By Jesse Fink
May 29th 2009 @ 5:24am
Related coverage
SOS, Captain Verbeek: The yellow submarine’s going down on the Sea of Viduka
Australian captain Mark Viduka (9) competes for the ball with Sotirios Kyrgiakos of Greece. AP Photo/Mark Baker
Stability. It’s what Mark Viduka, as captain, gave the unwieldy yellow submarine that was the Socceroos‘ 2006 World Cup campaign. The team was built around him. The players looked up to him. He was the funnel through which every sortie, every sequence of attacking intent, would pass.
Instability. It’s what Mark Viduka, as castaway, is now giving the nuclear-armed U-Boat that is the Socceroos’ tilt at South Africa 2010.
The team is being asked to exist and function in isolation from him yet mindful that he could step in any minute and alter the chemistry that Pim Verbeek has worked so hard to create.
Viduka is now less a committed national-team footballer and more like a reluctant, avaricious Hollywood star distancing himself from a “project”.
And Verbeek is letting him call the shots.
No man should be above the national team. Harry Kewell used to be, but he pulled his head in and worked hard in establishing his credentials as a team man. Now Viduka is making the same mistake – and he will come to regret it, whether or not he so decides to out his hand up for Verbeek’s selection for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Yes, he’s had a tough season. Yes, he’s just seen his team relegated from the English Premier League. Yes, he’s getting on in the tooth.
But so what?
Being a Socceroo shouldn’t be an arrangement of convenience. It should be a calling. A duty. A conjugal bond that never dies.
When I interviewed Dukes for a magazine story before the 2006 World Cup, I wrote fulsomely in support of him, apropos of the topic of his choosing to play for Australia over Croatia: “He’s pointedly and repeatedly declared his allegiance to Australia and backed up words with action. He’s refused to yield to his employers in club Vs country disputes. He’s one of the few Socceroos to have played at all levels for Australia: under-17, under-20, Olympic and senior level. Of others in the current first XI, his length of service has only been bettered by Mark Schwarzer and Tony Vidmar… in Viduka, Australia has a unique footballer – a player with the power and presence of a traditional striker but with the finesse and touch of a midfielder. A player who has never once misplaced his patriotism.”
Mark even told me: “I love Australia and I love playing with the boys for my country. When I was a young boy, my only goal was to play for Australia, and that was that. There was nothing else… Australia is perfect. You realise how lucky we are when you’re not there.”
So what’s changed?
Clearly he’s grown up. Clearly he’s over the travel. Clearly he wants to be with his wife and kids. Maybe, just maybe, he’s lost some of the love of playing that turned him on to football in the first place.
So why, then, do we need him?
Well, to put it bluntly, there’s no one else to replace him, even if he is disheartened and doesn’t have his mind completely on the job.
Verbeek won’t pick Richard Porta, so we won’t get to see how good he really is. The others – Bruce Djite, Scott McDonald and Josh Kennedy – all have their limitations or aren’t being played to their strengths.
But is a hesitant, uncommitted Viduka a good thing for the Socceroos?
My view is it is not and the constant will-he won’t-he tango that he’s playing with Verbeek is ultimately deleterious to the cause of qualifying for the World Cup, not least the fact that should he so choose to stump in South Africa he will take someone’s spot who put in for the cause when it mattered.
Good for team harmony? Not by a long shot. Good for our chances of success? We’ll have to wait and see.
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The Bear said | May 29th 2009 @ 7:46am | Report comment
Meh, it’s not ideal. But if Viduka comes aboard, then surely the knock on effect will be worth it. Half baked squad players who never should be wearing the Green and Gold in the attacking third may find themselves surplus to requirements.
I’d say give him as long as he needs.
Mick of Newie said | May 29th 2009 @ 8:37am | Report comment
Given he was only 3 or 4 games into a comeback this was the ideal chance for his return. I wish he was keen and had stuck up his hand. But he wasn’t.
Presumably we have less than 10 games before the world cup, these 3 are vital. It is now time to draw a line through Dukes and focus our attention on developing the limited resources we have sitting behind him.
My tip is that we will see Kewell alone up top against Qatar.
whiskeymac said | May 29th 2009 @ 8:41am | Report comment
irreplaceable but needing to be replaced. it’s a bit tough on Pim – if he doesnt he is damned, if he does there are still lots of uncertainties.
if we go with him now, and he breaks down before 2010 then we are back at square minus one and without having tried/ given experience too our other strikers. sure they may not be Viduka, even at 33 or 34 he has a presence, but they are still good enough for european professional leagues and are more likely to be able to play several games in a row as required in a tournament.
tifosi said | May 29th 2009 @ 9:13am | Report comment
If we are still relying on Viduka 3 years after the last world cup, then australia has failed in letting the next generation come through.
As good as he once was, Viduka is now done. He is getting on in age im afraid much like the rest of the socceroos.
Id rather see Nikita Rukavytsya or bruce djite get some game time. They are the future for the socceroos, not Viduka.
Jesse, at least Pim finally picked Nicky Carle!!
Tom said | May 29th 2009 @ 9:14am | Report comment
“My view is it is not and the constant will-he won’t-he tango that he’s playing with Verbeek is ultimately deleterious to the cause of qualifying for the World Cup”
Well, can’t have been all that deleterious.
Phutbol said | May 29th 2009 @ 9:28am | Report comment
Agreed. Either put your hand up now Dukes, commit fully to 2010, with injury being the only reason to withdraw, or move gracefully into retirement/A-league/Croatian football.
Pippinu said | May 29th 2009 @ 9:31am | Report comment
Jesse
you answered it all in one hit – “there’s no one else to replace him” – that’s a fact – we all know we’ll be playing with one centre-forward in South Africa (except for when we’re chasing a goal in the last 10 minutes), and we all know that Josh and Scotty can’t play that role as well as he can (even now).
Djite is the heir apparent, but he may not be ready by mid 2010.
So Dukes is Pim’s insurance – nothing more, nothing less – it’s called contingency planning – and all good coaches do it.
It looks slightly unpalatable, watching from afar, and it probably is not great for team morale, but I can’t see a real problem with keeping all viable options open until the 11th hour (and we can all think of many examples where great players on the verge of retirement, have been enticed back at the last minute for one last tilt at glory, and often with some success).
Pippinu said | May 29th 2009 @ 9:35am | Report comment
By the way, I think this is a very good subject, one worthy of discussion, but I was a bit bemused by the title of the blog – is the yellow submarine going down? In what sense?
It’s true that some 15 months down the track we might regret Dukes joining or not joining the squad – but surely it’s a bit premature to be signalling that we’re going down?!
Jesse Fink said | May 29th 2009 @ 9:45am | Report comment
Pippinu, the title of the piece was modified by the editors without consulting me first. Hopefully it will be up in a jiffy. For the record, it is “SOS, Captain Verbeek: The yellow submarine’s going down on the Sea of Viduka”
whiskeymac said | May 29th 2009 @ 9:57am | Report comment
viduka shone for newcastles vain attempt recently. but does (did) newcastle play the same style or formation as Pim’s roos – i thought there were 4-3-3 and 4-4-2 employed – or does Pim’s single striker formation negate the positives an older (injury prone) viduka could really offer, especially at a World Cup with fast mobile defenders?
Dukes is a great player but the truth is he is less mobile as the months roll on. this mightbe exposed next year. Although he has a lot attributes needed as a holding striker (strength, skill) I think he’s shown that he’s still better playing up front with another striker where the defence have to concerntrate on more than him ie just one slow(er) and obvious target.
(and if 2 strikers are the formation we go for, why not stick with Macdonald and finally play to his strengths).
Greg said | May 29th 2009 @ 10:04am | Report comment
I would have thought Pim would be pleading with the V Bomber to commit to the Finals in 2010. Pim clearly wants to play with 1 up front, and Viduka is, to borrow a phrase from Top Gun, “the best of the best” (available for the Socceroos). However, I can’t help but feel sory for McDonald and Kennedy. It may have been more far sighted to have adapted the system of the team to be able to play them both (at the one time), but then again, we might not be leading our group and be all but qualified for the Finals had we gone down that path.
Koala Bear said | May 29th 2009 @ 10:04am | Report comment
Excellent article Jesse, and as good as the Dukes was for the Roos .. It’s my opinion that his hunger has deminised if not gone all together… Or he thinks his body is not up to the task anymore… Either way … if we don’t choose players who are willing to put their bodies on the line; they will not do themself any favours, nor the Roos.. I think we should look to the next generation as Tifosi’s comment states “Nikita Rukavytsya or Bruce Djite given more game time” … We now have the likes of senior players, Timmy Cahill and Harry Kewell, to lead by example, to inspire the younger generation coming through.. Now is the time to rethink the structure of the team going into the 2010 WC … with a different attacking formation.. Of course Pimbo is not the astute thinker we had hoped for or capable of doing this, and so, we need a new NT boss with vision to go forward …
~~~~~~~~
KB
Koala Bear said | May 29th 2009 @ 10:15am | Report comment
Yep, with Pimbo in charge the Yellow Submarine is going to go down in the group stages of the 2010 World Cup; if the FFA don’t act now…
~~~~~~~~~
KB
DS said | May 29th 2009 @ 10:20am | Report comment
Is Viduka still up to it? He’ll be 34 next year. We should also not overlook how well Kennedy has performed for Australia, regardless of his issues at club level. My hunch is that if Kennedy got a move to the EPL, he would shine. So much could change between now and the finals. Djite will have another season under his belt, Porta might get a run, Kennedy could be galvanised playing with a new club, Verbeek might actually play a system that would allow MacDonald to score goals… and Viduka will be year older. But right now, I agree that it is seriously destabilising to have this will he or won’t he situation, and though I have serious reservations about Verbeek as a coach in terms of his tactics, I respect his steel and he should be showing more it in regard to Viduka, who is quite simply behaving badly.
DS said | May 29th 2009 @ 10:23am | Report comment
Can’t believe I forgot Rukavytsia, who has extraordinary talent and could be the real bolter for the next world cup with another season in Holland. The one player who can give us the pace Kewell has now lost.
Pippinu said | May 29th 2009 @ 10:27am | Report comment
Is the big bazooka still up to it? It’s probably 50/50, maybe even less.
Not too far different to the odds you’d get for one of either Josh or Scotty (or even Djite) playing the same role.
This is precisely Pim’s dilemma.
Is it one of his own making? I’m sure people will try and argue that it is – but I think that would be a bit tough.
Pippinu said | May 29th 2009 @ 10:29am | Report comment
DS
Ruka is in a similar boat to Djite, i.e. it’s a bit speculative as to whether he will really be ready (but I agree with you that he might be a bit of a bolter).
Then again, who can forget the uproar that Arnie met when he chose Ruka ahaead of blokes like Burns?!
md said | May 29th 2009 @ 10:47am | Report comment
You are right in that we don’t have anyone to replace him, but I think we are all making a mistake in expecting this to be played out in public, or in the media, or quickly.
Let’s face it, we don’t need him for Super June. He’s probably just about to be let go from Newcastle and has some serious life choices to make between now and when we really need him – which is next extra-totally-really-super June. Most of the first team players know what he’s about and he can slot straight into the WC squad with a minimum of fuss (well… except from the media).
Let him get his sh!t sorted, find a club he likes (my tip is fat sam’s Blackburn where Samba has been a pale imitation (figuratively speaking) of Viduka for the last third of the season and they might as well get the real thing and do well), re-settle and then get him involved in some of the pre-world cup friendlies.
Cheers
md,
Pippinu said | May 29th 2009 @ 10:52am | Report comment
“extra-totally-really-super June” – well put md!!
md said | May 29th 2009 @ 10:59am | Report comment
Possibly Chk-Chk-June?
cheers
md
Janex said | May 29th 2009 @ 11:10am | Report comment
I really think we need to lay off mark Viduka whilst he is obviously in a transitional point in his LIFE. Remember it is a game after all, football that is, not life. He has been a key stone for Australian footbball for 16 years, and as the cliche states, “patience is a virtue”. Regardless of his decision, he needs to be acknowlegded with repect, certainly not with content becuase, ‘god forbid’, he is taking him time to decide.
Pippinu said | May 29th 2009 @ 11:16am | Report comment
Football more of a game than life?
I’ve never known anyone to suggest such a thing.
If football is a game, how do we categorise life?
Something that trivial, uneventful and lacking in purpose that happens in between football games?
Ryan Steele said | May 29th 2009 @ 11:18am | Report comment
We don’t need it to be called “Chk-chk June” – the game’s called “wogball” enough as it is.
I caught up with a friend of mine – one of Jesse’s mates, as well – on Wednesday night, and discussed potential Socceroos. Looking at Genclerbirligi’s squad, and James Troisi is capable of playing both midfield and striker (though not a lone striker) – possibly moving back and forth between attacking and creative play throughout games. Jedinak’s essentially a given for a World Cup spot, but Djite was the real question mark.
I’m a big supporter of Bruce – he’s a good personality, and has great pace and striking accuracy – but he hasn’t been playing regular football. The one bright light, for me, was that he’s been scoring regularly in his (usually short) appearances for the club. Because of this, he could be earning regular starts – and playing full games – as soon as the beginning of next season. Turkish training is known to be exceptionally tough, so we know that the fitness of all Aussie players in the league – Kewell included – will be up for a World Cup.
Nathan Burns has only recently been getting called up for first team appearances, and is finally starting to get used to the Greek game. The question mark is probably bigger over his head, than Bruce’s.
Pippinu said | May 29th 2009 @ 11:25am | Report comment
Jesse
I don’t want to come across like my ol’ mate sj, enjoyed the article and discussion, but I’ll be honest, I’m not sure that this title is any better than the first one!!
Millster said | May 29th 2009 @ 11:35am | Report comment
I’m of the view that its game over for Dukes, however good he was. I agree with Jesse that the unsettling effect that all this has on the team is not so good.
I also see SA2010 as almost mission accomplished anyway. For the first time EVER we are goin to 2 WCF’s in a row. And since (as I’ve often written) we are most certainly not a top 16 team in the world, I don’t hold anything except totally irrational expectation of us making it through the group nor a belief that we deserve to anytime in the next couple of decades. So the minute a Socceroos team walks off the bus and into their first game in Sth Africa they will have achieved all I could hope for.
For this reason lets get the Djite’s and Rukas involved. If they do super-good and sneak into the knock-out rounds then yes I’ll be leaping around with the rest of you. If not… I’ll still be grinning from ear to ear just because we were there again. And will also be saying with these young blokes being given experience and game-time ‘bring on Brazil 2014… and the one after that…’
So yep in closing for me its time to draw a line under the Vidoka era. He was awesome but he is now old and a risk, and certainly not an investment for 2014 and beyond which is what we should be looking at from the minute we get that point against Qatar.
Pippinu said | May 29th 2009 @ 11:38am | Report comment
Millster
our calm, logical, rational sides will tell us that getting a single point and scoring one goal is a big enough achievement at this level (once we’re in SA) – but as we get closer, the other side will take over, and will convince you that anything is possible – as you do back flips over the lounge in anticipation!
Strikerx said | May 29th 2009 @ 11:54am | Report comment
Going off on a tangent, Nathan Burns is without doubt the best young player to come throught the A-League. It amazes me that more hasn’t been done to bring him through the ranks. The NT is not blessed with an abundance of players with outright pace, which Burns has in spades (and not only pace). He should be learning off the older established NT players. Now would have have been an ideal time to include him in the squad as a train on player. I would like to know the full story on why he was frozen out of the Olympic team and has now, it seems, gone off the NT radar….
Ben of Phnom Penh said | May 29th 2009 @ 12:05pm | Report comment
I believe that Bruce will be ready for 2010 and as such should be given more game time in the green and gold. What is important about Bruce is that he brings something different to the squad which will add to our tactical depth, much the way Kennedy does with his height. Next year will be a big one for him as he is finding his feet in Turkey and knows where the back of the net is.
Duke’s has done a great service for Australia however appears to have had enough. I’m not convinced that he is up for 2010 and as such it is time to move on.
DS said | May 29th 2009 @ 12:08pm | Report comment
Agree Strikerx, the lack of pace in the NT is a concern. In 2006, Kewell still had pace, but not now. Lots of other good qualities that still select him, but not pace – not the kind of pace that opens a game up. We will need that if we are to get out of the Group stage in SA. Burns has got it, Ruka has got it – that acceleration that takes you away from even the best defenders. And you know who else has got it? Taj Minniecon, along with ability to change direction on a pin. Bit young for this one, but he sure is hope for future, and if Okon and Bleiberg can get him performing consistently – well, I’m really going to stick my neck out here – he is chance of going to SA as development player, because even though he’s only 20 and in the A-League, he offers something the NT just does not have.
Koala Bear said | May 29th 2009 @ 12:11pm | Report comment
Millster,
very good points my good friend and let’s just accept that Pimbo is going to be in charge for the 2010 WC, and so, out the door in the group stage …. Thanks Pimbo, you did what Ben Buckley’s job discription was, as given to you… Adios Pimbo, al a Sol Trujillo … But we wanted more… We wanted a Roos team, fibre to the node, to go beyound the group stages and a team looking towards the future… A team with a foundation in view of 2014 and beyound to 2018 on home soil….
~~~~~~~~
KB
Art Sapphire said | May 29th 2009 @ 12:59pm | Report comment
If Viduka is fit and healthy, he will play in WC 2010.
Pim will be playing 4-5-1 at the WC. Viduka is the only player we have got that can play as a lone striker. Pim knows that.
Kennedy and Djite can’t hold the ball up like Viduka.
The other candidates are simply not good enough or ready enough at the highest level and others are just not capable of playing the lone striker role. Some people just find it hard to accept.
Art Sapphire said | May 29th 2009 @ 1:06pm | Report comment
StrikerX – Burns has gone off the radar because he spends all his time warming the pine at AEK.
I think he has played for a sum total of 2 to 3 hours for the whole season.
You can’t be chosen for the NT based on that.
Gibbo said | May 29th 2009 @ 1:06pm | Report comment
everyone seems to assume that if dukes rocks up at the last minute the team will turn bananas cos a younger striker will lose his spot on the bench while either josh or scotty take a seat on it… is this the only possibility his presence would manifest? Couldn’t having the big fella rock up at the last minute boost moral exponentially? Get the boys fired up for the real deal? Let him take his time, and if he thinks he’ll add to the team then he’ll be back. If he knows he’s not up to it then at least we can get ready without him.
Tom said | May 29th 2009 @ 1:15pm | Report comment
Very persuasive post Millster.
However, personally I’d rather see us do everything we can to improve our chances of qualifying for the second round. If having Dukes gives us a 30% chance rather than a 20% chance I think it’s still worth bringing him.
But I agree with the general view that we need more of a defined strategy to turn our 23-24 year olds into part of a cohesive socceroos team. Maybe that’ll start to happen from now.
Greg Russell said | May 29th 2009 @ 1:28pm | Report comment
I agree with Art Sapphire about 4-5-1 with Viduka being easily the best 1.
While I agree with all that Jesse has written, the missing ingredient is that one has to have faith in Pim’s ability to man-manage this potentially divisive situation so that it won’t be divisive. Man-management has been one of Pim’s great strengths in the job, for example Kewell (as outlined by Jesse). Indeed, so far Pim is handling it well with Dukes: quite clearly he is not ringing up the big man to beg him, and he also seems to have imposed a strict timeframe on accepting the invitation. I can’t see why the other lads in the squad wouldn’t accept that as reasonable. Yes, it is preferential treatment, but if the “lesser” players in the squad can’t see that Viduka has earned the right to a limited amount of preferential treatment, then they probably shouldn’t be there. If Dukes does accept, I wouldn’t be surprised if Pim makes him carry a few water-bottles for a while, just to make sure that he knows his place.
whiskeymac said | May 29th 2009 @ 1:42pm | Report comment
good call Greg, but then i think that maybe 4-5-1 is the issue: Pim may not have the personnel to make it work on the big stage. It’s a big call relying so much on a 34 (maybe 35 by then?) player who spent much of 33 being injured.
Strikerx said | May 29th 2009 @ 2:33pm | Report comment
Art Sapphire – of course we would all like to see Burns getting more playing time at AEK, but I was advocating him as a “train on” player in my post. (There are precedents for this.) The limited game time he has been getting at AEK was toward the end of the season, so it would seem there have been some opportunities at AEK, perhaps due to injuries, or he is making headway. I still believe time for him with the NT “squad” is a sound investment for the future and would certainly accelerate his development at club level in Europe (if he chooses to stick it out there).
Ben of Phnom Penh said | May 29th 2009 @ 2:36pm | Report comment
The thing with international games is that due to the limited player pool you don’t generally get players to fit a system but find a system that suits the players you have. Hence the delay in decision making, whilst understandable, reduces the time for the team to practice how to play with Dukes up front as opposed to a player such as Jesus. Hence I would not be surprised at all if Duke’s did put his hand up that he would either be warming the pine or missing the Qatar game.
Jesse Fink said | May 29th 2009 @ 2:39pm | Report comment
Pippinu, clearly I was dropping acid last night. I like the title. Appeals to my Ringo Starr leanings.
Koala Bear said | May 29th 2009 @ 2:47pm | Report comment
whiskeymac,
tottally agree 4-5-1 will not work with a 35yr old target man … The Dukes has not played that position for over 2yrs or more … It would be too much to ask of him now ….. Every ball would have to be delivered to his foot … How on earth could you expect him to run down any mis directed passes; let alone to find space with two defenders up his back side for 90 mins…
~~~~~~~
KB
Art Sapphire said | May 29th 2009 @ 2:59pm | Report comment
Sure Striker – I also think that Burns has some scope for being part of the NT set up. But I think his year at AEK has being a massive wake up call to him. He arrived at the club injured. His fitness levels were terrible. The manager who brought him in got the sack during the season. The new manager like him and thinks he has potential but has not risked playing him in the Champions League play off games which finish this weekend.
If he had gone to a club like Gencler in Turkey where Djite, Jedinak and Troisi are playing then I am sure he would have played quite regularly this year. Lets hope he gets some game time next season.
whiskeymac said | May 29th 2009 @ 3:07pm | Report comment
Art, in saying that, and merely as an obversation, Ruky hasnt played much in Holland for Twente either but no one is holding that aginst him on this blog. wonder why? more HAL exposure before he left?
Very encouraging that Burns seems to being getting to the bench at least and having “some” game time in what you rightly describe as a big wake up call year – AEK is a bigger club I’d warrant than a lot of the other clubs outside of the EPL that we have players at. if he makes it there he can be very proud of his achievements.
whiskeymac said | May 29th 2009 @ 3:09pm | Report comment
cheers KB – you put it into an infirntely more concise format – was the point i was labouring at all along.
Midfielder said | May 29th 2009 @ 3:13pm | Report comment
The question I ask myself is does any player get special treatment over other players … Depends on their skill level in truth …does past experience count for anything … yes a persons record and how honest they have been always helps in a difficult decision…
Dukes is a special player in the Australian sense and his talent is well known … this IMO gives him or allows a coach to give him a little bit more consideration … has he been honest in past dealing .. Yes he has.
So lets look at Pims position … a honest player of great skill… say’s look I am not sure if I am up to it but can give you an answer by XX/XX/XXX … due we say your past record indicates you will be honest .. you have been ouit of your club side … Due we say in this case it is OK and accept his word he will advise Pim if he is not up to playing or at his best .. can any player actually make such a call about themselves … IMO a real Question of Balance… BUT sucker that I am in this case based on his past history combined with his skill and that he IMO will be honest about himself as he see’s … Me thinks he can say at the agreed date I am ready or I am not ready.
Pippinu said | May 29th 2009 @ 3:19pm | Report comment
I’ve got nothing against Ringo.
Any song whose tune he is capable of holding must have some merit.
Art Sapphire said | May 29th 2009 @ 3:43pm | Report comment
whiskeymac – the jury is out on Ruky. He needs to playing regular and scoring for FC Twente next season if he is to be selected.
I have said all along that the starting XI at 2010 team will be almost exactly the same as 2006.
Sadly, no one has really come up in the last 4 years. This is the last hurrah of the great 90′ generation.
The 2014 team will be a completely different story as I think there will be huge compettion for places as the current crop of under 20’s look to be stronger than the 21-25 years olds.
Robbos said | May 29th 2009 @ 4:19pm | Report comment
I agree with you Art, the 2010 will be the last hurrah of the golden generation in Australian football, Kewell, Viduka (may not even make it), Neill, Moore, Schwarzer, Chipperfield, Emerton, Grella & Bresciano & Cahill, who all apart from Chipperfield were regulars for in the top tier in the big 3 leagues in Italy.
1 or 2 of them may continue onto 2014 to join the likes of Wilshire, Kennedy, McDonald and maybe Garcia as the experience players with the current crop of 21-25 year olds (Burns, Ruya, Williams, Spira), but I also agree, the current U20 WC team seems to hold more promising players.
Limpet #48 said | May 29th 2009 @ 4:22pm | Report comment
Never mind the Dukes or Ruky, the real danger man is Holman.
Even the great Nicky Carle calls him a good player in his interview recently on TWG. If Nicky (Australia’s Greatest Midfielder of all Time™) says he’s a good midfielder then he must be bloody brilliant! He has, after all, won the mighty Eredivisie with AZ.
The ship of Captain Verbeek’s may be going down on Viduka’s sea or whatever, but the only way for Holman to go is up!
Art Sapphire said | May 29th 2009 @ 5:02pm | Report comment
It a good thing Holman did not join the army. His shooting would have found him guilty of friendly fire
Captain Random said | May 29th 2009 @ 6:25pm | Report comment
Art -
And his never-ending movement would have given away his unit’s position to the enemy.
jimbo said | May 29th 2009 @ 10:43pm | Report comment
“So what’s changed?”
Viduka is 4 years older than the last WC qualification and has lost the fire in the belly.
He keeps getting injured and each time its harder to come back and put in the effort to get back to the same level of fitness.
Viduka has a Croatian wife and his kids were born in Croatia.
He doesn’t have an Aussie wife who gets homesick and wants her kids to grow up in Australia. His wife would rather holiday on the Adriatic coast with her family.
Dukes has given great service to Australia over the years and he should be given credit, but I think he has passed his use by date.
How can young strikers like Bruce Djite, Rukya, Chris Payne, Sean Rooney, Mitch Nicholls ever become the next Mark Viduka, if Pimbo and Wags the Dog keep playing the same old same old team and not give them the same opportunities Viduka got.
How many chances has Aussie Scott McDonald been given to prove himself and yet how many times has he scored for the Socceroos? Never is the answer.
Compare that to the number of times fringe players like Djite, Rukya, Nicky Carle and others have been given a chance to prove themselves.
Bruce Djite could develop into one of the best strikers Australia has ever produced, but we’ll never know will we until we give him a chance and our best support.
Part-time Pundit said | June 3rd 2009 @ 4:15pm | Report comment
I’m currently living in the UAE and was at the teams training session (in Dubai) last night.
In a practice hit out, Pim set the team up with Scotty Mac up front, Kewell as a left winger and Nicky Carle just behind Scotty… and the combo was working a treat! Several times they broke through the defence (consisting of Neil, Coyne, Carney and North) however, I wouldn’t read into it too much, seeing as Cahill flies into camp today and will change the dynamic of that trio anyway. And with the likes of Kennedy, Holeman and Djite lingering in the background, it’s obvious that Socceroos have the quality in attack even if Dukes doesn’t hop on board.
He’s had his day and it’s been much appreciated by all, but I think it’s time for him and the team to move on.
Koala Bear said | June 3rd 2009 @ 5:35pm | Report comment
Part-time Pundit,
Wow that is fantastic news Scotty Mac up front, Kewell as a left winger and Nicky Carle just behind Scotty… and the combo was working a treat! …. Finally we are getting what we Carle supporters have been calling for .. thanks PTP
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KB
Millster said | June 3rd 2009 @ 5:47pm | Report comment
Koala Bear – are you sure you’re not Jesse’s old man?
Koala Bear said | June 3rd 2009 @ 6:43pm | Report comment
Millster,
you just caught me before loggin’ off to watch the SoO …
Are you trying to get me offside with my fellow Chelsea team mate SJ …??
Let’s just rejoice in that if Zola (ex Chelsea playmaker) were to know of Pimbo’s sudden change of heart to Carle’s worth and the secret practice match he would be delighted to know of the secret plan to start Nicky ….
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KB
Millster said | June 3rd 2009 @ 6:56pm | Report comment
Zola… ah Zola… those were the days when I could stomach Chelsea….
[ps. what you watching that wonky-ball shit for old man?
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