Nicky, Socceroos can’t leave anything to risk in Brisbane

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By Jesse Fink, 8 Jan 2010 Jesse Fink is a Roar Pro

Tagged:: Dario Vidosic, football, Nicky Carle, Pim Verbeek, Socceroos

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Uruguay's Dario Rodriguez tackles Australia's Nick Carle during the Australia versus Uruguay soccer match at Telstra Stadium, Sydney, Saturday, June 2, 2007. Uruguay defeated Australia 2 - 1. AAP Image/Dean Lewins

Did Nicky Carle secure his berth to South Africa on the strength of his performance against Kuwait? Probably not. But will Pim Verbeek give him another chance? Undoubtedly.

Carle didn’t really put a foot wrong, running hard, getting from box to box, distributing well.

Yet as Andy Harper said at one point during the telecast, in the opposition half he kept receiving the ball with his back to goal and never had anyone running off him.

There wasn’t much of an opportunity to play himself into any sustained pattern of attack, though at times he showed a nice understanding with Luke Wilkshire and his perfectly weighted free kick in the fourth minute caused the necessary panic to cough up Dean Heffernan’s poacher’s special.

So it’s not over for Nicky yet by a long stretch but the final Asian Cup qualifer in March, against Indonesia, looms as a make-or-break game for a man who Jason Culina, Harry Kewell and Tim Cahill have marked as a creative wizard for the Socceroos.

The problem for Nicky, though, is twofold: the continued rise of Dario Vidosic, who played very well in Kuwait, and simple mathematics.

The draw against Kuwait and Oman’s win over Indonesia in Jakarta has given the Omanis a real shot of nabbing one of the two qualifying spots. They sit on seven points, one behind Kuwait and Australia, and have home advantage against the Kuwaitis in Muscat on March 3 to conjure up their own great escape.

Verbeek should be confident that even with his A-League players on deck he will have enough firepower to account for the hopeless Indonesians, who lost 2-1 in Jakarta to put them out of reckoning for the Asian Cup, a result that will surely seal the fate of coach Benny Dollo.

But his headache is that Australia and Kuwait are equal on goal difference. If Oman defeat Kuwait, they cannot take the risk of losing.

You would have to go back to Surabaya in 1981 when Les Scheinflug’s team fell to an 88th minute goal from Risdianto in a World Cup qualifier, a result that put Australia out of the race for España 82, to find the last – and only – time the Socceroos have succumbed to the Merah Putih in 14 meetings since 1967.

That, however, won’t be enough comfort for Verbeek. Especially so when the young Indonesian team could have some wind in their sails under a new – possibly European – coach.

Failure to seal qualification for the Asian Cup would be a political disaster for Football Federation Australia at the business end of the World Cup bidding campaign, so expect the bulk of the European cavalry to return for Australia’s final match on March 3, which means, unfortunately for Nicky, falling once again in the shadow of Bresh, Harry and Tim.

He can still get to South Africa, and for joga bonito’s sake let’s hope he does, but he’s going to have to revive his club career, and not rely on his representative one, to make his case for selection. How he will do that while being frozen out at Crystal Palace is anyone’s guess.

If talent were enough to book a seat on that Qantas jumbo, Carle would be one of the first players on board. But football’s never that simple.

While others will get to Johannesburg in comfort, Carle’s going to have to get there by working harder than he ever has before and praying that the ball, for once, falls his way.

That or a plain old-fashioned miracle.

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The Crowd Says (32) | Page 1 of Comments

cab711 said | January 8th 2010 @ 6:32am | Report comment

Hehe, still flying the flag for Carle I see. Well I couldnt agree with you more, I would love to see him more but I fear he will be overlooked when the Euroroos get the callback for Aus v Indo.
He cant be blamed for a being completely ineffective. Some of the passes he received were shocking but he still controlled well and really couldnt distribute because of lack of options.
Also, Harper is an idiot.

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midfield general said | January 8th 2010 @ 6:37am | Report comment

I wonder if anyone thought of playing Carle in a deeper role, like Pirlo for Italy.

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- Gibbo said | January 8th 2010 @ 12:08pm | Report comment
  
  we know he’s got the tricks, but does he have the ability to play the long, accurate, through balls?
  
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Davo said | January 8th 2010 @ 7:56am | Report comment

I’m big fan of Nick Carle. I hope he gets another chance. Unfortunately, lack of game time isn’t helping his chances. Needs to get out of the Championship and move on where he will be a starter.

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Davstar said | January 8th 2010 @ 8:28am | Report comment

I’m not a big fan of Carle there were stages were I thought he was a good player at on stages but he can get a game in the CCC which has to go suggest something, the fact that he refuses to move frustrates me. Also the last couple times I’ve seen Carle play there has been a major problem with the way he plays. Verbeek commented on it a little while back the biggest problem with Carle is he takes 3 touches instead of 1 which is true. Carle tends to try doing certain tricks that are unnecessary, he holds the ball for too long and in reality his not going to get a start over the euro-roos ever he woldbe a wste of space on South Africa.

I’d rather Verbeek take Vidoic any day he’s better he’s younger and Vidoic fits in with the formation we play.

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- Aka said | January 8th 2010 @ 9:10am | Report comment
  
  Agree Davstar with the 3 touches instead of 1 comment. I thought he got caught with the ball/dispossessed quite often in the game. And it wasn’t when he was taking guys on just when maintaining possession.
  
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JiMMM said | January 8th 2010 @ 8:30am | Report comment

I think you might be getting confused between talent and potential there Jesse, Carle has the later in spades but is yet to reach his full level of talent.

On a side note as I didn’t see the game (not having foxtel), do you think any of the A-League players has a chance for the Indonesia match? From what I have heard, seen and read not many of them would stand a chance.

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AndyRoo said | January 8th 2010 @ 8:32am | Report comment

If it’s a Euroroos team he might get selected but won’t play.

If it’s the A league roos then he will only be selected if he is not playing for his club. That would mean he has no chance of going to Sth Africa because unless your a super star or a certain style of player (pacy winger as opposed to touch based midfielder) you need condition and match practise. Pims been burnt before when he was in the Korean setup by taking players who had been out of action for too long.

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Eamonn said | January 8th 2010 @ 8:44am | Report comment

Nicky can only perform effectively in a Socceroos team that attacks. He’s a luxury in the current set-up and just not of high enough standard to guarantee a start at International level is he?

If he’s our Riquelme or Joe Cole…..then why can’t he get a game at Palace, why can’t he influence a game like that in Kuwait.
Jesse we all love Nicky, just some recognise his limitations at the International level.

He could go to South Africa but given the Aussie team won’t be attacking to much what do you want him to do. Run his little legs off chasing Ghanaians and Serbians….could be embarrassing employing Nicky in such a game…..or do you still know something no-one else does about Pim, Nicky and our Socceroos?

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tifosi said | January 8th 2010 @ 9:00am | Report comment

I noticed that Spiranovic moved from Nuremburg to the J League today. Carle should look to do the same. He had a very average game and needs game time desperately.

Also the brisbane game on march 3 falls on a fifa date but clubs only have to release players 48 hours before the game and not the usual 4-5 days.

So the euroos would have play on sat/sunday in europe, fly out monday, arrive late monday, play wednesday night then fly back to play club football on sat/sunday.

Im not sure if the players would be up for such a turn around. Pim might be stuck with the same squad as the other day.

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- Ben of Phnom Penh said | January 8th 2010 @ 11:30am | Report comment
  
  Indeed Spira’s move to Uruwa is an interesting one and if he can fill in for Tulio Tanaka he may well thrust himself into consideration. Clearly not getting game time for Nürenberg isn’t doing his chances any good. That and the fact the loan deal will run fairly well up to the start of the Asian Cup in Qatar.
  
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tony in canberra said | January 8th 2010 @ 9:08am | Report comment

“Carle didn’t really put a foot wrong, running hard, getting from box to box, distributing well.”
jesse, long time out of it but I’m back – Didn’t you write a blog about holman sledging him for doing pretty much the same thing? I can feel your pain that Carle isn’t delivering what you think he’s capable of, but now his running hard is an asset?

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sledgeross said | January 8th 2010 @ 10:03am | Report comment

Kilkenny from Leeds is developing quite nicely as well. His superior passing game and vision set him amongst League 1s better playmakers. Vidosic has looked quite gooad as well. I dont really see how Carle can force his way in whilst not playing, and nopt really catching the eye when he does play for the Socceroos.

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