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Pim Verbeek, the Dutch soccer manager who guided Australia to the 2010 World Cup, has died at the age of 63 after a four-year battle with cancer.
- Fox Sports commentator Simon Hill said Verbeek was the kindest, most genuine human being he ever met in football
- Verbeek also managed the South Korean and Oman national teams
- Verbeek departed the Socceroos after the 2010 World Cup
Tributes have flowed for Verbeek across the Netherlands and the rest of the world.
The Dutchman was appointed manager of the Australian men's team in 2007, and guided the Socceroos to the World Cup in South Africa in 2010.
Despite collecting four points at the 2010 World Cup, Australia exited at the group stage and Verbeek spent the next four years managing Morocco's Under-23 team.
Verbeek, who spent his entire professional playing career at Sparta Rotterdam before retiring when he was 25, also managed the South Korean and Oman national teams and was assistant coach of the Koreans at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.
He took over as coach of Australia in 2007, just weeks before the World Cup qualifying rounds began, after Dick Advocaat, who had already signed a deal to lead the Socceroos, chose instead to head for Zenit St Petersburg.
Guus Hiddink, who was South Korea coach in 2002, recommended Verbeek, who duly took Australia to South Africa in 2010.
They lost their opening game 4-0 to Germany but went on to draw 1-1 with Ghana and beat Serbia 2-1, missing out on the knockout phase on goal difference.
He departed after the tournament.
He spent three years as the coach of the Morocco Under-23 team before taking over Oman in 2016, leading them to the round of 16 for the first time in this year's Asian Cup, where they lost to Iran.
At the end of the tournament he announced his retirement, saying it would be his last job in football.
Football Federation Australia responded to the news of Verbeek's death, sending condolences to his family and friends and acknowledging the impact of his time in charge of the national side.
"The thoughts and sympathies of everyone in Australia's football community are with Pim Verbeek's nearest and dearest at this difficult time," FFA chair Chris Nikou said in a statement.
"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, however the outpouring of sincere sentiments since news of his passing filtered through last night highlights the esteem in which he was kept by many."
Fox Sports commentator Simon Hill was one of the many to pay tribute.
In a tweet he said his world was a sadder place tonight, after learning of Verbeek's death.
"The kindest, most genuine human being I ever met in football — I was proud to call him my friend."
Former Socceroo Robert Cornthwaite said he was saddened by the passing of the man who gave him his national 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."
Retired Socceroos star Tim Cahill — who was coached by Verbeek in South Africa in one of his four World Cups as a player — also paid tribute to Verbeek, describing him as someone he "respected a lot as a manager and person."
ABC/AFP
Topics: sport, soccer, netherlands-soccer, community-and-society, death, netherlands, australia, korea-democratic-peoples-republic-of
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