By Jesse Fink
August 22nd 2008 @ 2:11am
Pim Verbeek, what’s the test for magic?
My favourite paper to read while stuck in Asian airports, the International Herald Tribune, had a very interesting story on Wednesday about how the Beijing Games are subverting all the commonly held ideas about how athletes should look for certain events, prompted by the extraordinary performances of Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt in the 100m and 200m men’s athletics events.
Bolt is far taller and far ganglier than his colleagues for both distances, and by conventional wisdom would seem to have to work harder to cover those metres with his higher centre of gravity.
But he’s gone out and smashed pervading sport-science wisdom by nabbing two world records in events that cough up new marks as easily as George W. Bush would admit going into Iraq was a mistake.
This got me thinking about the performance of our Olyroos team in Beijing.
Before the tournament we were told many of the guys who made the team and many of those missed out did so by virtue of their performances in physical tests, such as the dreaded beep test.
We were told Bruce Djite and Nathan Burns couldn’t handle the heat, yet they then went out and started scoring goals for their respective clubs in the oven of an eastern Meditteranean summer.
Djite came off the bench for the Socceroos against South Africa on Wednesday morning.
Adherence to selecting certain physical types has also been pursued as an unofficial policy with the men’s senior team, first by Guus Hiddink, then by interim coach Arnold, and now Pim Verbeek.
All three men have fancied selecting fast, mobile players who can switch seamlessly between defence and attack. Players such as Luke Wilkshire, Brett Emerton and David Carney, for instance.
But the introduction of this sort of player hasn’t necessarily translated into better football.
As a football side, Frank Farina’s 2005 Confederations Cup team were a defensive rabble, but by god they were entertaining to watch.
They attacked. They scored goals.
These days Australia puts away goals with frustrating infrequency. Indeed the hallmark of the Verbeek era has been the defensive-minded approach he takes to the game. Goals have been few and far between.
I got a call from blogger Tony Tannous on Wednesday, asking what Nicky Carle had done to deserve being just one of (I think it was) three players not used during the South Africa match in London.
I told him I wasn’t going to go there, that sticking up for Nicky time and time again was probably being ultimately counterproductive for his cause. But it really does make you wonder where creativity and imagination rank as football values in Verbeek’s mind.
As Tony said, South Africa’s two goals came from moments of Benni McCarthy magic. From a little spark of something that can’t be rigorously analysed or empirically tested.
Australia scored from fairly perfunctory moves (albeit the Mile Sterjovski volley to open the scoring was special) and, when chasing a third to win the game in the second half, could have used a bit of their own magic.
But Carle again, mysteriously, inexplicably, remained unused.
Australia might get to South Africa 2010 on the head of Josh Kennedy, but when we get there that won’t be enough to win the tournament.
We need, like I believe every football team does, junior or senior, men’s or women’s, park or professional, someone who can pull out a move you simply can’t teach or train. And, outside of Harry Kewell when he’s on form, I can’t think of anyone in the green and gold shirt better than Carle.
But obviously (and mercifully for all of us), I’m not the Australia coach.
Pim Verbeek is.
And for some yet-to-be-explained reason, he still thinks Carle is a luxury he can’t afford.
We will have to wait and see.
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The Bear said | August 22nd 2008 @ 8:36am | Report comment
I agree. With all the Science in the world, they are things you can’t measure, and these aspects can sometimes be more volatile, and harder to exude, consistently. But that’s life. And a good player that exudes this X factor, can produce it more consistently than one may be persuaded to think. Harry Kewell, Mark Bresciano, Mark Viduka.
And Spain, with all their small stature and diminutive aspects still won Euro 08.
Stick that, Sport Science lovers, in yer pipes and smoke it!!
Graciously,
The Bear
LK said | August 22nd 2008 @ 8:48am | Report comment
Oh FFS, Jesse!! A few olympics references aside, this is the same article you have been posting for 6-12months. Bagging NT coaches - check. Talking up Carle - check. All that was missing was a couple plugs for your book and the cafe where you get coffee. I like your work but this re-hashing isn’t doing you or Carle any favours. The EPL started on the weekend, as did the HAL, Olympics are up to gold medal football games, there were friendlies mid-week in which two of our WCQ opponents got beaten, why can’t write about any of these? Please?!?
Slippery Jim said | August 22nd 2008 @ 10:04am | Report comment
While the whole body shape ‘ideal’ issue is an interesting one, I’m afraid the logic is flawed when it comes to athletic tests such as the bleep test are based on ability, not body shape.
Bolt would have passed the bleep test with flying colours as it measures ability, not body shape.
Not a single Olyroos/Socceroos player would have been picked based on bodyshape (although perhaps height is a separate issue). Therefore this argument is intriguing but essentially floored. While even I was starting to be infuenced by the prevailing view by pundits that Djite could have made a difference for the Olyroos, his display against South Africa shows that he is also as adept at blowing good chances to score for the national team, and would probably have made no difference to our Olympic campaign.
Pim is payed a lot of money to get his decisions right, and so far he has, in terms of our ultimate goal of qualification for the world cup.
Spiro Zavos said | August 22nd 2008 @ 10:37am | Report comment
Jesse
You are on to something here. Take Peter Sterling. He was small, relatively slow, didn’t have much of a pass and I’m sure would not have made much of a dent on the blip test. Yet he was one of the great players. And I’m sure this is even more the case in football. Many of the great players, Bobby Charlton comes to mind, would have outstanding speed etc but what a match-winner with his superb reading of the game and thunderous left boot.
This business of finding ‘athletes’ who can be taught the game is an American invention. It works in gridiron where everything is choreographed, except for the quarter back when he has to scramble.
But for other sports where intuition, quick and accurate spur of the moment thing, tactical insight in knowing where you have to be at a particular time by reading plays in advance, there are other gifts than bleep test results that are more important.
I’m thing again here of Mark Ella, who was never quick as a runner, but quick between the ears.
Jesse’s point is a good one. The bleep test is useful. But the ‘between the ears’ test and skills are more useful than sheer endurance.
Gareth said | August 22nd 2008 @ 10:41am | Report comment
Carle had his chance against China but chose to go back to England. The fact a starting berth was there for the taking two months ago shows how much he really wants to be part of the Socceroos.
jimbo said | August 22nd 2008 @ 10:43am | Report comment
Pimbo pulls up the sheet over his midrift to cover a naked Dutch belly button and lights up a cigarette.
He turns to his lover and says ” That was good Arnie, but I think the magic is gone.”
True Tah said | August 22nd 2008 @ 10:46am | Report comment
Jessie,
this whole issue has been dealt with on the blog re: the fitness levels of prop forwards in rugby, I encourage you to visit and see a few of the posts, as I can see some of the similarities.
As long as a player does his job, and does it well, who cares what he gets on the bleep test?
Ronaldo was carrying a few extra kilos at the 2006 WC, and it didn’t stop him from embarassing the Socceroos, who were supposed to be the fittest team at the WC…Maradonna was one of the greatest futbol players of all time, and he was renowned for not possessing exteme athleticism, but he sure knew what to do when it counts.
jimbo said | August 22nd 2008 @ 11:05am | Report comment
Gareth,
that’s a bit hard on Carle.
Arnie turned the China Dead Rubber into an Olyroos training run and Kewell, Emmerton, Bresch, Grella, Jesus, Macca - virtually the whole team didn’t want to be a part of it.
In the last 5 years, he is probably the player that has sat on the Socceroos bench the most and you can’t blame him for wanting to get back to England - like everyone else did - to sort out a new contract with a new club.
Carle needs more than ten minutes a year to prove himself as a valuable asset to the Socceroos.
While Arnie and Pimbo are there, he has little if any chance of proving it.
Ben of Phnom Penh said | August 22nd 2008 @ 12:07pm | Report comment
Jessie, Nicky is going to have to turn it on in the Championship to fight for a position where the Socceroos have a level of depth not seen in other positions.
Much of the model that Pim desires includes a level of versatility and that is something that Luke Wilkshire, Brett Emerton and David Carney can offer. The key is to utilise this versatility by changing the Socceroos formation whilst a match is in progress to meet the changing nature of a game. If this is not occurring then specialist position players may be a better option, ala Nicky Carle.
SJ, Bruce only came on at the 73rd minute and still managed to impose himself; a big future for the Muscle beckons. His Olyroo omission would have been palatable if someone of the calibre of David Williams had been picked instead, this was not the case.
The Bear said | August 22nd 2008 @ 12:16pm | Report comment
Slippery Jim, if Djite may have been given the chance to peform under the Olympic international pressures in China, we can only speculate his improvement at Socceroo level. But he was not selected. Who’s responsibility was that?
And Gareth, if that was the case, surely that is the same as saying that Bresciano and Kewell snubbed opportunities, as well, denying Australia game time at the Olympics, to settle into a new club. It is acceptable by the FFA, and the public.
Surely, you would not begrudge those players, that choice, as well?
Graciously,
The Bear
The Bear said | August 22nd 2008 @ 12:22pm | Report comment
Ben, excellent points. Stay tuned for an opinion piece coming very soon (hopefully), that also touches on the issue re: Pim’s model
vicentin said | August 22nd 2008 @ 12:26pm | Report comment
Bear, the Spaniards as a whole were/are a very small team but those guys do run around a helluva lot and I dare say would come up well on the beep test too - they are footballers first though, no doubt! Argentina of course have several very short and several very un-athletic looking players (the majestic Riquelme). Aguero doesn’t appear to be any taller than Messi, Lavezzi is not much taller than those two and they all tower over (next years goldenboy) Diego Buonanotte. Even Gago looks very slight and not particularly tall etc. Brazil who seem to have gone for a bigger and more physical approach over last 15 or so years are nowhere near as entertaining as they once were - and they did a bit of a “Bradbury” to win the WC in 2002 (everyone else fell over). They still do produce some excellent players though and it would be nice to see them embrace the Jogo Bonito properly again ie not just a Nike campaign.
Slippery Jim said | August 22nd 2008 @ 12:30pm | Report comment
Jimbo, you’re all over the place there, first you say Carle was right not to choose to play 90 + minutes against China in front of 80,000 home fans, because “everyone else was doing it”…sorry, doesn’t cut the mustard
…then you say that Carle NEEDS more than 10 minutes on the pitch and has had “little if any chance” to prove it.
Wrong wrong wrong.
He was given the chance and decided of his own free will not to play for Australia against China as he needed to catch up on the Z’s…don’t tell me two days would have made any significant difference to his club aspirations…he’s a piker, there’s no other explanation.
Ben, Djite missed a sitter, “imposing oneself” would hav been no help at the Olympics, as even Topor managed to flop around up forward in his own clumsy ‘imposing himself’ manner.
Slippery Jim said | August 22nd 2008 @ 12:39pm | Report comment
The Bear, actually, at the time I did begrudge these players their choice, as well as their choice not to be a part of the Olyroos squad, I wrote an article on exactly that subject here:
http://www.theroar.com.au/2008/07/08/the-olympics-expose-the-superficiality-of-modern-football/
Which mentions Carle and Kewell specifically.
Please note that the vital, important, world shaking reason given by Carle for his decision not to play against China was “I’d rather miss that [China] game so that I can have my rest time”…he certainly lacks any hunger to play for the Socceroos.
The Bear said | August 22nd 2008 @ 1:14pm | Report comment
Gareth/Slippery Jim, Carle switched clubs the next week after returning to the UK. I think you may be taking him too literally (intentionally, or otherwise)
And Jim, i can see why you gave stick to Kewell, especially after seemingly stringing us along that he was interested in being available. However, the Olympics is not the “be all”, that as a kid, you thought it was. Perhaps for GA and the FFA, it still is.
Jim, I hope you have your priorities more adequately aligned, now.
Graciously,
The Bear
Slippery Jim said | August 22nd 2008 @ 1:24pm | Report comment
The Bear, I wonder if you would give the same lecture about the ‘unimportance’ of the Olympics to Messi, Ronaldinho, Requelme, Mascherano, Anderson, Jo, Kalou and the many other world class players who feel it is an extremely high priority? Or do you think that they are all juvenile in their thinking too? Perhaps it is you who needs to realign your priorities…
The Bear said | August 22nd 2008 @ 1:32pm | Report comment
Slippery Jim, i will - as long as you give your lecture of the importance of the Olympics to Harry Kewell, Mark Bresciano, Brett Holman, Vince Grella and Nick Carle. They were all in between clubs, and were approached by the FFA to stay on to be part of the Olympics. GA didn’t put his foot down, apparently. Much like Barca did, or tried to, in the case of Messi.
And don’t ask me to assess the Argentinian motivations, but it probably had much to do with fronting against Brazil. You know “that” little rivalry. I expect a Medal was a secondary consideration, as long as they humiliated the Canaries.
Graciously,
The Bear
The Bear said | August 22nd 2008 @ 1:35pm | Report comment
Actually, i have over stepped. I don’t think Carle was approached for the Olympics (i could be wrong).
: )
Slippery Jim said | August 22nd 2008 @ 1:52pm | Report comment
So, so out of touch The Bear…don’t you read the papers at least? They might give you a clue about the motivations of Argentina and Brazil.
I have no wish to lecture anyone. I put my opinion out there for anyone with access to the internet to read last month, for what it’s worth.
To suggest that treating the Olympics as a high priority is juvenile ignores a score of world class players who feel that it is their highest priority at the moment…or are do you know something that say, two time world player Ronaldinho doesn’t? So excuse me if I treat his opinion as having more worth than yours.
The Bear said | August 22nd 2008 @ 2:23pm | Report comment
This is soo off topic. I merely state for the record that Carle misses one game, due to his changing clubs, and you want to single him out, when Bresciano, Holman, Kewell, Grella, Schwarzer all knocked back the chance of going to your precious Olympic games. I am not seriously going to debate the importance of the Olympics here, with you. What i will say if it was important to Australians, Harry Kewell, would have been there. I did not see a court case involving the FFA and Galatasary.
The Brazillians and Argentinians world class players have their own reasons.
The Bear said | August 22nd 2008 @ 2:24pm | Report comment
Graciously, of course,
The Bear
; )
md said | August 22nd 2008 @ 2:35pm | Report comment
I hate to be logical about something as subjective as favorite football players, but maybe its because Carle is not as special as many of his sponsors in Australia make him out to be.
If he was the world class creative player he is made out to be, he would have been playing the big leagues from age 18 a’la Harry Kewell. He would also be playing at a Champions League club, not a Championship one. Unless, of course, the 5000 scouts that watch every match for every decent club in Europe hoping to pick up a diamond in the rough to give them the winning advantage, are all wrong.
He is a player makes some lovely contributions on occasions, but he is not a player that can be the focus of our attacking play because his style is to glide in and out of the game injecting himself at an opportune time. You don’t get to do that at national level unless you are a world class talent that demands inclusion whenever fit.
For someone who isn’t a world class talent, Nick doesn’t work hard enough. A Bresch or Cahill (or even Wilkshire) will chase an opposing player for 60 meters to recover the ball and still pop up in the next attacking move to make the crucial touch. Nick doesn’t play like that.
So, Nick for all his skill and grace isn’t a truly world class talent that demands inclusion and isn’t as hard a worker as some of the other midfielders who are also very good and playing at better clubs.
Cheers
md
The Bear said | August 22nd 2008 @ 2:43pm | Report comment
md, wow, i thought i was getting off topic
The Bear said | August 22nd 2008 @ 2:58pm | Report comment
I mean, it’s easy to read a Fink opinion piece about “jogobonito”, see a Carle photo, and a sentence or two at the end talking Carle up, and conclude that it’s yet another love-in. But it’s really more than that, md. It’s about nurturing and respecting *all sorts* of talent, within a team. Especially those that fly in the face of American lead, Sport Sciences.
Graciously,
The Bear
md said | August 22nd 2008 @ 3:48pm | Report comment
Bear - that’s the whole point though; football is an athletic team sport - even in jogobonito heaven like Brazil. Not unsurprisingly the focus at international level is on athletic team players. To change the focus - particularly as a midfielder, you need to be a world class creative talent. A once in a generation player. When you get one, you don’t “nurture their talent”; you redesign your tactics to harness it. Currently, Brazil, Portugal, and Argentina have one each (and 2 of them rely on speed as much as amazing touch and vision and would kill a beep test even after playing 90 minutes) and there are probably a couple of African players that fall into the category as well. France’s retired at the last world cup. Sydney had a semi-retired one running around for them last year and he would still have walked into the current Australian team, had he not been Brazillian.
To change the focus of a team, you need to be the red Ferrari of the football world; being a BMW is not enough. Most of us would give our right bollock to be half as good at playing football as Nick is, but he is the BMW not the Ferrari, and he is in a garage already full of shiny sedans with big engines and european badges.
Cheers
md
jimbo said | August 22nd 2008 @ 5:04pm | Report comment
Are we talking about the same Carle here?
The one that used to play for the Jets and now plays in England?
He’s one of the best Aussie football players I’ve ever seen and if Rob Baan or Gary Van Egmond were the Socceroos coach, he would be one of the first players picked every game.
Why is there some much hatred against this guy?
Don’t like his haircut, his ethnic background or his dark skin?
Why is it OK for Viduka, Kewell etc to regularly turn their noses up at the chance to play for the Socceroos and Olyroos and not turn up when required,
but Carle is a traitor and piker for missing a meaningless dead rubber Olyroos training run for the one and only time in his life?
I agree there are double standards, but not the way you guys are looking at it.
The Bear said | August 22nd 2008 @ 5:12pm | Report comment
It has not *only* athleticism. It is also has skill and vision, in this team sport.
Carle’s fitness and tracking has improved enormously since going overseas, again. Unfortunately the national coaching is still looking at last years catalogue. I know it may be going back a generation, but once upon a time, Steve Corica was considered fit enough to play finesse football in the National Team. Since Guus and Germany, we have seemingly turned our back on playmakers.
And what of the next generation eg Nathan Burns. He has *already* been criticised for his fitness, now! Can we expect all these creative players, risky players, to all of a sudden start having these “fitness” criticisms levelled at them?
Even Tim Cahill acknowledges players like Nashat Akram and Nick Carle. He even said the latter was potentially three times the player. Yet some of our culture seems to undermine the creativity, and defer to the athleticism. E.g. I don’t see Bresciano cop as much flack from certain quarters in the media, as certain others.
Perhaps we should feel lucky even Mark is still a regular starter, with the fixation on speed and fitness, and Grella, for that matter. It could be worse, as “they” say.
But it could be better.
Graciously,
The Bear
Gareth said | August 22nd 2008 @ 5:17pm | Report comment
Carle has an agent to negotiate for him. The deal wasn’t going to go sour if he took an extra 4 days to play for Australia. Doesn’t anybody remember that Beauchamp managed to get a deal done with Aalborg in between the Qatar match and the China match. And don’t think im just criticising Carle. I’ve said it before, anyone in the squad who didn’t play in the world cup should have played the china match. Holman, McDonald and Carle have all gone down in my opinion of them for missing that match and should have all been benched against the South Africans.
Slippery Jim said | August 22nd 2008 @ 6:38pm | Report comment
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/australia/mandic-issues-scathing-attack-129113/
Interesting comments. I would add Jesse to Mandics list where he says: “Agents top the list with parents a close second”…
Also interesting that he highlights the lack of work effort from young Australian up-and-comers;
“You can have all the potential in the world but what’s the point if you’re not prepared to put in the hard work.
“Many Australian boys think they are the complete package when they can’t even duplicate what Damian Mori managed with a goal every other game in the national competition.
“And, remember, Mori wasn’t good enough to make it overseas.”
Ben of Phnom Penh said | August 22nd 2008 @ 6:49pm | Report comment
I quite liked the feedback that Mandics provided in relation to talent coming through, though he also noted that [i]“The idea of having a dismal failure like Arnold in charge is a nonsense especially when he and other ex-players have self-interest at heart,” he added.
“The whole concept is flawed. You have to remember, Arnold and others told players not to accept any overseas offers before the Games because ‘the whole world would be watching’, well I can tell you no Australian player has ever won an overseas contract as a result of playing for the Joeys, Young Socceroos or Olyroos at a world championship.
“It’s a myth … so why would you tell a Nathan Burns or a Bruce Djite that. Thank God neither listened and instead got themselves decent deals in Greece and Turkey.”[/i] I think that he is complementary of those doing the hard yards, ala Burnsy & Bruce, and less so of those who appear to be seeking a more direct path, ala Triosi, Milligan and Leijer.
md said | August 22nd 2008 @ 10:14pm | Report comment
Yeah Jimbo - you’ve got it in one. It’s clearly racism and his boyband haircut holding him back from the glory that is his by right. Go back to my first post. He’s a Championship player that hasn’t really made a mark yet at that level - the moment he does he will be transferred to the EPL or another big league. It’s his second stint in Europe. He has been watched by a zillion scouts, none of whom have decided that he is the next Maradona - or even the next Darren Anderton who managed a successful if injury prone career despite having much the same haircut. I don’t get why there is a such a chorus for his automatic inclusion in every Socceroos game.
Cheers
md
The Bear said | August 23rd 2008 @ 8:08am | Report comment
md, i think you’ll find their is not “a chorus for his automatic inclusion in every Socceroos game.” Your inability, or resistance, to listen to to other people’s points of view is severely handicapping moving forward on this issue.
Why don’t you respond to “our” thought thread. I thought you may want to rebuke, if required?
Graciously,
The Bear
Slippery Jim said | August 23rd 2008 @ 10:13am | Report comment
The Bear, it is outrageous to accuse md of not listening to others point of view, when he does, and is clearly responding to such. You slyly accuse others of juvenile thinking, Jimbo makes the offensive insinuation of racism, I think that if anyone has crossed the line in treating others’ opinions with respect it is him, and yet you are careful to avoid censoring him due to the fact that he happens to share your opinion of carle. And yes, there is a chorus for Carle’s automatic inclusion in every game, Jesse Fink is a prime example of this, as many other bloggers, I could post links to examples, but why bother when people like yourself and jimbo seem to think that those who do not share the same opinion are somehow ‘handicapped’ ‘juvenile’ or ‘racist’…
dasilva said | August 23rd 2008 @ 11:56am | Report comment
The fact is in the first season in English Championship. Nick Carle played as a DM not an attacking fielder. He was given a chance to play in AM but he didn’t excelled with the exception of one game against sheffield united where he was man of the match. He ended doing a good job as a DM for Bristol City giving tough tackling and an excellent distributer of the ball ala Grella or Valeri but unfortunately Bristol CIty has a lot of options for DM and Crystal palace offered enough money for him. the question is not whether he has the work ethics or even tackling ability. The myth that he doesn’t do defensive work and lazy should have died ever since he work with Gary Van Egmond. Most people at Bristol respect those ability and admires his ability to run around some people believe his tackling is his second best attribute after dribbling. The question is whether his able to do those killer through balls and passes at the highest level. I seen Nick Carle do it in the A-league and it was an honour to see great performances for Newcastle Jet but he hasn’t shown it for Bristol City yet which is why they played him as a DM. Only time can tell whether he can do it for Crystal palace and get a spot in the EPL. I believe he can do it and become a late bloomer like Tim Cahill but it is bit naive to believe that his performances deserve a 1st starter in the Australian XI. Jesse Fink who believes he is onece in the generation talent is a bit of a joke.
The problem with the treatment of Nick Carle is not that he hasn’t started but he hasn’t played a single minute of football and players like Holman was playing ahead of him. He may not be world class and playing in a great league but he is good enough to get some game time of the bench which is why there is a lot of anger about nick carles selection.
In any case Nick Carle had a chance against CHina but blew it. The difference with Viduka and Kewell missing out and Carle is that Viduka and Kewell are guaranteed a start in the first choice team and Carle is not. The fact that he blown an opportunity to show and prove Pim Verbeek and all his doubters wrong and cement himself more game time in later match has serious lower my opinion whether he has the mentality for this level. Hope he proves me wrong as the memory of Carle in the A-league will always be memorable but somethings tells me he will be an underachiever.
jimbo said | August 23rd 2008 @ 12:15pm | Report comment
Wait a minute,
I’m not accusing any bloggers of racism, I’m just trying to understand why Socceroos managers don’t pick him.
The article is about the managers not picking players that have that “magic” quality.
They seem to pick the same hard running defensive passing lookalikes like some Leggo blocks in a defensive plastic brick wall.
I’d rather see players like Carle get a run and there is nothing wrong with having a difference of opinion about a player’s ability is there?
vicentin said | August 23rd 2008 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
Just back to the topic of the article - interesting to hear what Argentina’s Olympics football team manager thinks on the topic. This is from Marcela Mora y Araujo very recent article on the Guardian website. By the way Batista’s regular job is with youth development.
“In Argentina we are making some mistakes,” he told me. “We are emulating things that take us further away from our football. And we are depriving children of their childhood. There is too much emphasis on work in the gym, on weight-training and speed. And too much pressure on kids as young as seven or eight to win. This is not good.”
“The child is not treated as a child,” Batista argues. “I believe strongly in respecting the stages - there is a time when you have to play for fun, enjoy the game. Argentina’s strong point has always been technique. If you look at the best players in Europe, they are always the ones who are technically excellent. Gyms and machines can never give you what keepy-uppies and contact with the ball do for a child.”
…. And the key to it all is technique. “Agüero may be worth £100m. Messi may be worth £100m. Gago may be worth £100m, Banega may be worth £100m … and back home clubs and youth workers are still insisting on sending kids to the gym. They don’t realise that the value of those professionals is that they are technically rich, not because they have bodies built to show off muscle on the beach. But we don’t see that back home. These boys have a lot of ball training behind them as kids. That’s their technical richness.
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/08/22/batista_has_one_eye_on_gold_an_1.html
Also interesting to read Scolari’s comments on why he wants Robinho for Chelsea. Viva la difference (or it’s portuguese equivalent)
“I have never trained with Robinho but I like him because his style is different,” said Scolari, ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Wigan Athletic. “He tries to dribble many times. He is a different player and we need one player on the pitch who makes a difference. We have one team that we play, one system and to change this system, we need different players. If we have one system only, it’s easier for the other teams.”
Slippery Jim said | August 23rd 2008 @ 12:25pm | Report comment
Spot on dasilva…Jimbo, if you are going to throw in the “racism” accusation, whether in regards to bloggers, coaches or anyone else, you’d better have something solid to back it up with…the fact, for instance, that North and Djite have played a part for both the Olyroos and Socceroos should show that this is, of course, not a valid assertion.
vicentin said | August 23rd 2008 @ 12:34pm | Report comment
Hey SJ on your comment And yes, there is a chorus for Carle’s automatic inclusion in every game, Jesse Fink is a prime example of this, as many other bloggers…
What the chorus is singing is that he should be given a decent chance to prove whether he would be a valuable addition to the team or not, if he was given an “extended” run and did nothing - which would clearly please many, we could maybe put the whole thing to bed. Many of us THINK he’s got something to offer. We just want to see it tested.
dasilva said | August 23rd 2008 @ 7:19pm | Report comment
You should back off about the dark skin things. I think you guys a being overly sensitive. Jimbo can’t fathom why he is not selected and therefore list off ridiculous reason why he was not selected. I donb’t think he is accussing anyone of racism.
Koala Bear said | August 23rd 2008 @ 8:33pm | Report comment
What a lot of rubbish about racism being the reason for Nicky Carle’s non inclusion. I am sure you guys really don’t believe it to be so. However, the reason is South American Football is based on Joga Bonito, which is Nicky Carle’s hallmark and Pimbo’s and Arnie’s is the Dutch philosophy, little or no flair, but an abundance of high work rate defending high up the park.. However, the way Pimbo has handled things so far; it is neither.. For the money he receives, he is a DUD.!!
I say to the Carle fans as I am also one .. Be patient; as Carle is set to have the season of his life, that Pimbo will be so embarrassed in the end; for leaving this talented kid out for so long.. It’s up to Nicky to put in the hard yards.. But he certainly did his chances no good; by not turning out for the Footballroos against China.. Sometimes you have to swallow a bit of pride and play the dead rubber.. to prove you are a team player..
~~~~~~~~
KB
Slippery Jim said | August 23rd 2008 @ 10:19pm | Report comment
I’m not sure why you think that you can speak for jimbo, dasilva, and if jimbo was joking it was not even slightly funny. Further, he WAS selected by Pim, and offered the chance to play in Sydney, but HE chose not to to get some rest, seriously, you need to blame Nick Carle for not giving himself a chance to show us what he can do, as much as anyone else.
dasilva said | August 24th 2008 @ 2:19am | Report comment
I like to give people the benefit of doubt when it comes to racism. You don’t make claims like that without something more clear cut than what Jimbo said. Yeah I don’t represents Jimbos intentions but I don’t like the word racism brandish around willy nilly for something as innoculous as that.
jimbo said | August 24th 2008 @ 10:44pm | Report comment
Apologies to anyone who was offended by my comment about Carle’s ethnic background.
I meant ethnic background as in South American and as such not fitting in with the recent Socceroo’s managers Dutch/British playing style.
Nick went to my old school, a school that has produced several Socceroos as well as many Rugby League stars.
We have followed his career from when he made his debut for Sydney Olympic as the youngest player ever in the NSL at the ripe old age of 15.
We thought he would go on to be one of Australia’s greatest ever Socceroos, so it’s a great disappointment and frustration for us all that he has been given such little game time.
11 years later at 26 years of age he still hasn’t realised his full football potential on the international stage.
westy said | August 24th 2008 @ 11:24pm | Report comment
With Kewell and Carle together we will have two players with one foot.
jimbo said | August 25th 2008 @ 12:11am | Report comment
Westy,
We are short of good left sided players.
Carle and Kewell were both picked in the starting lineup for the Socceroos in a friendly against Nigeria in 2007 - the only time Carle has ever started a match for the Socceroos.
Rob Baan was the Socceroos manager for the game. Pim wasn’t appointed yet and Arnie was on duty with the Olyroos.
Carle was outstanding and was man of the match.
Strangely enough, he hasn’t been picked in the starting lineup for the Socceroos and has only played 10 mins in the China game since then.
Even when Kewell is not available, Holman gets the run ahead of him under Arnie or Pimbo.
Slippery Jim said | August 25th 2008 @ 9:45am | Report comment
I agree, it is strange that Carle hasn’t been given more game time (China game aside), as he is not really a ‘back up’ type of player, having different qualitites to anyone else in the squad…still Pim must have his reasons. How good was it to see Garcia score on the weekend! Stoke and Hull are going great guns so far (even better is Arsenal and Man U dropping points)
The Round Ball Analyst said | August 27th 2008 @ 10:34pm | Report comment
Notice there is a Burns in the latest selection - Jacob Burns. How?
Wasn’t Pim watching the China md6 game? thought he might have been consigned to the wilderness after that performance.
Maybe a reward for the fact he turned up?
Midfielder said | August 27th 2008 @ 10:49pm | Report comment
The Round Ball Analyst
Agree