Graham Arnold leads tributes for ex-Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek

Graham Arnold has paid tribute to former Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek, who died on Thursday at the age of 63.

Graham Arnold, left, with Pim Verbeek when the two worked together on the Socceroos coaching staff during the 2010 World Cup campaign.

The man who worked most closely with Pim Verbeek at the helm of the Socceroos has paid tribute to the Dutchman after his death from cancer at the age of 63.

Graham Arnold was appointed Verbeek’s assistant with the Australian team in late 2007 after being its interim head coach, but what could have been a marriage of distrust became a friendship that led to Verbeek attending Arnold’s wedding in 2015.

“Football is a dog-eat-dog environment, and it can be a horrible world,” Arnold said. “But Pim was probably the nicest person you’d ever find in the world.”

Arnold, who became fulltime Socceroos head coach himself last year, had been the assistant coach since 2000 under Frank Farina and Guus Hiddink, before a year-long stint as interim head coach while Football Federation Australia courted and signed Dick Advocaat for the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign. When Advocaat reneged at the last minute and Verbeek was quickly parachuted in, it fell to Arnold to brief him on the players available in the few weeks until Australia’s first qualifier in February 2008.

“It was a weird moment in time, after Guus Hiddink had left following the 2006 World Cup,” he said. “I never really wanted the Socceroos job, I was asked to be the interim and it was really Dick Advocaat’s team, I was basically doing what he asked me to do.

“When Dick decided to stay in Russia and FFA started a new search, I knew of Verbeek because I’d met him with Guus in Holland previously, and even then it was clear immediately what sort of a guy he was.

“Such a polite, good-natured man. People forget we had only played a few Asian Cup qualifiers, this was our first pathway into Asia to qualify for the World Cup, and it was tough. But Pim qualified us with games to spare, the top team in Asia, and he was so passionate about his job.

“His communication with the players was fantastic. He’d send them little texts, ‘well done, great goal’, always on top of what they were doing.

“I’m not sure you’ll find a player with a bad word to say about him, which says everything.”

Several players from that period paid tribute to Verbeek after his death was announced late on Thursday. Mark Schwarzer tweeted: “Very sad and heartbreaking news today of Pim Verbeek’s passing. He was an amazing human being, a true gentleman with an infectious smile. Someone I have had the privilege to call a friend. You will never be forgotten.”

Craig Moore, whom Verbeek persuaded to come out of international retirement, described him as a “lovely man who I was lucky enough to work with at club and national team level. RIP Pim”.

Socceroos legend Tim Cahill, who scored against Serbia at the 2010 Cup under Verbeek, also paid tribute on Twitter. “So sad to lose such a gentleman and someone who I respected a lot as a manager and person. Rest in peace Pim Verbeek,” Cahill wrote.

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FFA Chairman Chris Nikou expressed his condolences to Verbeek’s family and friends. “The thoughts and sympathies of everyone in Australia’s football community are with Pim Verbeek’s nearest and dearest … Pim made a great mark on Australian football and is fondly remembered by the people that worked closely with him, many members of the media, as well as the public.

“Pim’s record as coach of the Socceroos can only be looked back on as strong … the outpouring of sincere sentiments since news of his passing filtered through last night highlights the esteem in which he was kept by many.”

Former Socceroo Rob Cornthwaite, who made his international debut under Verbeek, recalled a moment of kindness from the coach. “Saddened to hear the passing of Pim Verbeek,” he wrote on Twitter. “Gave me my Socceroos debut. Once I was late to a team meeting and I apologised. After the meeting he put his arm around me and gave me a cheeky smile, saying ‘don’t be late again’, he was a kind man.”

Mile Sterjovski also took to Twitter to pay tribute. “Very sad to hear the passing of my former Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek. He was a great coach but more importantly he was an even better person. Gone too soon.”

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH, AAP