By Mike Tuckerman
June 11th 2009 @ 9:36am
Australia labour to victory against Bahrain
Australia's Mile Sterjovski scissor kicks to set up Australia's 2nd goal by David Carney during their World Cup Asian qualifying match against Bahrain in Sydney on Wednesday, June 10, 2009. Australia defeated Bahrain 2-0. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
If the ability to grind out victories is the hallmark of a great football team, then the Socceroos should win the World Cup with ease. Once again Pim Verbeek’s team turned in a workman like performance as they laboured to a 2-0 victory on a bitterly cold evening at ANZ Stadium in Sydney overnight.
The positives just about outweighed the negatives: some decent performances from former Sydney FC duo David Carney and Mark Milligan – the latter of whom recovered from a fairly nervy start – a full length run-out for Harry Kewell and another clean sheet for stand-in captain Mark Schwarzer.
But despite the victory, Socceroos fans won’t be able to shake that nagging feeling that the team could have done so much more.
Watching Scott McDonald try and get his name on the scoresheet in the second half was like an exercise in sadomasochistic torture.
At one stage the Celtic striker appeared determined to go it alone as he embarked on a mazy run to slalom through the Bahrain defence, only for McDonald to step on the ball at the crucial moment with an unmarked Kewell to his left.
The diminutive striker had earlier missed a glorious opportunity on twenty-five minutes to open his account for the Socceroos, ballooning a volley over the crossbar when he had ample time to steady himself in front of goal.
He’d been played in by the extravagantly coiffured Brett Holman, who despite the questionable hair-do turned in one of his better performances in a Socceroos jersey.
Once again it was Mark Schwarzer who stole the headlines with another clean sheet, although Verbeek will be pleased with both Mile Sterjovski and David Carney for ultimately boosting Australia’s goal tally.
The Socceroos never really clicked into gear against a willing but technically limited opponent.
The game was played at a fairly leisurely pace throughout, and the lack of intensity wasn’t helped by the dearth of atmosphere inside the cavernous ANZ Stadium – or Stadium Australia to give it it’s FIFA-preferred moniker.
Football Federation Australia were caught between a rock and a hard place when it came to scheduling this fixture.
The Socceroos dream run through the qualifiers ensured they had already booked their place at the World Cup finals going into this match, making it a dead rubber for the home team.
While that’s a best-case scenario that the FFA will no doubt have envisaged, many fans would have missed out if the Socceroos still had something to play for and the match was scheduled at the far smaller Sydney Football Stadium.
Personally I’d have preferred to see the game played at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, but with the Socceroos roadshow a lucrative cash cow these days, it comes as no real surprise that the final two qualifiers were booked for the country’s largest two cities.
A big crowd is expected to turn out at the Melbourne Cricket Ground next week, and Australia can seal top spot in the group by taking a point off the Blue Samurai.
They’ll hope to take all three, of course, but a repeat of some of the individual errors that crept in at the back could see Mark Schwarzer’s long run of clean sheets broken.
Japan will be desperate to try and knock the Socceroos off the top of the standings, but their 1-1 draw at home to Qatar means they must beat Australia to do so.
Even a win over Takeshi Okada’s men may not be enough to silence Pim Verbeek’s critics – with the laconic Dutchman blasted by the tabloid press for his decision to enforce a media ban on his players.
That won’t bother the results-oriented Verbeek, and nor will his team’s performance against Bahrain following what was ultimately a comfortable win.
Socceroos fans hoping for a spectacle in Melbourne could be disappointed, however, if the performance in Sydney is anything to go by.
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Realfootball said | June 11th 2009 @ 9:59am | Report comment
It is unfortunate that as long as Verbeek keeps the draws and the ugly wins coming – and the extraordinary luck – he will be untouchable. Unfortunate because the way he has our national team playing is harming the code in our country. Compare the poor crowd at last night’s game in Sydney to the pack out crowd for a similar dead rubber in Japan. The comparison is very, very worrying, and Verbeek becomes less flexible and more negative in his selections and tactics with every match. Bringing on Carle with 7 minutes to go looked uncomfortably like a deliberate single digit salute to his critics. I found it hard to interpret it any other way. If I had to say what for me characterised this qualifying campaign, it would be firstly the extraodinary ugliness and tedium of the football our team has played on the one hand, and the extraordinary luck that has gone with it game after game. It may well be that Verbeek’s hotline to God is his greatest asset.
Midfielder said | June 11th 2009 @ 10:13am | Report comment
Nice article MIke… but if that was one of Holman’s better games … by heavens he must have been bad in the others…
I through that Jedi did not step up either… and its a worry as Vinney can not keep going forever and if I look around the only position we IMO do not have cover is a defensive mid.
Milligan had a great game and I hope he can get his head together as he is a class player.My best on park was Cullina.
Given our run of strikers maybe Ruka could be given a run a trial….
Anyway work calls so off for now…
Tom said | June 11th 2009 @ 10:13am | Report comment
I thought it was a strong performance, considering the line-up changes and the long trip from Qatar a couple of days earlier.
And considering Japan could only muster a 1-1 draw against a lesser team on the same night.
I thought Bahrain looked a very worthy opponent. They were organised, physical and showed some technical flair if not any composure in the front third.
Sure, the first goal was from a basic error, but the build-up work by the Aussies was still strong, as it was on a number of occasions over the night.
The response to this game from most people seems to range from critical to lukewarm. Honestly, I don’t really understand why. I thought they looked pretty good and got a good result.
Slippery Jim said | June 11th 2009 @ 10:42am | Report comment
Probably the wrong photo to post if you are trying to make out the Socceroos ‘grinding out a workmanlike performance’. The second bicycle kick shot to hit the post in two matches is pretty remarkable!
It is true the match was not high octane throughout out but it was a far better spectacle than last years China dead rubber that we lost with a team of nearly all fringies…
whiskeymac said | June 11th 2009 @ 10:44am | Report comment
“Socceroos never really clicked into gear against a willing but technically limited opponent” – I agree. This seems to be happening quite a lot, and at times has threatened the highly vaunted clean sheet record being amassed. The same approach against Japan might be the loss of Shwarzer’s smile and Pim’s seemingly irrefutable argument of pointing to the score board.
Yes, it was a shame that Jedi didnt step up, but he is still learning the ropes at international level. given some time and further euro exposure he may develop into a more reliable player – if not a regular at east a solid squad member. that position isnt that badly filled with Valeri, Grella, Culina, Burns and possibly Wilkshire/ Neill (?) able to play a defensive midfield role. Next WC might be problematic, but then again maybe some one else will step up by then.
i would still like to see Carle, Vidosic and Williams and Spira given some decent game time. IMO it’s unfair to judge Carle on 8 minutes or so, and i for one would like to see if he has more to offer since his time in Europe and the much discussed reverse back heel pass fall over game. I was certainly unimpressed by that game but would like the chance to see him play again.
onside said | June 11th 2009 @ 11:12am | Report comment
I thought the commentators were pretty negative , continuously highlighting the Socceroos shortcomings both
perveived and real. This was a knock together team playing a world cup qualifier against a seasoned squad.
Bahrain did not play just to make up the numbers.They needed to have a dig because there was still; a chance
of qualifying through repercharges.I disagree with those that think the current style is harming the code in OZ.
It makes little difference one way or the other.The growth of the game in Australia is linked to the A League and
that is a ten year journey.Another ten seasons.Its not long really.But back to Bahrain ,if we have to play what
seems to be stodge to win,then so be it.South Africa is the dream of all nations.There are only 32 seats at the
table.Australia is there.You little beauty.
Midfielder said | June 11th 2009 @ 11:15am | Report comment
Onside
Good post
Slippery Jim said | June 11th 2009 @ 11:19am | Report comment
Whiskeymac, it is hard to judge Carle based on 10 mins on the field, however Nicky just seemed to come across as a less energetic version of Holman, without the defence splitting passes Holman served up in both halves. He also tried to beat a defender and got shut down immediately on the left of the box…Holman, in comparison, with any decent striker up front to finish, should have had two assists to his name.
Bill said | June 11th 2009 @ 11:33am | Report comment
Can someone please explain to me the common scenario in football matches for the manager to bring on 1 or 2 substitutes right near the end of the game? It doesn’t make much sense to me due to the very limited time (such as Nicky Carle had last night) to have an impact on the game. Is it primarily due to concern that if there is an injury and the team has already had 3 subs that you will have to play the rest of the match with 10 men?
AGO74 said | June 11th 2009 @ 11:42am | Report comment
I was at the game last night. Laboured is about right the way to describe it but didn’t expect anything else to be honest as we’d already qualified 3 days before on the other side of the planet. To expect a swashbuckling performance was a bit optimistic considering the mental and physical drain that would have followed the Qatar match and all the travel and jetlag that would have accompanied even for those who didn’t play in Qatar. Bahrain were pretty good I thought considering they were the away team and to their credit didn’t really do the shameful timewasting that we’ve seen with some of our other friends in Asia. The reason the atmosphere was so subdued was partly because it was a dead rubber but mainly because everyone was freezing their n#ts off!! Geez it was cold!! Next week will be more of a test. Technically, there is a nothing at stake but there is a real rivalry there and you don’t want to give anything away. Makes me think Pim will play for the draw….and the crtics will continue.
Pippinu said | June 11th 2009 @ 11:49am | Report comment
Bill
I think that is a fair enough question. There’s no doubting that blokes like Carle could have been given a longer run.
Yes, once you put the 3rd sub on, you run a very small risk of getting stuck with 10 men – but let’s be honest, in the context of last night’s game – it’s next to no risk.
Pippinu said | June 11th 2009 @ 11:53am | Report comment
sj
this is a novel argument for the Roar (and pretty much all other forums) – Holman more deserving than Carle! Defence splitting passes! He sounds like a veritable superman – how could we have been so blind?
Vicentin said | June 11th 2009 @ 11:57am | Report comment
Come on SJ – that’s gilding it a bit. Yeah, Holman is energetic. The first pass though was hardly defence splitting – the defence should have shut him down. It was a good but unremarkable pass. The second pass was better but frankly it was one of the few times he was vaguely in position. And your not going to judge Carle on his ten minutes but then you are going to find every negative too (make up your mind) – he got shut down … maybe because the opposition thought he was a threat with the ball unlike Holman. Are you related to him and is this all just family support? Very noble if that is the case.
Bill – in the case of bring Carle on with only seven minutes to go I suspect it is to wind people like me up! Cheers.
Millster said | June 11th 2009 @ 12:01pm | Report comment
Let me just say that I made very sure that everyone in Bay 104 was left in no doubt as to my view that Holman is a complete muppet…!
Vicentin said | June 11th 2009 @ 12:11pm | Report comment
Millster – brother I was spreading the word in Bay 128!
Robbos said | June 11th 2009 @ 12:11pm | Report comment
Pip,
I think the general concenus, apart from SJ is;
Holman out. he is not good enough.
Give Carle a go at least see if he is good enough
Kazama said | June 11th 2009 @ 12:38pm | Report comment
I agree with most of the above posters – Holman didn’t look that great from what I saw last night. Mike, great article as always, love your work but I disagree with you that it was one of his better performances.
Agree that Scott McDonald was trying way too hard to score. It clearly affected his performance and cost us at least two goals. The guy just has to stop listening to overly critical people who continually point out his lack of a Socceroos goal (like me) and worry about the team. Viduka has a poor record of scoring for the Roos, but his presence alone creates opportunities for others. Scott should just concentrate on his natural game and the goals will come, and regardless of whether they are scored by him or created by him he is playing his part as Viduka did.
jimbo said | June 11th 2009 @ 12:59pm | Report comment
Holman was booed when his name was read out as they came out on to the stadium and I too was one of the ones booing – the first time ever I have heard a Socceroo get booed when their name is called out before the game.
Pimbo responded in his usual blunt, vindictive and couldn’t care less attitude, but for the 7 minutes he was on, Carle was still the best attacking midfielder on the park – being the only one in Pimbo’s squad of course.
What about Holman’s new hairdo – a cross between a French poodle and Britney Spears.
Towser said | June 11th 2009 @ 1:07pm | Report comment
Regarding Holman apart from the usual Nick Carle one who could replace him if hes so crap. Why is Nick Carle the answer anyway. The sort of player he is according to “Carle fawners” is a creative genius isnt that it? Able to tear up defences by his ball artistry. This sort of player in my book to be effective nowadays in International football has to be playing at a high level. ie even Messi struggles at times to break down modern defences for Argentina. Carle plays at Crystal Palace.
I noticed this about Nick from wikipedia:-
“As a junior Carle won 5 national futsal titles”
So no doubt he has close ball skills developed in the small futsal arena. Now whilst there no doubt that Futsal is great for learning tight ball control youve got to know how & when to use it on the big field. Workrate comes into the equation.
Creativity is not enough on its own. Holman is not creative enough but can run all day Carle is creative but is a lazy bugar.
Now what was I saying. Stuff it I’m hungry its lunchtime.
whiskeymac said | June 11th 2009 @ 1:20pm | Report comment
Sorry but, and as much as i wld like to see other players given a go, boo-ing him is a bit off. No one deserves that.
jimbo said | June 11th 2009 @ 1:26pm | Report comment
From the anti-soccer hooligan press in Sydney today:
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/
“Pim is Destroying Soccer!”
Written by the Rugby League journalist who shares a column with Rebecca Wilson.
See – it’s not just me.
The big Back Page headline yesterday was:
“Roos Fans Turn Away in Droves Because of This Man”
Right below it was an uncomplimentary photo of Pimbo with what looked like a one finger salute.
The gist of the story was that Australian Football was being ruined by Pimbo’s tactics and his reluctance to let his players talk to the media and promote the game.
They also attacked the low expected crowd and the fact that “soccer should remember it is not the number one sport, or even the number two sport in this country”
When your enemy is advancing you attack their weaker flanks and Pimbo must be seen as a weak link by the enemies.
They even still quote his assessment of “Soccer in this country is sub-standard”.
David V. said | June 11th 2009 @ 1:29pm | Report comment
And Towser, those same creative qualities allowed Trevor Brooking, Glenn Hoddle, Tony Currie, Liam Brady, Alan Hudson, Stan Bowles, Gordon Cowans, Gary Owen, Paul Gascoigne, Neil Webb, Garry Parker and a raft of continental and Latin American playmakers to flourish. We need the same here.
AGO74 said | June 11th 2009 @ 1:41pm | Report comment
I don’t really rate Holman and and it seems most people don’t which is fine as everyone is enitled to their opinion, but some people have said they were boing him last night. Why boo him? Can somebody honestly tell me what positive purpose is served by boo-ing someone from your own team. People boo-ing Holman ain’t gonna change Pim’s mind on selecting him!!
Slippery Jim said | June 11th 2009 @ 1:45pm | Report comment
Millster, Jimbo, Vicentin – hang your heads in shame.
Any football fan who makes it personal and boos their own national team player is a disgrace. This sort of thing happens in England sometimes by ignorant British fans and it is disgusting that it was done in Sydney.
Pippu, you should know better. Everyone knows when the national team trots out all of the ignorant bloggers who know nothing about football come out of the woodwork…if you don’t trust my judgement by now, trust that of one of the best coaches in the world, the dutch national team coach who praised Holman after the Netherlands were defeated by a Socceroos side in which he played a key part – he said after the match:
“There was no balance on the midfield, Brett Holman had all the time and space to do whatever he wanted…Nigel de Jong, Mark van Bommel and Rafael van der Vaart had trouble anticipating his movement and need to learn from this match…against Russia with playmaker (Andrei) Arshavin, Van Bommel and De Jong played well but against (Australia’s) Brett Holman they never got control”.
Or Harry Kewell, for his performance last year against Qatar: “I think Brett played a superb game the other night and I think he led from the front”
The fact that Pim prefers him over Carle is also credit to Holman’s quality.
It is very strange that people continue to blast Holman for what was a decent performance and included several key and intelligent passes but Scotty Mac had another real shocker and everyone is completely supportive of him.
Slippery Jim said | June 11th 2009 @ 1:55pm | Report comment
By the way Pippu, the Round Ball Analyst uses the term “defence splitting pass” in relation to Holman’s pass last night also, and I know you rate him
Mick of Newie said | June 11th 2009 @ 2:00pm | Report comment
SJ
I agree, Mcdonald was the real story last night. For all the talk of different styles between Celtic and the Roos and having to play alone up front, neither had anything to do with his clanger. I am guessing 19 out of 20 he buries that for Celtic, which says to me the problem is between the ears. His team mates and coaches appear supportive but to watch his second half performance was tragic. The challenge for Pim is do you cut him loose or stick by him, both options have merit.
As for Holman, I aint a huge fan but if Scotty buries those chances he’s had a great game. Holman is growing on me, as a former Wilkshire boo boy, I am capable of changing my spots.
Vicentin said | June 11th 2009 @ 2:03pm | Report comment
I didn’t boo him – but he’s yet to show me he deserves to wear the shirt. Making it personal … now that’s a laugh. Pot meet kettle etc.
I wish you’d stop trotting out that quote – I don’t necessarily agree with our own Dutch coach so why should I agree with the Netherland’s one? My take is that they couldn’t understand his runs because no one else could either – it’s chaos theory made human.
Slippery Jim said | June 11th 2009 @ 2:18pm | Report comment
Vicentin, the fact you hate the quote makes me consider seriously including it in some sort of permanent blog signature
By the way, when have I ever made it personal? Surely you jest? I only critique performance of our lads, I don’t try to humiliate them publicly for a lack of form.
Mick of Newie, I remember thinking how out of his depth Wilkshire looked for his first half a dozen games in the shirt, but for the first time I was pleasantly disappointed when he was left out for the away game against Qatar…he is a superb part of the squad now…maybe Holman will be something similar???
~~~
Slippery Jim
“There was no balance on the midfield, Brett Holman had all the time and space to do whatever he wanted…Nigel de Jong, Mark van Bommel and Rafael van der Vaart had trouble anticipating his movement and need to learn from this match…against Russia with playmaker (Andrei) Arshavin, Van Bommel and De Jong played well but against (Australia’s) Brett Holman they never got control”
– Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk
jimbo said | June 11th 2009 @ 2:26pm | Report comment
You guys are right – you shouldn’t boo one of your national team players and I do regret it.
But at the time, I just did it to keep warm.
Midfielder said | June 11th 2009 @ 2:38pm | Report comment
Jimbo
Good point about the established media articles on PIM… they are however taking the lead from another media organisation who are the Football media kings… Funny maybe SBS may get the rights back if they can keep it up for long enough…
What annoys me is Football is being treated like a well established cash surplus code …. not one rebuilding itself and trying to establish links with the mainstream… Do they know what they are doing….. I think YES… Interesting I ask the question….. IS THE ENEMY WITHIN?????
Towser said | June 11th 2009 @ 2:49pm | Report comment
Must admit Midfielder I was suprised to see an article on TWG by Philip Micallef supporting the anti Pim stance article in the Telegraph. Strange occurrence I agree for a station that has often had Les doing one of his stand by the podium addresses to the camera berating such articles in the past. Odd I agree.
But they will not get the rights, simply because they can offer no money as we discussed on the TV rights business article.
Strange times indeed.
Slippery Jim said | June 11th 2009 @ 2:56pm | Report comment
Talking of strange times on TWG, Jesse Fink has been extremely cautious to big up Pim lately as he is doing another book and needs to keep him on side…funny how these things work.
I felt somewhat vindicated to see on TWG ’shootout’ online video about the socceroos squad selection a chat between Les and Fozzie in which Craig Foster acknowledged the fact that Nick Carle’s decision to excuse himself from the China match last year most likely impacted his difficulty getting chosen for subsequent Socceroos squads (although he mistakenly said it was due to Nick Carle needing to get back to England to help with BC’s playoffs, which were well over by then – the truth is he simply wanted a holiday, as he said himself in an interview).
Finno said | June 11th 2009 @ 3:08pm | Report comment
The Socceroos where not at thier best. But a wins a wins and we have player better and lost before.
I would like to think Holman was playing outside of his natural game. Not watching Holman in club football it kinda hard to tell. I do know that a coach will try to get a player to play a certain way to either give another play better opportunity or to expose a possible defensive weakness. I think if Pim has got him playing he is good enough. We cant bag the Socceroos or players as the results are on the board. What ever style what ever play, if it gets results we cant complain. As for McDonald he is a quality player and I wouldnt mind betting that once he get one on the board for Australia he wont stop scoring. Give him time he deserves it
midfield general said | June 11th 2009 @ 3:10pm | Report comment
I used to be a bit anti-Pim and disliked the way he had his team play, but I’m coming around to his way of thinking. After all, at least on paper the current squad doesn’t look too good – players in second and third tier European comps, and some not getting game time – you can hardly expect these guys to start knocking the ball around like Barca, whatever Fozzie thinks. Winning ugly is fine by me, it’s great he’s making the most of the talent at his disposal.
Japan, for all their technical brilliance, looked to be chasing their own tail all night. God help us if they get a half decent coach.
Millster said | June 11th 2009 @ 3:13pm | Report comment
SJ
Firstly I didn’t boo him, I just offered reasonably loud constructive criticism
Secondly, get a life. If I can scream obscenities at the legendary Thierry Henry (an infinitely better player than BH, and playing for the country that I love even more than the Socceroos) for being useless in 2002 WC, then the odd suggestion that our ‘not-so-divine-ponytail’ should go back to the under-12s where he belongs, not to mention get a haircut on the way, is relatively speaking pretty harmless.
Slippery Jim said | June 11th 2009 @ 3:22pm | Report comment
For shame, Millster, for shame. Next you’ll be saying other disgraceful behaviour such as our national Socceroos captain cynical foul to deliberately earn what he termed an ‘orange’ card was sporting as well…what cretinous behaviour – he’s lucky the player wasn’t injured.
Are you absolutely sure Thierry Henry is a better player than Holman?! Prepostorous proposition! (Mind you, I have a bobble headed figurine of Henry at home and not one of Holman as yet, and before you ask it was a gift from a friend)
sheek said | June 11th 2009 @ 3:27pm | Report comment
I didn’t think much of the game myself, but I’m understanding of the difficult circumstances. Gee whizz, we secure one of 32 places at the WC, & all some people want to do, is skin Verbeek. It’s disgraceful.
Especially, the Daily Telegraph, which appears to be on a personal crucifixion expedition against Verbeek. Guys like journalists Ben English & Phil Rothfield are really quite pathetic in their ignorance of football.
Back to the football. Where to begin? Our players have been traveling back & forth across the world for weeks. Hasn’t it occurred to some people they might actually be physically & mentally fatigued???
Last night’s game was only 4 days after the previous match half a world away. Doesn’t anybody travel these days? Don’t people realise the strain this puts on human bodies physically & mentally?
There’s plusses & minuses with the second stringers from last night. Not many of them put their name forward for the 2010 squad, which was disappointing. On the other hand, we need to run the second stringers, because injury is a constant companion to teams, & you won’t always have every 1st XI player available.
Last night was necessary to get the second stringers some game time & combinations working. And hopefully, some much needed confidence. As one of the commentators said last night, “it’s a squad game these days”. So getting all eventual 23 squad members familiar with each other is not only tricky, but necessary.
As for the commentators, I didn’t find them negative at all. I actually thought they were honest. You can be supportive & constructively critical at the same time, which I thought they were. Being supportive doesn’t mean saying nice things all the time, which might also mean you’re not being totally honest.
Finally, the playing style. Verbeek deserves credit for implementing a game plan that maximises the talent of the team he has. Australia is not Brazil, or Holland.
We’re desperately short of great strikers, let’s be honest here. Kennedy is good, but not a great, & on last night’s form, McDonald is way off the pace. Viduka maybe too old, & Djite hasn’t come on as expected. Our one touch play is well below the best international standards. This is the truth, & I’m not a football expert.
Our strength is our defence, our great heart, our united team spirit, & our ability to play above ourselves. Verbeek is smart. Maybe he’ll open things up a bit next year, maybe he won’t . Does he really have the cattle to play a razzle-dazzle Brazilian, or Dutch style? Truthfully, NO!
Look, Verbeek is doing a fantastic job with the talent available. We’re not world beaters, at least not yet. Let’s not kid ourselves. We’re collectively playing above ourselves, & that’s the greatest compliment you can give Verbeek & this team.
Towser said | June 11th 2009 @ 3:33pm | Report comment
Sheek
For one whos not a football expert thats a pretty accurate summary in my book.
Midfielder said | June 11th 2009 @ 4:15pm | Report comment
From Goal writteb by Chris Paraskevas … a interesting analysis copied some parts below..
http://goal.com/en/news/808/australia/2009/06/11/1318037/aussie-analysis-pim-verbeek-has-sent-out-a-clear-message
Since he first took over from Graham Arnold, the Dutchman has been criticized, questioned and scrutinized by quarters of a football media who were spoiled by the genius of Guus Hiddink four years ago.
Towser said | June 11th 2009 @ 4:20pm | Report comment
Interesting article Midfielder. The bit about his stint in South Korea explains a lot.
Finno said | June 11th 2009 @ 4:30pm | Report comment
sheek
well said, we aint brazil. We should be thankful to get into the World Cup.
jimbo said | June 11th 2009 @ 4:34pm | Report comment
Towser,
Micallef used to work for News Limited and does the occasional “guest Soccer writer” articles for them so no surprise there.
But I too am surprised that SBS supports such a blatant anti-football campaign. They have an agenda OK, but I didn’t think they would stoop to that level, as Midfielder has implied.
Another thing – I thought the crowd (about half of them) were booing Pimbo’s team selections, not the players themselves.
Art Sapphire said | June 11th 2009 @ 4:39pm | Report comment
Good Ol Pim. He knows we have a team of limited ability and coaches accordingly.
He has inherited the 2006 team who are 4 years older and that means 4 years slower.
They can’t play the high tempo stuff of 4 years ago when under Guus.
Its just that most people don’t understand.
Otto Rehagel won a Euro with a limited team, lets see what Pim does at the WC next year.
He knows that we won’t make it out of the group stage playing cavalier stuff.
It will be 4-2-3-1 all the way.
Towser said | June 11th 2009 @ 4:46pm | Report comment
Jimbo
The more I think about the more bizarre that Micallef TWG article is. Having read dozens of similar articles to the Telegraphs over the years including ones by their past dynamic duo Ray & Mike ,SBS has always condemned their content.
Whilst I obviously dont have the quotes before me, I distinctly remember Les attaching a dinosaur tag to the rantings in papers such as the Telegraph. Perhaps on more than one occassion. Time Les to get the podium out lean on it & bring back the old balance. Maybe the podiums fell over.
jimbo said | June 11th 2009 @ 4:46pm | Report comment
Sheek,
Another good post – we do know our limitations and we do go on a bit needlessly sometimes, don’t we.
News Limited are attacking the game of football as much as Pimbo.
In Europe, Pimbo’s comments would go mainly un-noticed as an honest assessment of where we are at and he is not saying anything about Australian football that isn’t true, but here in Australia – that’s cannon fodder for the anti-soccer brigade and they lap it up and make it Back Page News.
Pimbo needs to realise that and stop being so brutally honest sometimes, although I know there are a lot of people who do like his brutal, honest style.
His record so far of WC qualification with 2 games to spare and nine games without defeat or conceding a goal is better than any other Australian NTM has ever achieved.
To get the recognition and acceptance he craves, he just needs to use a bit more people skills, especially with the media here.
tifosi said | June 11th 2009 @ 5:56pm | Report comment
I too was at the game and what was interesting were the boos for holman when his name was called out.
It tells me that the people there know about football and know that he shouldnt be on the park. The biggest cheer(apart from the goals) came when nicky carle came on for holman.
Although holman did give a great ball for macdonald (who managed to send it over the bar for the conversion), the guy runs around looking perplexed at what to do.
Ben of Phnom Penh said | June 11th 2009 @ 6:20pm | Report comment
I may as well wade in, what the hell. I like Holman as he offers a level of pace and ability find the ball that we miss at times. He also does a lot of off-ball work, particularly in closing down the opposition midfield which effectively ensures we defend higher up the park. The problem is his finishing which we tend to notice as he gets himself in such great positions all the time.
Carle offers something different which is creativity in the middle of the park. They are two different players.
Good post, Sheek
Slippery Jim said | June 11th 2009 @ 6:26pm | Report comment
tifosi, since Nicky left the A-League where he was a big fish in a small pond for Europe, where he is a tiny sardine in an ocean of talent, Nick Carle has only averaged one goal every 15 appearances…perhaps those people cheering don’t know about football after all – but then we have been down this track before many times haven’t we.
Vicentin said | June 11th 2009 @ 7:38pm | Report comment
SJ, this is just another example of the sly digs that you have at Carle at every opportunity. He’s a decent player is league where where the ball is often more likely to trouble aeroplanes than blades of grass. Sorry, but a rather critical mass of fans think that Carle is a better option than Holman. We don’t claim him to be as good as Riquelme, Totti, Zidane …. name your favourite playmaker, but he is a decent footballer which by my own subjective opinion (and clearly not mine only) is not what Holman is.
Ben, I appreciate that he allows us to defend higher up the park etc (“finds the ball” … yes but then what?) – but Holman does this at the expense of creativity in the middle of the park and to my mind adds very little to our game. In my book neither Kewell or Sterjovski (no f – ing way) who played on either side of him are playmakers, nor is Culina, Jedinak, Vella etc a Pirlo. We currently have a striker who doesn’t score (not necessarily his fault as stated in other posts) – and doesn’t defend either, and we have a runner in the place of a creative in midfield (and frankly he’s often not there anyway – see my “chaos theory made human” line earlier). For those of you who claim we can’t play like Brazil – neither can they if they don’t put footballers on the park.
Yes, I appreciate Pim has got us there but I think (even with a second string line-up) we are better than what he’s currently let us be …. I sincerely hope this is part of some great master plan.
Eamonn said | June 11th 2009 @ 7:46pm | Report comment
Mick of Newie
As a Celtic fan can I just say Scott McDonald, in my view, missed the chances to win Celtic the title. It went to a blue team and that hurt. But more importantly Scott might score a lot for Celtic but we tend to attack any bugger who turns up, and we have creative guys like Nakamura and a heap of big fellas alongside him to help him….oh and a huge budget compared to the other SPL teams.
Scott scored many this season…but the two he missed…and he missed many..would have won us the title!
My money is on Nikita Rukavystya from the bench in the World Cup. He’s fast, caused the Argentinians a stir in the Olympics and he’s as much chance of getting a goal as anyone. Let’s hope he gets some game time in Holland this year.
But why does Wilkshire take the free kicks…does he think he’s our Ronaldo!
Midfielder said | June 11th 2009 @ 7:53pm | Report comment
Can I say as LOUD as I can the JAMES TROISI is a much better player than Nicky and is playing first grade each week and scoring goals on a regular basic… the real tragedy is why Troisi is not in the squad … I understand from media reports that Pim has spoken to Troisi and his time will come very soon…
On the Scotty thing I was at the game last night and can honestly say his touch and balance is well above most on the team but as I have said before Ruka and David Williams must also come into consideration..also never forget the other two stirkers on the bench … Dario VIDOSIC, & Bruce DJITE
Slippery Jim said | June 11th 2009 @ 7:55pm | Report comment
Vicentin, not so sly, just my opinion based on facts not mythology. And a critical mass of national managers feel that Holman is better than Carle by quite some distance – and they are the ones with matter. I am thankful that the ignorant masses are not in charge of our national squad.
tifosi said | June 11th 2009 @ 9:20pm | Report comment
slippery jim
i think the cheer was more for holman coming off than carle coming on. I dont think he is a great player either.
Vicentin said | June 11th 2009 @ 10:42pm | Report comment
Midfielder – I rate Troisi too, and would like him to be given a decent chance as well. In fact I believe he’s capable of running around a lot like Holman but has footballing qualities to boot. SJ, in my ignorant opinion amassed over nearly forty years of playing, watching and coaching the game Holman’s got nothing – but a dopey haircut.
Midfielder said | June 11th 2009 @ 11:54pm | Report comment
Vicentin
Just for you enjoy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXHeWruItPQ&feature=PlayList&p=82489A03EDFE5DB7&index=4&playnext=5&playnext_from=PL
Plus http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=james+troisi&aq=0&oq=james+tro
Ben of Phnom Penh said | June 12th 2009 @ 12:31am | Report comment
Midfielder, I agree that Troisi is one that is ready to step up.
jimbo said | June 12th 2009 @ 12:32am | Report comment
The anti-soccer tripe in the Telegraph continues:
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,25619046-5017479,00.html
This is news?
This is sports journalism?
How many more novice league writers are going to share their wisdom about football between now and the World Cup next year?
Midfielder said | June 12th 2009 @ 12:55am | Report comment
Jimbo
That guy is an arse and should be fired for writing that stuff.
Ben of Phnom Penh said | June 12th 2009 @ 2:10am | Report comment
I’m struggling to understand what the point of the article is, unless it is an attempt by the author to set a new benchmark for journalistic ineptitude, in which case it is a masterpiece.
Slippery Jim said | June 12th 2009 @ 7:09am | Report comment
Vicentin, I take it you are a qualified national coach then, after all of those decades of experience and knowledge? No? Then perhaps Pim, Guus, van Marwijk and other professional national managers still know best when it comes to player selection…
~~~
Slippery Jim
“There was no balance on the midfield, Brett Holman had all the time and space to do whatever he wanted…Nigel de Jong, Mark van Bommel and Rafael van der Vaart had trouble anticipating his movement and need to learn from this match…against Russia with playmaker (Andrei) Arshavin, Van Bommel and De Jong played well but against (Australia’s) Brett Holman they never got control”
- Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk
The Bear said | June 12th 2009 @ 8:03am | Report comment
I don’t mind laboured wins against a desperate Bahraini team, especially when Pim is taking chances playing squad members. I think Holman had his chance..that’s gotta be about 25 caps now! Interestingly Holman plays club as a striker, but Pim chooses to play him as a CAM, does anyone else think that is strange? LOl, “chaos in human form”… may just put that quote in my sig.
Vicentin said | June 12th 2009 @ 8:46am | Report comment
SJ, it’s a blog and one is allowed to have an opinion – something you should think about respecting occasionally. Keep bringing out your selective quotes and statistics while ignoring all those that don’t support your argument – we all know your M.O. Bring up Kewell comments about Holman/Ignore Cahills on Nick Carle etc and then continue your “full field press” until others can’t be arsed to argue against you anymore. Life is too short. Using your argument anything that Graham Arnold (or think of more comical examples) says – as he has coached a National Team, has great merit, but anyone else’s has none as they are a pleb. Perhaps you should desist from offering your opinion too unless you want to divulge your professional footballing expertise status? I’m finished on this one – see Life is too short.
Pippinu said | June 12th 2009 @ 9:10am | Report comment
I’ll just say this about Holman. From the moment I laid eyes on him a few years back when he debuted for the Socceroos, I haven’t liked him. There, I’ve admitted to my own personal prejudice on the matter (I’ve never seen him play at club level, and we all have to admit that he has played for at least one decent team in a decent comp).
My main reason for my dislike? His first touch was, and remains, absolutely dreadful, honestly, it’s shocking beyond description – so I just have trouble watching him because I anticipate that anytime he receives the ball, he’ll either have to regather it (and thankfully he has the engine and maybe even smarts to find plenty of space), or he’ll lose it as quickly as he received it.
So I admit to everyone, it grates on me watching him play.
There, I’ve said it.
I’ll add – I’m not an unabashed Carle fan – I don’t really know whether he has what it takes. I know that he played one good game when he got a start under Baan (was it against Nigeria??) – but agree with others that Pim could have given him more than 7 minutes the other night – it was hardly life and death by that point.
Slippery Jim said | June 12th 2009 @ 10:24am | Report comment
Vicentin, are you seriously being so hypocritical as to lecture me on the fact that ‘this is a blog, other people are entitled to their opinions’ and I ’should respect that’ etc etc, and then have the cheek to tell me “Perhaps you should desist from offering your opinion too…”?
I am simply responding to your comments and those of others, that’s how conversation and discussion works. I go one better than a lot of people on the roar by providing reasons, facts, and quotes from experts to explain why I hold those opinions.
~~~
Slippery Jim
“I don’t want to speak about Nicky Carle anymore. Let’s start playing football first. How many games did he play the last months? Years? Let’s first show himself, his qualities, the last time he played well was here in the A-League. That’s two years ago.”
-Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek
Pippinu said | June 12th 2009 @ 10:46am | Report comment
sj
I can’t answer Pim’s question, I don’t really follow Carle or his team (I can’t even remember which team he plays for).
But – we all know he played well in the one and only start he has ever had at NT level (when Baan was caretaker and I think it was against Nigeria, where Carney scored a screamer to win the game).
Now that might be about 18 months ago now, not sure.
It just seems a little pig-headed of Pim that he wouldn’t give Carle more than 7 minutes once our WC spot was all but secured.
whiskeymac said | June 12th 2009 @ 10:54am | Report comment
exactly pip. why continually stick with Holman for over 80 minutes when he already knows what he does for the team – surely these next few games now provide an opportunity to try out others he isnt so sure about, like Carle, or could give a chance too (vidosic or djite) etc.
Pippinu said | June 12th 2009 @ 11:00am | Report comment
whiskey
this is the question isn’t it? for the last 25 to 30 minutes, we could have given a couple of blokes some real game time and seen what they’re capable of
Vicentin said | June 12th 2009 @ 11:10am | Report comment
Ok, I lied. +1. Where is the hypocrisy – you’ve stated (by strong implication before you get technical on me) that I’m one of the ignorant masses and my opinion has no value as I don’t have the appropriate credentials? I’ve then suggested for consistency you should desist too unless you wish to offer your expert credentials. Selective use of statistics and opinions of people that you choose to “regard” to support your arguments while ignoring others ….blah blah blah
Stop hitting me!
What?
Stop hitting me! I came here for an argument.
Oh, that’s next door, this is being hit on the head lessons.
Slippery Jim said | June 12th 2009 @ 11:14am | Report comment
Whiskeymac, probably gave Carle 8 mins on the park when we were 1-0 up for the same reason SBS Journo Vitor Sobral got a run in a match for A-League team Gold Coast Utd recently…
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/blogs/vitor-sobral/another-day-in-the-life-of-an-a-league-player-190840/
whiskeymac said | June 12th 2009 @ 11:15am | Report comment
yeah i must say, and no disrepect to those who came on, but i was disappointed with those changes when they did come. they were hardly experimental and didn’t give rise to anything new being found out or realised… there’s nothing experminetal in a line up that swaps coyne for north. I understand that Spiranovic was ill and cldnt play, more the shame, but williams maybe? still hope springs eternal for the japan game (allegedly an understrength Japan team being sent over which wont take away bragging rights if we win)… and then ireland..and then holland.
whiskeymac said | June 12th 2009 @ 11:18am | Report comment
Sj – …cheeky comparison, like it…
Carle’s appearance did smack of tokensim on Pims part. Pim was probably grateful Carle didnt score a brace.imagine what he would have had to do then =)
Mike Tuckerman said | June 12th 2009 @ 1:07pm | Report comment
In regard to Holman, I just don’t think Pim has any viable alternatives in mind.
Others have also noted it, but I too wasn’t overly impressed with Mile Jedinak’s performance. If we need a player to consistently play square balls to a team-mate standing two metres away, we already have Jason Culina.
Matsu said | June 12th 2009 @ 9:10pm | Report comment
Well Mike, Now that youre back in OZ, Im afraid Im going to have to start treating you like any other Ozzie reporter. Im afraid I have to take you to task for your improper use of the Japan NT trademark.
Please take a close look at this picture:
http://www.toyskingtoys.com/images/141z.jpg
Hey! Thats right! . . . the nickname of the Japan NT is “Samurai Blue”
You, of all people, should know better. “Samurai” is used as a modifier, in Japanese, and rarely if ever as a stand-alone noun, the way it is used in English. The folks at Saturday Night Live actually had it correct, back when they did their skits on “Samurai Chef”, “Samurai Dentist”, “Samurai Barber” . . .etc. So please help out, by getting the name right in your own articles, and if possible, by trying to set straight all the clueless gits who keep calling the Japan NT “the Blue Samurai”.
Mike Tuckerman said | June 13th 2009 @ 2:40pm | Report comment
We’re a cavalier bunch Down Under, my dear Matsu.
I’ve known for a long time that Japan are referred to as Samurai Blue but having had my descriptor changed by more than one editor, I thought I’d play it safe this time and adopt the same misnomer that everyone else does.
Still, criticism accepted and I’ll go against the grain from here on in!
Bay35Pablo said | June 13th 2009 @ 2:44pm | Report comment
Was it just me, or were the refs garbage. I’m not being one eyed, but they really seemed far more willing to dish out the penalties and yellow cards to Australia.
Captain Random said | June 13th 2009 @ 3:57pm | Report comment
I thought the ref gave away a lot of soft fouls. The thought occured during the game that if this ref is representative of referees from the Arab region, then that could be part of the reason that their teams struggle on the world stage. Simply put, they’re used to soft fouls being awarded, and struggle when they aren’t. (There are many other factors, of course.)
Similarly, Australia struggles against the kind of ref like the one we had against Bahrain because they are used to greater tolerance for the physical stuff.
Matsu said | June 13th 2009 @ 11:08pm | Report comment
Cavalier? Thats the spirit.
As they say down under, “good on ya, mate.”
. . . and dont go too hard on your boys when they lose to the “understrength” (and gauze-masked) Samurai Blue. (^c,~)
jimbo said | June 13th 2009 @ 11:23pm | Report comment
Bay35Pablo
yeah the refereeing was hopeless in the Bahrain game and didn’t help the spectacle.
He blew the whistle every time the Aussies touched one of the Bahrainis, who of course fell over dramatically. The stretcher got plenty of use and when it came off the field they miraculously got back up and came back on.
It amazes me the cheating and time wasting tactics that some of these Asian teams use, when they are the ones that need to win and a draw is no good to them – stupid really.
jimbo said | June 13th 2009 @ 11:27pm | Report comment
Matsu,
the swine flu is the fault of our rugby league players who have poor hygene and share hotel rooms with their drunken team mates and strange women.
May our Socceroos gold and green give the Samurai Blue a game good.
You haven’t appeared on the Iron Chef program lately have you?