Australian captain Mark Viduka (9) competes for the ball with Sotirios Kyrgiakos of Greece. AP Photo/Mark Baker
Stability. It’s what Mark Viduka, as captain, gave the unwieldy yellow submarine that was the Socceroos’ 2006 World Cup campaign. The team was built around him. The players looked up to him. He was the funnel through which every sortie, every sequence of attacking intent, would pass.
Instability. It’s what Mark Viduka, as castaway, is now giving the nuclear-armed U-Boat that is the Socceroos’ tilt at South Africa 2010.
The team is being asked to exist and function in isolation from him yet mindful that he could step in any minute and alter the chemistry that Pim Verbeek has worked so hard to create.
Viduka is now less a committed national-team footballer and more like a reluctant, avaricious Hollywood star distancing himself from a “project”.
And Verbeek is letting him call the shots.
No man should be above the national team. Harry Kewell used to be, but he pulled his head in and worked hard in establishing his credentials as a team man. Now Viduka is making the same mistake – and he will come to regret it, whether or not he so decides to out his hand up for Verbeek’s selection for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Yes, he’s had a tough season. Yes, he’s just seen his team relegated from the English Premier League. Yes, he’s getting on in the tooth.
But so what?
Being a Socceroo shouldn’t be an arrangement of convenience. It should be a calling. A duty. A conjugal bond that never dies.
When I interviewed Dukes for a magazine story before the 2006 World Cup, I wrote fulsomely in support of him, apropos of the topic of his choosing to play for Australia over Croatia: “He’s pointedly and repeatedly declared his allegiance to Australia and backed up words with action. He’s refused to yield to his employers in club Vs country disputes. He’s one of the few Socceroos to have played at all levels for Australia: under-17, under-20, Olympic and senior level. Of others in the current first XI, his length of service has only been bettered by Mark Schwarzer and Tony Vidmar… in Viduka, Australia has a unique footballer – a player with the power and presence of a traditional striker but with the finesse and touch of a midfielder. A player who has never once misplaced his patriotism.”
Mark even told me: “I love Australia and I love playing with the boys for my country. When I was a young boy, my only goal was to play for Australia, and that was that. There was nothing else… Australia is perfect. You realise how lucky we are when you’re not there.”
So what’s changed?
Clearly he’s grown up. Clearly he’s over the travel. Clearly he wants to be with his wife and kids. Maybe, just maybe, he’s lost some of the love of playing that turned him on to football in the first place.
So why, then, do we need him?
Well, to put it bluntly, there’s no one else to replace him, even if he is disheartened and doesn’t have his mind completely on the job.
Verbeek won’t pick Richard Porta, so we won’t get to see how good he really is. The others – Bruce Djite, Scott McDonald and Josh Kennedy – all have their limitations or aren’t being played to their strengths.
But is a hesitant, uncommitted Viduka a good thing for the Socceroos?
My view is it is not and the constant will-he won’t-he tango that he’s playing with Verbeek is ultimately deleterious to the cause of qualifying for the World Cup, not least the fact that should he so choose to stump in South Africa he will take someone’s spot who put in for the cause when it mattered.
Good for team harmony? Not by a long shot. Good for our chances of success? We’ll have to wait and see.
Millster
Guest
Zola... ah Zola... those were the days when I could stomach Chelsea.... [ps. what you watching that wonky-ball shit for old man? :-)]
Koala Bear
Guest
Millster, you just caught me before loggin' off to watch the SoO ... Are you trying to get me offside with my fellow Chelsea team mate SJ ...?? :lol: Let's just rejoice in that if Zola (ex Chelsea playmaker) were to know of Pimbo's sudden change of heart to Carle's worth and the secret practice match he would be delighted to know of the secret plan to start Nicky .... ~~~~~~~~ KB
Millster
Guest
Koala Bear - are you sure you're not Jesse's old man? ;-)
Koala Bear
Guest
Part-time Pundit, Wow that is fantastic news Scotty Mac up front, Kewell as a left winger and Nicky Carle just behind Scotty… and the combo was working a treat! .... Finally we are getting what we Carle supporters have been calling for .. thanks PTP ~~~~~~~ KB
Part-time Pundit
Guest
I'm currently living in the UAE and was at the teams training session (in Dubai) last night. In a practice hit out, Pim set the team up with Scotty Mac up front, Kewell as a left winger and Nicky Carle just behind Scotty... and the combo was working a treat! Several times they broke through the defence (consisting of Neil, Coyne, Carney and North) however, I wouldn't read into it too much, seeing as Cahill flies into camp today and will change the dynamic of that trio anyway. And with the likes of Kennedy, Holeman and Djite lingering in the background, it's obvious that Socceroos have the quality in attack even if Dukes doesn't hop on board. He's had his day and it's been much appreciated by all, but I think it's time for him and the team to move on.
jimbo
Guest
"So what's changed?" Viduka is 4 years older than the last WC qualification and has lost the fire in the belly. He keeps getting injured and each time its harder to come back and put in the effort to get back to the same level of fitness. Viduka has a Croatian wife and his kids were born in Croatia. He doesn't have an Aussie wife who gets homesick and wants her kids to grow up in Australia. His wife would rather holiday on the Adriatic coast with her family. Dukes has given great service to Australia over the years and he should be given credit, but I think he has passed his use by date. How can young strikers like Bruce Djite, Rukya, Chris Payne, Sean Rooney, Mitch Nicholls ever become the next Mark Viduka, if Pimbo and Wags the Dog keep playing the same old same old team and not give them the same opportunities Viduka got. How many chances has Aussie Scott McDonald been given to prove himself and yet how many times has he scored for the Socceroos? Never is the answer. Compare that to the number of times fringe players like Djite, Rukya, Nicky Carle and others have been given a chance to prove themselves. Bruce Djite could develop into one of the best strikers Australia has ever produced, but we’ll never know will we until we give him a chance and our best support.
Captain Random
Roar Rookie
Art - And his never-ending movement would have given away his unit's position to the enemy.
Art Sapphire
Guest
It a good thing Holman did not join the army. His shooting would have found him guilty of friendly fire :)
Limpet #48
Guest
Never mind the Dukes or Ruky, the real danger man is Holman. Even the great Nicky Carle calls him a good player in his interview recently on TWG. If Nicky (Australia's Greatest Midfielder of all Time™) says he's a good midfielder then he must be bloody brilliant! He has, after all, won the mighty Eredivisie with AZ. The ship of Captain Verbeek's may be going down on Viduka's sea or whatever, but the only way for Holman to go is up!
Robbos
Guest
I agree with you Art, the 2010 will be the last hurrah of the golden generation in Australian football, Kewell, Viduka (may not even make it), Neill, Moore, Schwarzer, Chipperfield, Emerton, Grella & Bresciano & Cahill, who all apart from Chipperfield were regulars for in the top tier in the big 3 leagues in Italy. 1 or 2 of them may continue onto 2014 to join the likes of Wilshire, Kennedy, McDonald and maybe Garcia as the experience players with the current crop of 21-25 year olds (Burns, Ruya, Williams, Spira), but I also agree, the current U20 WC team seems to hold more promising players.
Art Sapphire
Guest
whiskeymac - the jury is out on Ruky. He needs to playing regular and scoring for FC Twente next season if he is to be selected. I have said all along that the starting XI at 2010 team will be almost exactly the same as 2006. Sadly, no one has really come up in the last 4 years. This is the last hurrah of the great 90' generation. The 2014 team will be a completely different story as I think there will be huge compettion for places as the current crop of under 20's look to be stronger than the 21-25 years olds.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
I've got nothing against Ringo. Any song whose tune he is capable of holding must have some merit.
Midfielder
Guest
The question I ask myself is does any player get special treatment over other players ... Depends on their skill level in truth ...does past experience count for anything ... yes a persons record and how honest they have been always helps in a difficult decision... Dukes is a special player in the Australian sense and his talent is well known ... this IMO gives him or allows a coach to give him a little bit more consideration ... has he been honest in past dealing .. Yes he has. So lets look at Pims position ... a honest player of great skill... say's look I am not sure if I am up to it but can give you an answer by XX/XX/XXX ... due we say your past record indicates you will be honest .. you have been ouit of your club side ... Due we say in this case it is OK and accept his word he will advise Pim if he is not up to playing or at his best .. can any player actually make such a call about themselves ... IMO a real Question of Balance... BUT sucker that I am in this case based on his past history combined with his skill and that he IMO will be honest about himself as he see's ... Me thinks he can say at the agreed date I am ready or I am not ready.
whiskeymac
Guest
cheers KB - you put it into an infirntely more concise format - was the point i was labouring at all along.
whiskeymac
Guest
Art, in saying that, and merely as an obversation, Ruky hasnt played much in Holland for Twente either but no one is holding that aginst him on this blog. wonder why? more HAL exposure before he left? Very encouraging that Burns seems to being getting to the bench at least and having "some" game time in what you rightly describe as a big wake up call year - AEK is a bigger club I'd warrant than a lot of the other clubs outside of the EPL that we have players at. if he makes it there he can be very proud of his achievements.
Art Sapphire
Guest
Sure Striker - I also think that Burns has some scope for being part of the NT set up. But I think his year at AEK has being a massive wake up call to him. He arrived at the club injured. His fitness levels were terrible. The manager who brought him in got the sack during the season. The new manager like him and thinks he has potential but has not risked playing him in the Champions League play off games which finish this weekend. If he had gone to a club like Gencler in Turkey where Djite, Jedinak and Troisi are playing then I am sure he would have played quite regularly this year. Lets hope he gets some game time next season.
Koala Bear
Guest
whiskeymac, tottally agree 4-5-1 will not work with a 35yr old target man ... The Dukes has not played that position for over 2yrs or more ... It would be too much to ask of him now ..... Every ball would have to be delivered to his foot ... How on earth could you expect him to run down any mis directed passes; let alone to find space with two defenders up his back side for 90 mins... ~~~~~~~ KB
Jesse Fink
Guest
Pippinu, clearly I was dropping acid last night. I like the title. Appeals to my Ringo Starr leanings.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
The thing with international games is that due to the limited player pool you don't generally get players to fit a system but find a system that suits the players you have. Hence the delay in decision making, whilst understandable, reduces the time for the team to practice how to play with Dukes up front as opposed to a player such as Jesus. Hence I would not be surprised at all if Duke's did put his hand up that he would either be warming the pine or missing the Qatar game.
Strikerx
Guest
Art Sapphire - of course we would all like to see Burns getting more playing time at AEK, but I was advocating him as a "train on" player in my post. (There are precedents for this.) The limited game time he has been getting at AEK was toward the end of the season, so it would seem there have been some opportunities at AEK, perhaps due to injuries, or he is making headway. I still believe time for him with the NT "squad" is a sound investment for the future and would certainly accelerate his development at club level in Europe (if he chooses to stick it out there).