With Pim Verbeek clocking up more mileage than Kevin 07 as he continues on the Verbeek 10 campaign trail, the Socceroos boss has run the rule over the good, the bad and the ugly of the A-League.
He’s indulged in the best the league has to offer, and let’s hope he’s satisfied that he’s been watching something a little better than a German training session.
Next week he’ll announce a squad of home-based players to tackle Indonesia away in an Asian Cup qualifier that will put the cream of the local talent on serious show for the first time.
The A-League has created a wonderful opportunity for the likes of Dylan McCallister and Paul Reid, who have returned home to find themselves in Socceroo reckoning for the first time despite years ploughing away abroad.
But will the locals be up to it to get the Asian Cup qualification off to a good start?
Verbeek will opt for those who have experience in pressure-cooker environments – meaning Adelaide’s ACL crew can book themselves another plane ticket, but Travis Dodd and co have looked tired recently, do they have enough energy to travel yet again?
Those with Socceroos experience should get the nod, like Craig Moore and Archie Thompson.
But he’ll also need to go for those in form now; without any time to prepare his squad, he’ll need confident players fit and raring to go.
But Mile Jedinak’s departure is a telling blow.
Verbeek will need to find another deep lying midfielder with the talent to pull the nation’s strings, one who can make sure the side keeps the ball, rather than lumping it forward to face incessant pressure from the Indonesians – can he find two screening players to opt for his trusted, sturdy 4-2-3-1 away battalion, or will he go for combinations, like a McKay/Murdocca or Reid/Barbiero.
It’s going to be an interesting litmus for the A-League.
Verbeek has called the league ‘entertaining’ recently, but that’s probably also a euphemism for ‘naive’ or being able to expect the unexpected.
He’ll hope his players raise the bar to the discipline needed at international level.
I think an A-League first XI will have the experience and quality to rise to the occasion – but picking a squad with enough players to hold their nerve without the ball and have enough gumption to take their chances proved a harder task than I thought it would be.
Here’s my side:
GALEKOVIC (picks himself – regulars like Covic and Bolton have fallen off the radar this year).
Adam GRIFFITHS; MOORE; OGNENOVSKI; JAMIESON (Verbeek could opt for Robbie Cornthwaite at right back, but will hope Griffiths can muster his best form after a difficult season.)
CELESKI, BARBIERO (It would be tempting to thrown Stu Musialik in and hope he produces his best form, but take a glance at the top of the table and the work of Billy Celeski at Melbourne and Fabian Barbiero at Adelaide shouldn’t be underestimated. They don’t shirk from the dirty work, but have quality about them too. Celeski was also one of the few Olyroos to come back with a better reputation than when they left for Beijing. It’s inexperienced, but there’s form. However, neither has featured in a Verbeek squad as yet, meaning it’ll be a surprise if they are picked).
DODD; McKAY; THOMPSON (Pace, players with good technique and experience. They can foot it with the nippy Indonesians, and have fitness to deal with the heat).
ALLSOPP (Deserves to lead the line after another season full of goals, although Simon, McCallister, Joel Griffiths are biting at his heals, as would Nikita Rukyvtsya had he not left for Holland).
Subs:
Theoklitos; Vargas; Musialik; Pellegrino; Simon.
jub jub
Guest
Verbeek lets Arnold coach so in the event of a loss.. he can simply shift the blam to arnold. Not directly of course.. but if they lose arnold will probably cop a faire whack of criticism.. if they win arnold does not get and credit. A lose-lose for him.
Drew
Guest
Galeckovic, Moore, Ognenovski, Muscat, Cole, McKay, Milligan, Dodd, Musialik, Thompson, Simon subs:covic, A.Griffiths, Petrovski, J.Griffiths, Pondeljak
Midfielder
Guest
KB Bear A little present for you. soon to return to a Socceroo shirt and from our Turkish friends. http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/webjunk/15800/
Koala Bear
Guest
ItsCalledFootballYouIdiot, Doris wants to know why your bro Jimbo has been avoiding her.. :lol: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ KB
dasilva
Guest
yeah vicentin I think looking back I was more rational with that rant. Perhaps the initial cap was the optimistic things ain't that bad cap
ItsCalledFootballYouIdiot
Guest
Vicentin, John Kosmina and Graham Arnold are Frank Lowy's illegitimate children and they have threatened to sell their story to Rebecca Wilson if he ever sacks them.
vicentin
Guest
Dead wood? Surely it follows that he should now BE the bench, not just sitting on it. Dasilva - I think you had the rational cap on too tight. You were thinking much clearer with it off. It is a fantastic reward for incompetency and failure - just like Cockerill's other mate Kosmina. You do have to worry about some of the top people in the FFA and Sydney FC ...what have these guys had over Lowy that makes them so untouchable?
The Bear
Roar Pro
Furniture? I hear Furniture comes from dead wood.
Sam
Guest
Dasilva Arnie has been assistant coach through the Farina, Hiddink and Verbeek days. He has been through thick and thin. He is part if the furniture now. I kind of like seeing him there with the senior coach looking like he knows what he he is doing, providing nuisance value...
dasilva
Guest
To be fair on arnie and putting my rational cap on When he had a dutch coach to work with him (ala Neesken) he did quite well against Bahrain HE also coach Australia to qualify to the Asia Cup as well so this shouldn't be beyond him In any case (removing the rational cap) I'm still pissed that arnie is still in the job and now is manager of the socceroos for 3 matches. It shows zero accountability and it seems that he is more untouchable to FFA then even Pim himself. I'm quite sure if Pim ever gets sack, Arnie will still be there and FFA will dictate to potential coaches that they must have arnie as an assistant manager (or worst make Arnie as an interim coach for another 2 years again)
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
A good selection in all given that some players are now off in the transfer window to overseas pastures and should be left alone. The interesting one for me in this is Jamo at LB. If he gets a start ahead of Heff and Hyphen and puts in a good performance then he may be an outside chance for the Japan squad as cover for Chippers (given Carney's lack of game time and Stefannuto being out of season). That would indeed be a great message for those plying their trade in the lower tiers of European football that the A-League has something to offer for those brave enough to return. Correct me if I'm wrong however GA has yet to talk to the media post-Olympics has he not? Henk Duut is there though; that offers some solace.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
If Pim is comfortable (as he has publicly said) see no reason why we shouldn't be. Pim chose the squad, he's already worked out the starting XI, and he would have given Arnie a long list of contingencies for working out who comes off the bench, e.g. need goal to win at 65th, put Cornflakes on for Moore, Cole on for Elrich, and try and jag a goal through set pieces.
The Bear
Roar Pro
dasilva, why get blood on your own hands when you can let Mr Fink do our dirty work.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Towser heh, heh - that's absolutely hilarious! :lol:
dasilva
Guest
One thing seem to be overlooked about this match "Verbeek is suspended for the match as he will be serving the first of a three-match ban after being sent off as Korea Republic coach in the match for third place against Japan at the 2007 Asian Cup. Verbeek will be sitting in the stands while Graham Arnold will be on the bench alongside assistant Henk Duut. "Arnie will be the boss," Verbeek said. "He will make the final decisions." Arnies back as the boss of the socceroos Anyone sharpening their knives?
Towser
Guest
Pippinu At the Roar across the aisle from where I sit is an older Dutch couple. We converse sometimes at half time & full time. Let me tell you bluntness is an art form for them & thats coming from a Yorkshireman.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Excellent point Towser - agree 100%. Once upon a time I saw no place for the domestic league in terms of the Socceroos team (I felt your best 23 should already be playing overseas) - but I now think of it differently with both the Asian Cup and the small improvement in the the domestic comp (let us be clear, it's just a small improvement for the moment). Re the Ogre - Pim has basically told him to choose Macedonia as he has no future in Australia - ouch!! Those Dutch really don'lt mind telling you what's on their mind! Straight to the point, no beating around the bush (that's why they make great football managers).
Towser
Guest
Perhaps the biggest plus for A-League players in the Asian Cup seems to have been overlooked. The juxtaposition between the A-League & The Asian Cup. That is that Australia is participating in a competition that has found a niche for players in the A-League to fit into at International level & improve their football without having to spend 10 years in darkest Transylvania hoping that Pim will fight of the vampires to see if you exist. Hopefully these overseas 'exotic' Location players start to get the message that the A-League can offer more than 'Drinking blood at midnight" to play for Australia.
ItsCalledFootballYouIdiot
Guest
Its interesting to look at A-League players with a fresh set of eyes, as Pim must be doing. Not sure if Pim made the selections of his own accord or with assistance from Arnold and others with youth and future teams in mind, but obvious standouts for me on current form are Dodd and Ogenovski. However, there are a lot of A-League players who could do the job against Indonesia and will also be very disappointed. A healthy sign for the A-League and Australian football in general.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Bear I didn't know that about the Ogre (although I had heard it was on the cards). heh, heh, so it's not enough that they might be sharing the same bath water? Matty Thompson has done well as a CAM in patches - but let's be honest - you wouldn't call him a specialist CAM (nor is Billy, but, well, this team has none!) It's not out of the question that Pim might go with a 4-2-2-2, thereby avoiding the need for a CAM, with a couple of combos possible to screen the back four. I think the back four is a dead certainty with this squad, the only question is whether Pim opts for Cornflakes ahead of Roddy. The team appears to be geared towards playing with two CDMs, so that's a distinct possibility. Both Matty and Zullo could play out left - but there ain't a lot of options on the right wing except maybe Tommy P, or maybe even Arch - although why would you want to break up the partnership up front?