

Football Federation Australia is yet to confirm van Bommel's appointment.

Van Marwijk, who says he took up the Australian role for the challenge, also bemoaned the circumstances around his Saudi Arabia exit amid reports he was unable to come to terms with the country's officials for a new contract.

"I am mostly happy that this way I can still go to the World Cup," he said.

"With Saudi Arabia I qualified as well, but once we secured the ticket all sorts of officials started interfering in my work.

"I didn't fancy that.

"But that doesn't take away the fact that it was a disappointment that I would miss the WC that way."

He was appointed coach of Australia on Thursday on a short-term contract that expires at the end of Russia 2018.

Ante Milicic, who was assistant to Ange Postecoglou, will remain part of the Socceroos coaching staff but it is unclear exactly what role he will play.