Comments on: Wilkshire signing shows the power of association

By: Horza

Horza — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 02:24:56 +0000

Eh, it wasn’t like Guus saw Luke playing hackysack in the park and gave him a trial. He came up through the Young Socceroos and Olys, played every game of the 2004 Olympic campaign and was in the Confed Cup squad. Guus recognised qualities Farina wasn’t willing/able to and unlike others Wilkshire took his chances. Pimbo’s trialled plenty of players as well and some have worked (Coyne noticeably was massively off the radar before Pim checked him out during the 2008 Centre Defender Crisis) and others haven’t.

Remember as well in 2006-07 everyone was groaning whenever Wilkshire popped up on the teamsheet and he was talked of in much the same way as people now bemoan Holman…

By: jimbo

jimbo — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 11:09:42 +0000

Strong power of association there with Guus the great.
I’d never really heard of Luke Wilkshire before Guus plucked him off the Bristol City bench to make him a key member of the Socceroos 2006 WC campaign and now a multi-million dollar star of European football. Guus described him as Australia’s most technically gifted footballer.

Luke is a quiet unassuming lad from Wollongong and not really your millionaire football type, but he’s done well and will again prove to be a key player in South Africa.
He’s also scoring a few goals these days.

I wonder who Pimbo (with Guus’s guideance) will unearth at this year’s world cup and magically transform them from a relative unknown Aussie into a multi millionaire world footballer?

By: Horza

Horza — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 04:44:29 +0000

I’m sure he has, but wether he’s in a position to actually get someone a trial at Sparta or wherever on request isn’t known, so it’s a bit baffling for Somerford to suggest he should do it – he may be doing it regardless of what he said at the presser, he may not, he may not be able to, it might not be feasible with the clubs – in the absence of any actual information about his contacts or efforts it’s just speculation.

By: davelee

davelee — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 03:37:28 +0000

To be fair Horza, you’d hope Verbeek’s picked up a contact or two after a decade playing and coaching at Sparta Rotterdam, as well as after 20-odd years coaching throughout the world.

By: Horza

Horza — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 02:54:26 +0000

Does anyone know how strong Pim’s links actually are? Or does he just have to fire up the dutchie and invite the Sparta board over for them to load up with fringe Roos? Wouldn’t it be better to outline the nature of his club relations in the course of this article or are they just assumed?

By: gazz

gazz — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 01:36:06 +0000

Hiddink did it for Archie Thompson and, at least after the World Cup, Wilkshire four years ago. I bet Verbeek is sick of being compared to him!

By: gazz

gazz — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 01:35:06 +0000

Yeah well thats it, isnt it. These player movements are all about building a strong, fit and ready squad for South Africa.

And with our Dutch connection in coaching, maybe someone like Culina, who has played so long in the Netherlands, could hook up a deal with one of these clubs. Would be ideal.