Socceroo coach Verbeek promised TV broadcaster Fox Sports at the beginning of Australia's World Cup qualifying campaign that if the Socceroos qualified, he'd sing Advance Australia Fair.

True to his word, in the lead up to this week's Japan game, the Dutchman plucked up the courage and sang an almost faultless version of the song.

Not only did he sing it in almost perfect pitch, but he managed to nail many of the difficult lines even locals struggle with. He only needed help once to finish the song - a remarkable feat given English is his second language.

Green And Gold Army fan John McGauran says Verbeek's quiet charm has worked wonders with the Socceroo fans.

"To see Pim have a go made me pretty proud," he told au.fourfourtwo.com today. "It's a great step forward. I wasn't surprised he did it. Not at all. He's a man of his word. He got us to the World Cup.

"In Pim we trust. Actually in both Pim and Guus we trust. Pim's done a magnificent job."

Video of Pim Verbeek's rendition is now on YouTube and has been watched thousands of times already.

"He's obviously a very private person," added McGauran. "I've never met him but I've spoken to the players and they all have pretty good words about him.

"I'm extremely proud and I think also anyone who criticizes Pim doesn't understand the task it's taken. We have won six games and drawn two. That's an unbelievable effort."

And he added that the fans were firmly on the side of Tim Cahill after the unfounded allegations made by one Sydney tabloid.

Also coming out in support of Cahill was Mark Bosnich who said on Fox Sports that the journalists involved in painting Cahill as drunk during a night out were "scum". Media indentity Alan Jones has also jumped in to support the Socceroo talisman. 

"There was a lot of talk about that yesterday and everyone's pretty happy with Alan Jones having a crack," the Aussie fan said. "That's been emailed around so everyone around the country can hear it."