Verbeek wants to control all parts of the Socceroos’ play
Roar Pro
By Con Stamocostas, 14 Feb 2009 Con Stamocostas is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- football, Pim Verbeek, Socceroos, Tim Cahill
Kossie’s favourite philosopher is Friedrich Nietzsche. So I was surprised he didn’t use the phrase “whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” after he got sacked from Sydney FC
It’s one of Kossie’s favourite phrases to use during the tough times he has faced during his coaching career.
The reason I bring up Nietzsche is because in football you get a lot of talk about styles, and the recent Socceroos’ performances, and watching Argentina-France, Brazil-Italy and Spain-England, has got me thinking.
When it comes to football, I am a romantic. The romantics in their day worshiped liberty, power, love, violence, imagination and irrationality. Basically, anything that aroused an emotional response.
Like the romantics, I want my football unbounded, wild and ever-changing, sublime and powerful.
You see Nietzsche had this whole concept called ‘the will to power as art’. Nietzsche used the Ancient Greek gods, Apollo – the god of the Sun, lightness, music, and poetry – and Dionysus – the god of wine, ecstasy, and intoxication – to explain his theory.
Stay with me here, this is no philosophy lecture.
Take the Dionysian acts (emotional hedonistic, sensual, unrestrained, irrational). Does it remind you of the way Brazil, Argentina and Spain play football sometimes?
Take the Apollonian values (form creating, representational, orderly, self-control and rational). Does it remind you of how Italy, Germany, England play, and the style that Fabio Capello coaches?
My point is that these two relationships are juxtapositions, and they have a role in the way football is played these days. Both the artistic impulses of these concepts form the dramatic arts and tragedies that take place on the football field.
Robinho stepping over to beat four Italian defenders, Messi and Tevez destroying the French team, and the Spanish team continuing on with their good form from Euro2008 is more Dionysian than Apollonian.
Australia playing with Tim Cahill up front and using Grella Valeri and Culina to shield the back four is more Apollonian than Dionysian.
I would say Pim Verbeek is from the Apollonian school of thought: the wish to create order, clarity, stick to formed boundaries.
You see this theory in movies and books played over again and again.
The main protagonist struggles to make order in his/her life. He/she has adventures that show them how it’s done and they change for the better in the end.
The Greeks would kill the hero in a tragic way, unfulfilled to the end, while these days in movies, Adam Sandler gets the girl, adopts the kid, moves into the big house, and everyone goes home all nice and fuzzy.
While the purpose for the tragedy of the Greeks was to allow us to sense an underlying essence, what Nietzsche called the “Primordial Unity”, which revives our Dionysian nature which is almost indescribably pleasurable.
The Greeks showed the hero in vain, trying to have order and control, and this brought a tragic end.
Watching Spain, Argentina and Brazil this week has given me moments where the action on the field has been indescribably pleasurable.
And that for me is the best football.
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- Explore:
- football, Pim Verbeek, Socceroos, Tim Cahill
sheek said | February 14th 2009 @ 9:07am | Report comment
Con,
I too am a romantic. But Pim is a pragmatist & realist, & right now, that’s probably the right approach. I’m not a dyed-in-the-wool football fan, so my observations may not be as perceptive as others like yourself.
However, I just don’t think Australia has enough razzle-dazzle players to play expansively. How easily were the Socceroos stripped of possession by the Japanese? We still have a long way to go in our personal technical skills.
I think Pim has looked closely at the Socceroos strengths & weaknesses, & formulated a long-term strategy & match tactics that allow us to maximise our (present) modest talents. That’s very sensible, & practical. One day, we might be able to play like Brazil & Argentina at their best.
But not yet……….
Koala Bear said | February 14th 2009 @ 10:42am | Report comment
Con,
first may I say I am probably the only SFC supporter sorry to see Kossie sacked .. He was a real character and always good value in a media interview .. He also believed in giving the players responsibility on the park .. I love that sort of freedom for players and that’s what can make a team look so attractive when playing ..
If you watch Barcelona play; every player adds his own special quirk; ie being some special interplay with a teammate.. You can’t coach that from the sidelines.. A coach can only put in place a system that a team has to stick to and no improvisation tolerated by some managers .. so sad …
My opinion of Pimbo is not a good one .. He plays far too cautiously that is stifling the Roo’s natural ability to go on the attack and fails to select players with flair who do not fit the system .. His player selections can be baffling at times .. I am sure even Frank Farina could have achieved the same results as Pimbo has done thus far playing in Asia …
I can also add after listening to Ned Zelic speak on the subject who has been vocal that you need to work with the good players that are available.. Not just the players that only fit a particular system who just run and tackle … Jesse Fink’s article highlights this deficiency in the Australian Set up at the moment.. we are not selecting all of the good players for Australia ..
~~~~~~~
KB
Slippery Jim said | February 14th 2009 @ 12:32pm | Report comment
Wow. And on a sport blog.
Sam said | February 14th 2009 @ 12:33pm | Report comment
Con
I can fully appreciate what you’re saying, but I look at this way. It is more image than anything these notions of how teams play. Argentina for me in the last few World cups have not been one of the more exciting teams. I rate Brazil, Holland in some cases, and maybe 1 or 2 African teams. The fact is Spain are just as likely to play exactly like Italy. It is only that they are on a roll at the moment and seem to be scoring against everybody. Meanwhile the most drama ridden game I saw in that World Cup was Italy v Germany semi-final. Now Italy are back to being pragmatic.
The fact is teams will play to their strengths. Just like Holland did in 88 when they won the Euro (with Gullit , Van Basten & co), or Denmark in 92 with the creative Laudrup brothers. Australia is still two world class player short of being a world class top 20 team (I rate Cahill and Schwarzer as world class). We have solid players on the pich who put in, but if only we could produce a Nakamura and an Endo. Then we will be able to counter attack properly agains Japan in Japan.
I believe we will produce 1 or 2 such players in the next few years. Well done QLD Roar last night.
sheek said | February 14th 2009 @ 2:03pm | Report comment
Sam,
Just on the point of world class players, the Socceroos are strongest at the back & kind of get weaker as they go forward.
Schwarzer in goal is fantastic, while Cahill’s best position is attacking midfielder. Moore, Lucas & Emerton as a defending midfielder are all excellent.
Chipperfield, defending midfielder & Kewell, attacking midfielder, are both off the pace perhaps due age & injuries respectively. Some say Viduka has plenty to offer still, but he’s no young gun. Bresciano, Grella & Culina are all competent triers.
We need to find one attacking genius & perhaps another attacking midfield genius to complement Cahill, & replace Kewell. We might also need another defender to replace the aging Moore.
It’s a worry. Our best 15 players, fit, injury free & in form, are very good. But creeping age, injuries, form fluctuations & a lack of depth in most positions is of concern. Under the circumstances, I can understand Pim’s conservatism.
Con Stamocostas said | February 14th 2009 @ 2:48pm | Report comment
Sheek,
Pim has done well with how he has coached the Socceroos up to this point. It’s interesting this being our first go at qualifying through Asia, I wonder how this experience will affect the performance at the next worldc up when we qualify and the proceeding world cup qualification after that.
KB,
Sam,
I wonder who our next world class player will be?
The olyroos look thin but the players underneath them the under 20′s and under 17′s look good. The influx of African migrants has had an influence in the make of those squads. Exciting times ahead.
Vicentin said | February 14th 2009 @ 2:53pm | Report comment
Con, nice article – great to read something a bit more left field on here. I suspect we’re all happy enough to see an emphasis on the Apollonian until we qualifier and then hope for some Dionysian to kick in. Have they still got the philosophy nights at the Steki in Newtown by the way?
Good points Sam about the shift from one to another eg Italy V Germany. The other possibility is when you have players who are Dionysian but coached by an Apollonian – an example would be Baggio under just about everyone during his career – and this never ends well.
Cheers all – bacchanalian!
Con Stamocostas said | February 14th 2009 @ 3:16pm | Report comment
Vicentin,
Hopefully the Dionysian will kick in for the home games, especialy the Sydney ones; after the Ghana and China games the Sydney public is due! How hilarious will it be if Australia book their World Cup place on April fools day against Uzbekistan.
I love the example of Baggio, I guess most coaches are Apollonian.
Did not know the Steki did those nights, I should get on the white robe and let the beard grow out some more.
Albert Ross said | February 14th 2009 @ 3:44pm | Report comment
The author seems to have spent too long at the altar of Dionysus before writing this.
onside said | February 14th 2009 @ 4:17pm | Report comment
Is that Dorothy the Dionysus