Pim Verbeek was hardly the household name many were expecting when the Socceroos announced their new coach 18 months ago. In fact, most people had never heard of him.
But nobody can dispute the Dutchman was the right man for the job now that he has led Australia to the World Cup with plenty of time to spare.
Verbeek was appointed with one assignment – get the Socceroos to South Africa. – and Australia’s 0-0 draw with Qatar in Doha on Sunday morning ensured he passed with flying colours.
The Socceroos will play their remaining two qualifiers this month knowing that they will be on the plane to South Africa next year, and knowing that is thanks largely to Verbeek’s impact.
“Football Federation Australia picked him and everyone was saying, ‘who is this guy?’” Socceroos captain Lucas Neill said after the draw with Qatar.
“He’s been tactically shrewd and his preparation has been amazing..
“Frank Lowy and FFA have got to take a lot of credit for bring him in and getting us playing the way we’re playing.
“Getting us ruthless, not conceding goals, not wanting to lose games, doing it the hard way and getting it down with two home games to go, this is is just amazing.”
Verbeek has been criticised at times for using cautious and unadventurous tactics, particularly on away trips, but few could argue with his record.
The draw with Qatar took his record to nine wins, six draws and three losses in his 18 games in charge.
In the last stage of qualifying, Australia are unbeaten and haven’t conceded a goal.
In helping the Socceroos to a historic successive World Cup berth, the former South Korea coach will also get to experience something coaches dream about.
“It’s the greatest tournament in the world,” Verbeek said after clinching qualification.
“To be there as a player is fantastic and to be there as one of the few coaches who have ever been there is, of course, fantastic.”
Verbeek famously promised to sing the Australian national anthem if he qualified.
He admits he hasn’t yet learned the lyrics but promised he is a man of his word.
Captain Random
Roar Rookie
Italy with 10 men defend better than most sides with 11 men. Whether its against West Germany in 1970, Brazil in 1982, Nigeria in 1994, the Netherlands in 2000, or Australia in 2006; you gotta admit, the Italians are great at giving opposition players and fans nightmares for years. Unless you're Korean.
Chuck
Guest
Against a 10 man italy? You are glossing over our problems...
whiskeymac
Guest
and.. not scoring against brazil and italy is hardly a uniquely australian problem either =)
Captain Random
Roar Rookie
Really? We had trouble scoring goals at the 2006 WC when we needed to? Tell that to Japan and Croatia.
Chuck
Guest
After watching the qualifiers, one has to doubt the socceroos ability to 'flick the switch' and suddenly be able to score goals in the finals when we need them (as was the problem at the last WC) Would like to see us play a full strength team in the last 2 matches - to test if they can indeed 'flick the switch' and score goals and up our world ranking since WC and Asian's Cup games are the only matches we play that count towards our world ranking
Captain Random
Roar Rookie
Totally agree jimbo. I don't believe that the Socceroos have the technical ability to control a game by being expansive and attacking. Their best chance is to be (somewhat) defensive and contain the opposition. And what does political correctness have to do with anything?
jimbo
Guest
I’m not a big fan of Pimbo’s tactics either, but I have little argument about the way he gets results and what he has achieved. Rather than backfire, who’s to say he won’t get results in SA 2010 with those tactics, like he did against the Netherlands in Eindhoven.
Slippery Jim
Guest
David V, beware the attitude of overconfidence and entitlement that was the downfall of our last Asian Cup campaign. A healthy fear and respect of our Asian opponents is something we have learned from Pim and is a valuable lesson for both the Socceroos and fans.
The Bear
Guest
Pim has a great track record for being over conservative, and by getting "results"... that's why we went for him. Cos we sacrificed sentimentality for certainty. And there is no going back...
David V.
Guest
I'm not talking about the state of Australian football, I'm talking about Verbeek here and how his strategy can potentially backfire.
Midfielder
Guest
David V We all do ... please understand ... almost every person in Football knows this problem and SOOOOOOOOOOooooo much effort has gone in to attempting to redress this ... your post give no credit for this just continue to say the same thing we all knew 4 years ago ... in the name of mercy can you explain how it could and can be done better and within the budgets clubs have to work with... I beg you to look at what the FFA have done ... and my endless plea 150 million dollars under construction ... mate that is a heap of coin .... Fifty years of corrupt, inept, inward looking, morally bankrupt, management and systems which in 2003 had the game broke ... and we have just made two WC ... and are playing and learning in Champions leagues... what more can you expect and still be in business.... Again do you honestly believe there is some small group of people who have some special wisdom that FFA don't have, the A-League clubs don't have, Frank Lowy does not have... the Socceroos don't have..... Further do you honestly believe nothing is being done about it.
David V.
Guest
Look guys, I'm not being negative but a realist. And what I want is for Australian football to be a global success, and what I want is for Australia to assert itself in Asia rather than pander to some kind of fear-filled PC agenda.
MVDave
Guest
Sorry that should have been Midfielder well said.
MVDave
Guest
Well said Millister...some are very hard to please.
MVDave
Guest
David V The Socceroos play a very similar style to Everton...try to contain and then hit on the break with Cahill playing similar roles for both. So Moyes is a dud just like you claim Pim to be?? Personally l think Pim, the FFA and the players have done a wonderful job. First time of Asian qualifying, lots of unknowns etc. The job was to make the SA WC finals...job done with 2 games to go...end of story. Having said that l hope he plays the strongest team available vs Japan as l'm going with friends and family. Would be nice to finish with a win against our strongest Asian foe.
Midfielder
Guest
David V Is anything done right in Football in Australia ... the shy is falling and we are all doomed ... we have no talent, no decent coaches, a shit national coach, an easy pathway of which we got the most easy and we are lucky we got through..and worst of all their are only a handful of people who understand we need to lift our talent.... No one involved at FFA or the A-League or Frank Lowy understand what a bad shape we are in and we need to increase our technical ability say it loud David ...”””” Don’t you guys understand WE ARE SHIT our technical ability is shit ... you are not listening is anyone listening WE HAVE NO TECHNICAL ABILITY. OK OK Ok ... from my view... players numbers are still rising, FFA have spent 2 years of research to develop talent identification pathways, coaching resources, new rep systems.... we have 48 players in Europe under 23 a number in top clubs... the national coach has the respect of the shed including players coming from some decent clubs in Europe, ...we have made the world cup,..we have a national youth league, ...we are spending 150 MILLION (that is one heck of a lot of coin BTW) on building new academies... We have a long way to go but we have a system in place that is being improved all the time and will in a few years produce some very good players....
David V.
Guest
Towser, travel, climate and all that jazz are big factors in South America and Africa. As are some terrible pitches and facilities. But it's a challenge players face head on with no cliches and excuses needed. Remember that Australia qualified from this group in 1974 with similarly difficult logistics and New Zealand did the same eight years later. In both cases, opponents were vanquished with comparative ease.
jimbo
Guest
Ben, good point. The World Cup is a 16-30 day tournament, not an 18 month qualification campaign. The FFA have put together the ideal platform for Pimbo and the Socceroos to succeed in qualification. I’m sure they will also make ideal preparations for the WC tournament and give the squad the best assistance they can. But its different now - no issues about travelling on a plane for 24 hours, being released by clubs, players availability or who’s going to be selected – its all decided. Its just the team, the manager and the World Cup tournament. Factors like the climate, how well the players get on with each other, players’ egos, mental strength, isolation, food, customs, how well they recover to play 3 games in 7 days – these are the sorts of factors the players and managers have to grapple with. Then you work out your tactics, anticipate the opponents’ tactics, how to beat the teams that you were drawn against – the tactics playing against Japan or England will vary – there may be some special considerations and one on one marking. Then there’s luck and circumstances – its not a 16 game process – its 90 minutes of football and only one chance to get it right.
Albert Ross
Guest
tifosi The AFC fourth qualification was seeded so that the two groups were as balanced as drawing the teams from four ranked "pots" could achieve. Would you have preferred an exhaustive 18 match H-A round robin involving all the teams the two groups?
eh
Guest
too many people are happy to write the teams obituary before they even get to the WC. Pim:- the mans been assistant twice at WCs, was succesful in his own right with Korea and now he has done well with Australia. Sure, the routes easier than Europe but that should not take away what he has achieved or the experience he brings to the side, but for the cross bar and some exceptonal goal keeping on the day we would have won against Qatar. Are we judging him on results or the fact we dont play like Barcelona? Who at international level does nowadays? As the learned Bahraini coach said recenlty pretty football without results is meaningless.