Newly inducted Australian Soccer Hall of Fame duo Tony Vidmar and Paul Okon have urged critics to stop rubbishing the Socceroos’ style of play and instead celebrate their World Cup qualification.
Vidmar and Okon, two Socceroos greats who had distinguished club careers in Europe, entered the Hall of Fame at a function in Melbourne on Thursday.
Vidmar, a veteran of four World Cup campaigns, said those critical of Pim Verbeek’s team should remember back to the crucial 1997 match against Iran at the MCG when the Socceroos outplayed their rivals, but still missed qualification.
“They’ve done a job … people have probably criticised them that it hasn’t been pretty football, but in ’97 we played a lot of pretty football and unfortunately it didn’t get us to qualify,” said Vidmar, who played in the 1997 qualifier.
“The main objective is to qualify and hopefully they’ll do the same job they did in Germany where they really expressed themselves.”
Okon agreed with his former teammate, saying the Socceroos traditionally lifted for higher-rated opposition – something which augured well for South Africa.
“We’re there at the World Cup, we knew qualifying through Asia was going to be difficult, we’ve managed to do that,” Okon said.
“A lot will depend on who we get drawn (with in the group stage). Australia’s always performed at its best when it’s not been the favourite.
“Let’s hope in South Africa we go into every game the underdog and every game we come out on top.”
Australia’s most capped footballer, ex-Matildas captain Cheryl Salisbury, was also inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Salisbury played 151 times for the national women’s team.
Nine former Socceroos were also presented with their international caps at the ceremony, including Melbourne Victory skipper Kevin Muscat, Paul Trimboli, Steve Horvat and Ernie Tapai.
Long-serving soccer journalist John Economos and former administrator Sam Vella were also added as non-playing inductees into the Hall of Fame.
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