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The Australian Socceroos during a training session in Brisbane, Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, ahead of their World Cup qualifier match against Qatar on Wednesday. AAP Image/Dave Hunt
Following on from Part One, Part Two looks at which players will fill the last three outfield places going to South Africa as part of the Socceroos.
Dario Vidosic is just about a sure thing. Pim seems to like him, he suits the formation, and he is getting a regular run in Nuremberg, despite no longer being part of the starting eleven.
The squad’s light on strikers, even though Harry Kewell is being touted as the man to play at the pointy end. Bruce Djite is the only Aussie who can play as a genuine lone striker, but his lack of experience and first team football may count against him. If Pim is looking for pace, Nikita Rukavystya would be handy on the bench, as would Melbourne’s Archie Thompson. There may be a spot for one of these players, but not both.
Pim will want an extra central defender, but his shortlist can’t be very long. Matthew Spiranovic must be top of the pile, although his lack of first team football is a huge disadvantage. Chris Coyne is playing every week, but he has hardly set the A-League alight (the same could be said at the moment of the decidedly below-par Craig Moore, but luckily for him he is already part of the fold).
Who else? Mark Milligan has always impressed, and his versatility is an asset, but his move to J2 League club JEF United is baffling. Adrian Madaschi from Serie C2 may be a surprise choice. That he is a distinct possibility, while an in-form A-League defender like Simon Colosimo is not, has more to do with Pim’s Euro-blinkers than anything else.
There are a number of other players who might deserve consideration, but they either don’t fit the formation that Pim has built around Timmy Cahill, or have just been beaten to their spot by someone else. The dreadfully unlucky Nicky Carle is in the former camp; Carl Valeri, Richard Garcia and Mile Sterjovski are in the latter. Jacob Burns’ form for Perth every week has certainly not been good for his World Cup prospects.
Therefore, the last three outfield spots will be taken by:
18. Dario Vidosic
19. Matthew Spiranovic
20. Bruce Djite (or Rukavystya, if he can break into the first team more regularly)
A bolter? I honestly don’t think that there will be any true Hiddink-like surprises, but if there is I’d like to think Alex Brosque has a shot. He is in amazing form at the moment, and it may help him if Kewell ends up playing up front and Pim needs another left-side option and/or someone who could buzz around behind the strikers. A good game against Kuwait would enhance his chances.
And I would love to see Nicky Carle in the squad, just to know that there is a creative player on the bench who could be thrown on in dire need. A ‘break glass in case of emergency’ type footballer. But that kind of player does not fit neatly into Pim’s rigid system, so I’m not holding any hope.
If a Brosque or a Carle were to be included, who would miss out? The obvious choice in the established squad would be Holman, but Pim seems to see something in him that very few others do. Injuries might open up a spot or two and the biggest concern at the moment is Vince Grella, which would open up a place for ‘mini-Vinnie’ Carl Valeri.
In Part Three we examine goalkeepers.
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