AMMAN: "Welcome." It is the most prolific word of the Jordanian vocabulary. Such is its use - which doesn't vary despite differing levels of English proficiency - it can seem more formal than sincere at times.
It can be interchangeable for hello, goodbye and anything in between, so much so that it potentially could be ringing in the ears of the Socceroos when they play their World Cup qualifier on Thursday night (Friday morning AEDT). However, what the players probably don't realise is  just how welcomed they truly are. 
The armed vehicle and military that greeted them upon their arrival at their hotel suggested otherwise for some. The anticipated hostile reception from the Jordanian fans inside the Amman International Stadium may raise further doubts and the travelling Australian supporters could too disagree after paying 16-times the price of match tickets.
But beneath the harshness of sports business and the passion of World Cup qualification is an overwhelming sense of gratitude. And, it all started with a hostile reception of our own.
The resounding jeers that echoed throughout Stadium Australia - as it was briefly known again - for Sepp Blatter's arrival at the Asian Cup final made ripples across the world. As Jordan TV sports journalist, Mohamed Kadri Hassan recalls, it was the moment that sparked a significant relationship.
"I was there watching the game between Australia and Korea in the final when the fans and the people of Australia start [booing] Sepp Blatter. Of course they support anyone against Blatter and that is now Jordan," Kadri Hassan said via a translator. It was the beginning of an important political bond. While Australian fans voiced thier disdain towards the unpopular FIFA president embroiled in corruption scandals, his honourable Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan was at the Asian Cup drumming up support for his presidential challenge. Though, for all his groundwork, few allies were found among those competing at the   January tournament. There was little breaking through the traditional power brokers of the Asian Football Confederation heavily influenced by now FIFA ExCo member Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Sabah of Kuwait - a vocal supporter of Blatter.
Though as other presidential candidates dropped off and the arrests of alleged corrupt FIFA officials mounted, Australia felt forced publicly to throw their support behind the only remaining challenger to Blatter last   May."The board of FFA has reviewed the manifesto for change proposed by Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein and believes it provides the basis for a fresh start for FIFA," FFA chairman Frank Lowy said at the time.
It didn't matter that Prince Ali lost the vote 73 to 133, Australia's break of AFC rank to publicly support  the popular Prince didn't go unnoticed in the Hashemite Kingdom.
"It means so much to the Jordanian FA that a big nation like Australia supports his candidacy for FIFA," a senior JFA staff member said.
Prince Ali was not available for comment when contacted by Fairfax Media though besides Oman, it is understood there are no public backers of his candidacy within Jordan's region, deeming the FFA's own pledge a major political risk. Australia's stance within Asia can be described as fragile at best with a significant movement stemming from the Middle East to oust the Asian Champions out of the AFC still lingering.The public pledge did little to consolidate our place in the confederation but is seen by Jordan as a major step in winning votes of other members, especially with South Korean Chung Mong-joon further fracturing AFC politics by vying for football's top job.More immediately though, it's harnessed a sense of dependency between the two nations.
"The Australian federation and the Jordan federation support each other and they support Prince Ali. When the people talk and the media talks, we feel this support for Prince Ali," Kadri Hassan said. It is for this reason that when Jordan captain Amer Shafi was asked how he wanted Australia to be treated by the notoriously passionate Jordanian fans during the vital World Cup qualifier, his response was rather surprising.
"We would like the Australian team to feel happy and comfortable in Jordan and play a great match tomorrow," Shafi said. "We believe that the Jordan Football Association with the help of HRH Prince Ali will accommodate everything just to make the Australian team feel comfortable in our country, in our hotels, in our games - everything."
Although "there is a lovely relationship now between Australia and Jordan," it won't be enough to silence the local fans.
The relentless chants from the stands may seem intimidating and the travelling Australians have been warned to now show their colours en-route to the stadium. However, Kadri Hassan believes any notion of animosity will only last for 90 minutes. Either side of that is not just the the famed Jordanian hospitality, but what is becoming a strong friendship and a more crucial political ally. "When we play a game here, the fans of Jordan will always support Jordan," he said. "But, don't be afraid of our fans, Australia is always welcome in Jordan. We will support them too."