Like Melbournians with their public transport system, Pim Verbeek’s faith in the A-League is lacking. But for next Wednesday’s Asian Cup qualifier against Indonesia, Verbeek – like those Melbourne commuters each morning – must simply grin, bear it, and hope for the best.
Verbeek has been frank in his assessment of Australia’s domestic league since his appointment in December 2007.
Who could forget his comment just six weeks into the job, upon naming a Socceroos squad for the World Cup qualifier with Qatar?
“If you train for three weeks with Nurnberg or with Karlsruhe, I have to be very honest, I still think that’s better than playing A-League games,” he said.
It was a frank assessment that ruffled quite a few feathers.
And after that comment, it have would have seemed inconceivable that Verbeek would ever pick an all-A-League squad, least of all in the opening Asian Cup qualifier.
But on Monday he did.
Whether the decision was down to a softening of Verbeek’s opinion or that the match is scheduled on a non-FIFA sanctioned international date is up for dispute. Perhaps it’s a bit of both.
Regardless, it was with great interest that the squad’s make-up was announced.
Bar a few surprises, those selected are a good reflection of the League’s form teams and players.
Eugene Galekovic should get the chance between the sticks after a terrific year keeping Asia’s best at bay, while a number of his Adelaide United teammates rightfully receive their own just reward.
Scott Jamieson is the baby of the squad, but is likely to slot in at left back. The 20-year-old’s gamble to return to Australia after serving an apprenticeship at Bolton has paid off. United supporters would have only pencilled him down as a solid squad player at the start of the season.
The fact that Jamieson forced coach Aurelio Vidmar to push skilful Brazilian Cassio up the field is a true indication of how far he has come.
League domestiques, Matt McKay and Rodrigo Vargas, deserve their call-ups, while Roar excitement machine Michael Zullo adds a touch of the unknown to the squad.
Verbeek has indicated he will pick Melbourne strike duo Archie Thompson and Danny Allsopp up front.
Thompson has plenty of experience, while Allsopp is much-maligned even from his own supporters. But 11 goals warrant his chance.
Of the major surprises, Dean Heffernan’s call up after only returning from long-term injury in December shows how thin his country’s reserves are at left-back, while Nik Topor-Stanley’s season has hardly been a watershed one.
Verbeek selected Shannon Cole and Billy Celeski as his options on the right of midfield. Adelaide captain Travis Dodd must be wondering what more he needs to do after leading his side to the final of the Asian Champions League.
A-League squad aside, the match against 144-ranked minnows Indonesia looks a breeze on paper.
But we need only to cast our mind back to the Oceania Football Confederation Cup in 2002, when a near-bankrupt Soccer Australia was only able to send a domestic-based squad (including current squad member Tom Pondeljak), with Scott Chipperfield the exception.
A 1-0 loss to New Zealand was the result, and it cost Australia a spot at the 2003 Confederations Cup in France.
It’s a sobering thought for Verbeek, whose initial assessment of the A-League is about to be put to the ultimate test in front of potentially 90,000 Indonesians at Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.
Let’s hope that his crop of A-Leaguers can prove the Dutchman wrong.
dobomoku
Guest
Hi guys, see you in Jakarta- we'll show you how you should count on our talents!:)
ItsCalledFootballYouIdiot
Guest
The A-League or mainly A-League Socceroos have had mixed results ranging from an excellent 3-1 away win in Bahrain to a scrappy draw with Ghana in Sydney and a woeful loss to China. The ACL experiences of AU and MV playing Asian opposition over there will improve our ability to cope, but you just can’t underestimate Asian opponents on their home ground in their natural environment. Makes for a very interesting and open game, despite the desire to shut up shop and take the away point. I’m sure at least one team will be doing a lot of running at defences and attacking for goals. The A-Leaguers will be doing very well to win this one and kick-start another long campaign to win an Asian Cup. There’s a bit of a chance here the A-League player strategy might go pear shaped for Pim and we don’t get past this round of Asian Cup qualifications this time round. No. It couldn’t be, could it? Then again, the Euroroos didn't cope too well in the last Asian Cup and were disappointing and had to be bolstered by the A-Leaguers. Is there a pattern emerging here somewhere about being too confident, being under-prepared and underestimating your Asian opponents?
Sam
Guest
Phil That was young inexperienced players bundled together in that game against China, and Ruben Zadkovich was playing at right back! Experienced players such as Craig Moore and Archie Thompson will no doubt be playing. I'll wait till the team is announced before I give my verdict.
phil
Guest
i just recall the oz v china game here in sydney with pim using a a-league type squad that had little time to prepare. it was the most disjointed performance from the socceroos i had seen in a long time. im expecting the same in this game
Coach
Guest
I'm still very confused to not see Travis Dodd in a Aussie top, pretty stiff. Plus I'm very interested to see how Alsop goes playing for Australia. The fact that its all A league players actually makes this game a lot more interesting for me!
The Bear
Guest
Midfielder, spoken like a true Mariner's fan ;-) This time next week we shall see who's mug is on Foxsports telling us how the game was won, or otherwise....
Midfielder
Guest
KB & Others Is it worth having a talk to the mods and having any reference between Arnold and Coaching deleted prior to posting.. To the game I like Pim he will get us to both the Asian & World cups and if he does it without playing as beautiful as some want then so be it.
Koala Bear
Guest
Lads, I hope Arnie redeems himself with the A-League Roos squad by defeating the Indonesians 2 - 0 .. Only then will we know what an impostor Pimbo really is.. However, if Arnie fails, Pimbo can rejoice by saying ... Thanks Arnie you made me look like I'm a Football Genius.. Even better than Guus on head to head results ... ~~~~~~~~ KB
Kazama
Roar Guru
There's always a chance we can win. Maybe the Indonesians will get stage fright like the Chinese did in the WCQ, however that was against a team full of our stars. I'm sure the boys will give 100%, but I don't think that simply turning up and playing your guts out will be enough to get 3 points in scenarios like this. I'm just calling it as I see it. I think we've learned from our Asian adventures so far that the "minnows" here aren't the same as the minnows in Oceania. The Bear, it will be very interesting indeed to hear what Arnie has to say for himself if / when he fronts the media for this game. Part of me wonders if he lost the ability to speak in Beijing.
Sam
Guest
I believe Verbeek putting down the a-league was a statement made more on a perception of what he got when he came here. Particularly from SBS journallists ( and even Rebecca Wilson!). Let's face it, he wasn't at that stage in a situation yet to give an informed opinion. Now I don't believe the a-league is top shelf, but I do believe that there is a hype to explain to others that quality is bad as if to make yourself believable in being an educated football follower. I even am hearing this from AFL and NRL followers who follow up with the usual line of 'I only watch EPL'. My response back is that if you only watch EPL, well then you're not a true football follower. I think Pim's statement recently that it was a mistake for players to go to K-League as a-league was better quality, (but Europe should be the place to go) is a more educated opinion. Apart from J-league maybe players should look to the top 6 or 7 European countries to make it to. Otherwise a-league is improving and will get better with the years to come and players should stay to get regular football until they find a decent club in Europe. I just hope Nathan Burns hasn't stuffed up..
Paddy Higgs
Guest
I've got to admit Kazama, the circumstances aren't favourable: what is ultimately a B side (at best), in oppressive conditions before potentially 90,000 indonesians baying for Aussie blood and the fact that FFA resident failure Arnold will be in charge. Still, I'm trying to be positive!!
Troy of Bonbeach
Guest
I think Verbeek's assessment of the A-League in 2007 was on the money. Since then, the talent of Aussie players and the calibre of international players in our domestic comp is shining through, rightly prompting Verbeek to select an all A-League team. Now it's up to the boys to show what they can do. Go get 'em!!
Joe FC
Guest
It wont be easy but I definately think we can get at least something from the Jakarta match. Professional pride and the national guernsey should ensure a willing effort.
The Bear
Guest
Kaz, right on the money. Can the FFA whether the storm for the next three games? I am still waiting on them for a proper statement since the Olympics. I hope they don't let Arnie release any statements in this "interim"... he still has not fronted the media since China. His credibility (and the FFAs?) is dead as a dodo.
Kazama
Roar Guru
Paddy Higgs: "But we need only to cast our mind back to the Oceania Football Confederation Cup in 2002, when a near-bankrupt Soccer Australia was only able to send a domestic-based squad (including current squad member Tom Pondeljak), with Scott Chipperfield the exception." I remember watching that game at a relative's house. She, not being a huge football fan and thus not understanding the situation for that game, said to me when the Kiwis scored: "Gee, Australia is really crap at soccer." I have a feeling the uninitiated will be thinking the same thing as her if they watch this game. I expect Indonesia to win, given they will be playing at home in front of 90,000 fans screaming for Australian blood, in oppresive conditions to boot, and we will be there with a bunch of underprepared A-Leaguers, full of nerves as most of them would never have encountered anything like this before, and Pim in the stands instead of on the sidelines. It all adds up to disaster IMO.
Dickroo
Guest
Euroroos' passion is not on Asia Cup. So the A-Leagueroos are more economical and reasonable choice the Euroroos with the benefit to blood in young/fringe players and a boost image/publicity for A-League. It's shame Pim doesn't have time to have a decent training camp with them. The two ties Socceroos system will run for a long time due to the fact of our geographical isolation and the wide gap between World Cup and Asia Cup.
Mick of Newie
Guest
I am with you Bear, this is no lose for Pim. How hard did he try to get current out of season players like Wherman, Steffanutto, North, Beauchamp, Bosnar, Williams to boster his squad.
The Bear
Guest
Why else would Pim be acting so nonchalantly? He should be embarrased that he got slapped with that ban, yet he shrugs it off and then has the audacity to say he has complete faith with Arnie...founded on what exactly???? Pim is in a win win situation here. And he has played the media pretty well, imo. When the 'Roos truly qualify for SA2010, then I expect him to not be so casual about the Asian Cup campaign. Nor the FFA, for that matter.
BIGfootBALLS
Guest
If they fail, he was right! If they succeed, he has managed to elevate their performance!
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Pim might be setting up the A-Leaguers for a massive fall so that be can smugly say: yaah, I told you so! (ik heb je wel gezegd!)