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On January 28, we shall witness two national teams consisting of players from their respective local leagues. When the home team runs out in red and white, how confident should we be that our domestic lads can pull one over the Indonesians in their own back yard?
Australia commences it’s qualifying bid for the AFC Cup, and fans still smarting from being bundled out in the last one, to a shootout to Japan in July 2007, are eagerly looking to get things right this time around.
Not much could be faulted about Australia’s first qualifying campaign. The eventual successful group emergence was made much simpler due to Lebanon’s withdrawal from this stage, due to it’s civil warring with internal Islamist factions.
The final hurdle, however, was the actual Cup finals, held in a South East Asian basket of countries.
Australia faced their group stages in Thailand. Poor player management from the then coach, Graham Arnold, dogged the experience. We witnessed a bad group performance and the less than ideal meeting with Japan in the quarterfinals.
It quickly became apparent that the FFA misjudged the competition and overestimated the selected squad’s fitness.
So the long road to Qatar 2011 now begins in earnest.
Australia will play Oman and Kuwait in Group B of the preliminary phase for the tournament. But first up is Indonesia in just over a fortnight’s time on Indonesian soil.
For a country not renowned globally as a football powerhouse, Indonesia has some real gems on the playing roster: Erol Iba, Elie Aiboya and Bambang Pamungkas gave many outstanding performances in the last installment of the AFC Cup and are sure to impress once again.
Undoubtedly, Pim has one eye on the February 11 World Cup qualifier with Japan, to be played in Yokohama. So how does he prioritise the upcoming games?
And, who will be included?
Being a non-international FIFA date, meaning that clubs do not have to release players for the game, the likely event is that the A-League will sacrifice itself for the good of the qualifier.
In fact, the HAL final series has been delayed by the FFA by a week, for the good of the cause. Though the four teams involved in Sunday’s Round 21 game (on January 25) is cutting it very close.
Will any of the overseas club players be available?
Some European leagues hibernate over the chilly festive time, Luke Wilkshire in Russia being a possible ‘Roo regular able to come for the Indonesian foray.
What may be also called upon is a complement of young Socceroos players, possibly their gutsy showing against Indonesia in the 2009 FIFA Under 20 World Cup qualifier giving national selectors extra food for thought.
Whatever the line-up, there will be quite a game this January. Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta will most likely have its biggest crowd for some time. And as crowds go, it will be big.
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