Socceroos qualify for 2010 World Cup in style

Stephanie Branz in hot Panz! Simon Hill did do well coming out to Australia didn't he? I heard they met at Channel 9 on the set of the program - 20 to 1 Best Rugby League Gang Bangs.

And another Slip, "deliberating leaving it to the less minute"... mate take some deep breathes. As if I was sugesting that? Tho perhaps PvB was scared of facing Bahrain in Syndey and it being on the line there. They spanked us badly this round away in Bahrain... and to think Graham Arnold (who could ever forget Bresch's stunning strike in Sydney in the prelim Asian qualifiers... Bresh must be the most hated Aussie player now!!)) wiped the floor with them last home game. Perhaps you are right, GA is a genius for playing Carle!

I mention Chris because your previous argument was that Holman was a better player merely cos he was in a better team/league. So how does a div3 player rise above his 2 and half, say, divisions (essentially to Holman's "level") and still perform at a level to Holman's equal. Carle is not handicapped due to playing in Championship, as certain Chelski squaddies are not handicapped, as you eloquently argued, from representing Portugal, no less. And Carney for that matter, why hasn't he been picked up in a decent league? Yet he makes game day for the 'Roos quite a but, even with Chippers back (fit or not!). BTW, going under budget means money that could have been invested elsewhere, shit even earning interest! Hope you are not managing your own money, lol. A less conservative qualifying campaign could (surely would) have meant more experimenting with the attacking options, surely the tinkering with the defense shows that Pim CAN tinker. Now enough nonsense, and try to accept that other people in this world do not follow Chelsea, and do not want to play and get "results" like Chelsea.

The Bear, Chris Coyne is a defender, unlike Holman and Carle, who would play in the same position as each other, where we have a wealth of talent already further up the pecking order than Nick Carle. We've been over this ground before... And you keep bringing up that same single solitary match, a friendly at that...I can only assume because you have never seen any other matches in which Carle has had a decent game...despite his 40 or so games this season. For mine, Carney was far better in that match than Carle anyway. By the way, if Baan had "brains and nous" for playing Carle, that means so does Graeme Arnold, how is the only national team manager to have given him a decent go...so either they are both genius football managers or they are both numpties, take your pick.

"really when a company goes UNDER budget, it’s not really good budgetting" Even without taking into account the spelling and grammatical errors, that is easily the stupidest comment I have read all year, well done. Are you saying Pim should have deliberately left it to the last minute, perhaps relying in a penalty shootout, as if that would be smart management? That's kind of like saying Barca shouldn't have won La Liga so early this year, silly fools... Qualifying as early as possible is what Einstein would have recommended as preferable if he were a football coach.

And another thing, SJ, resorting to your Chelsea example... I recall a time when Chris Coyne was drafted into the Australia squad. He was (still is) a division under Carle's current club's division. This sort of argument is easily voided. Don't pretend Holman is world class player cos some Dutch coach blew wind up his (and Verbeek's) arse by singling out Holman in that friendly last year. I recall Carle getting a big pat on the back too after a friendly (Nigeria), when someone (thanks Mr Baan) had the brains and nous to play him.

Slipeery, if you have ever _really_ read any of my posts, you would know that I am extremely elated that we'll be at the big dance next year. But their are more ways of qualifying thru Asia, then the way we have just witnessed. That's not a criticism, it's called open mindedness. A very long and LOGISTICALLY complex route, and made with two games to spare... perhaps we have been overly conservative in the process... really when a company goes UNDER budget, it's not really good budgetting... work it out Einstein ; ) Again, well done to the lads, you had my respect and Love, all along, tho, it must be said.

Midfielder, Stephanie Branz, is hot..... just bought some youth pills to go with my blood pressure ones.... :lol: ~~~~~~~~ KB

Slippery Jim, you and I know that Holman would never make our mighty Chelsea’s reserves let alone our youth sides... Not even Jason Culina with Pimbo’s blessing could slot into Chelsea’s reserves... As far as the AZ FC playing in the UCL next year.. Cypress FA has a team going to compete in it as Switzerland and Austria... Most of the time these teams never progress past the early round robin stage... But Man U is looking to strengthening their reserves next season maybe we should talk up Holman’s prowess to bring them back a peg or two to the lower clubs playing in the lower leagues of Europe... SJ, I can see where you are coming from now.... :lol: ~~~~~~~~ KB

That link again http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,25597392-5016360,00.html

EXCELLENCE BREAKING NEWS and why making the WC is so important... from the pages of the Terrorgraph today news that Ch 9 is going to run a football show...http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,25597392-5016360,00.html Scroll down and their it is ... CHANNEL Nine is about to launch a new soccer program, hoping to cash in on the huge number of juniors playing the game. Soccer hasn't featured on mainstream commercial television since the 1990s and this is a significant move to attract a wider audience. The show is called Football Stars of Tomorrow and will be hosted by Stephanie Brantz, the wife of Fox Sports commentator Simon Hill. The show will feature coaching tips, health and fitness advice and carry interviews with many of our European-based Socceroos, including Lucas Neill, Mark Schwarzer, Tim Cahill, Vince Grella, Brett Emerton and Harry Kewell. The first episode is on June 28 at 2pm. .................................... Stephanie Branz is an excellent choice ... every time I go and what the Choppers (SFC) play she is their with her kids ... She is a football person from the tip of her head to her toes... talks well and will do an great job I am sure... this is a small but important step on the way to mainstream media acceptance.

KB, Ferreira and Carvalho are both world class footballers, yet they have had less match time for Chelsea this season than Holman has at AZ - would you say that the Championship has better defenders than Ferreira or Carvalho simply using match time as a guage? Despite lack of match time both Ferreira and Carvalho have still been chosen to play for Portugal, a national team ranked currently 11th in the world, because of their ability.

Slippery Jim, The Dutch League is no ELP nor even close to the top four so I can say it would be on par of the English championship league which is not too dissimilar from what I have seen in quality ... How many starts did Homan make this season ?.. I have read here on this forum that he has only had 7 starts (?) and Carle has completed his season of 40 matches played ... Granted he had his best season playing for Bristol.. So it even makes it more tragic that he did not get a look in back then... ~~~~~~~~ KB

Dave, two games in hand and qualified...I call that style. Some people may never be happy unless the Socceroos don a shirt with red and blue stripes with "Unicef" emblazoned on the front. I'm not one of them. For those who expect us to be banging in as many goals every match as we used to do against American Samoa (31 - 0 never meant we were a world class attacking side, despite what simpletons may think) a nil all draw is unacceptable (they forget the great shots by Tim Cahill that were outstanding technically) but they fail to see the context of a qualification campaign. For those wandering in the wilderness last world cup was like finding an oasis with clear sweet water...it seems that now that back to back world cups are upon us some people will not settle for anything but champagne. How jaded they have become if that is the case...

I dont think you can say it was "in style"

The Bear, I'll have my cake and eat it too by choosing both the responses on offer 'can't understand or accept your negative drivel'. Yes, a lot of our goals where from excellent passes from the wing to the front man - nothing wrong with goals from open play after all, much better than relying too heavily on set pieices (generally speaking) or penalties. No matter what you say, whatever we have done has worked and supremely so! Zero goals conceded in this group and top of the table says it all, surely! Continuing to gripe about which player was subbed or which player out of a squad of 30 was left out or the style of play or the colour of Pim's tie or whatever else you want to bring up is just criticism for the sake of criticism and smacks of sour grapes that the methods and personnel you have touted were not used and not necessary and are therefore redundant and irrelevant! Just rejoice in the goal having been met and superbly so! Qualified earlier than most of the world with two games to go - no play offs, no last gasp draws followed by penalty shoot outs requiring luck to go through - the lads have won their qualification fair and square on the merit of their performance. All staff and players involved, yes including Graeme Arnold have got us there and deserve our good wishes and heartfelt thanks no matter what happens from this point on.

KB, Holman is playing for the current champs of the first division of one of the top leagues in Europe. Nick Carle is playing in a bottom-end of the table club not even in the first division of England - the fact you say the Championship is better than the Eredivisie is hilarious by the way (next you'll say Championship clubs should qualify for the UCL!). And 40 games for Palace with what - 3 goals? And played as a DMF as he cannot cut it as a creative playmaker. He would have been smashed in the Qatar game anyway, this was a match not for the silky passers but for the passionate battlers, even Cahill and Kewell struggled against their centrebacks who were outstanding. If Carle had stayed at Bristol City, a club with slightly more quality than CP (as their higher position on the table shows) then he would have been sitting on the bench most of the year as well. Never mind the Turkish League where he played rubbish for the entire time he was there... As for Bresc, yes a great player, but had a bad game for whatever reason and was rightly subbed for the energetic Holman.

Slippery, Ok, perhaps a little superficial. I would include Wilkshire (obviosuly) with Emmerton's HEAVY INFLUENCE in creating all of Australia's goals in the last year. Kennedy, Kewell, (And Chippers) and Cahill's goals, the VAST majority of our goals, have come back mid/long balls (crosses?) into the area. Tell me, how can you support such a one dimensional game plan...against quality competition. The comment "against" Kewell was a mere indication of reliance of ONE player, one player turning on his indivdual brilliance ...and you accuse me of implying that Carle is a saviour of football, or Viduka for that matter. I am merely saying an extra dimension, apart from Cahill's spontaneous brilliance, is what the 'Roo's have been lacking. Do you now call my post "negative drivel", or is it just something you can not understand or accept?

Slippery Jim, I have to go with the Bear on this one... Although going to the world cup without Kewell and Cahill would be unthinkable and I pray that nothing happens to our most two current influential players; preventing them playing in SA 2010 due to injury.. However, the sub-change of Mark BRESCIANO for Brett HOLMAN 77′... Well what can one say..? A rabbit instead of a fox ... I have come to accept now, that Nicky Carle will not fulfil his ambitions of playing in a world cup.. Even tho he has played 40 games compared to Holman’s 7 starts in their respective leagues... I would also add the standard of the English championship would be on par to the Dutch League if not a tad better.. I weep for Nicky Carle .. He has been hard done by... ~~~~~~~ KB

The Bear, one game away against Qatar is your basis for saying that conclusively "Kewell cannot score against a classy keeper?!" Please...your negative drivel is getting tiresome. We have just qualified for South Africa FFS - lighten up! Next you'll be saying Cahill can't score either - despite the fact both he and Kewell have scored against the very best keepers in the world...you need three dimensions to your comments more likely ;) Carle and Viduka are not the future. The big missing link for this match was Wilkshire, who has been the most creative player for the Socceroos in recent times, setting up many of our crucial goals.