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Vargas believes A-League boys can do Jakarta job

Roar Guru
26th January, 2009
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Melbourne Victory’s Rodrigo Vargas hopes he and the A-League’s best can give Australian coach Pim Verbeek a headache when the Socceroos start Asian Cup qualifying in Jakarta on Wednesday.

It was just over a year ago when Verbeek admitted his concern in trusting A-League players when it came to big qualifying matches.

But in starting qualifying for the 2011 Asian Cup, Verbeek has put his faith entirely in the strength of the national competition, albeit against Indonesia, ranked 144 in the world.

Only six members of the squad – veterans Craig Moore and Archie Thompson, plus Tom Pondeljak, Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Danny Allsopp and Matt McKay – have represented Australia at senior level.

Vargas, aiming to cap the Victory’s minor premiership win on the weekend with his national debut after coming close several times the past year, said Australia’s squad was a good advertisement for the competition.

The central defender expected Australia, while short on international experience, to be desperate to perform well to be considered for coming qualifiers, both for the 2010 World Cup and the next Asian championship.

“It’s an opportunity for all the guys here,” Vargas said from Jakarta on Monday.

“We’ve got 21 boys here and whoever gets the chance, I’m sure they’ll be doing their best to make a claim and give Pim a headache in the knowledge they can do well representing their country.”

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Although Australia have great incentive to do well without calling on their European-based stars, they are not expecting an easy ride in forecast humidity at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, which can hold up to 100,000 fans.

“We’ve been put together in the space of a couple of days, a lot of boys played last night, so it’s going to be tough,” he said.

“A lot of the preparation going in is going to be about recovery and getting the boys up for another game.

“But I think the A-League boys will show a lot of spirit and a lot of courage and will do everything possible to get a result here and do their country proud.”

The six Victory players selected in the national squad were in transit on Sunday and did not get news of their premiership win at home until they arrived in Jakarta.

It could be in the same unlikely venue that Vargas, 30, achieves another career high point.

“It will be massive, it would be the highlight of my career,” he said about what an Australian cap would mean.

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“Winning a minor premiership with Melbourne is a big deal as well and winning that, all the boys are rapt to have done it again.

“But to get a Socceroos cap, not just for myself but for my friends and family who have put a lot of time in for me as well (would be great).”

Verbeek and the remaining members of the squad were expected to arrive in Jakarta later on Monday.

Australia will hold their major training session on Tuesday.

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