Schwarzer’s out, Chipperfield will be rested and Kewell was never in consideration. Just three weeks away from Australia’s clash with Germany, the worrying threat of injury looms over the Socceroos squad, particularly after New Zealand’s declaration that they will not “hold back” at the MCG tonight.
Evidently I’m not the only one concerned, after former Socceroo Craig Foster used his column in the Fairfax press yesterday to plead for “no unlucky breaks” in Australia’s farewell match against the Kiwis.
The inspirational Schwarzer injured his thumb in training last week, and it will be interesting to note whether the uncapped Adam Federici gets the nod over Brad Jones between the posts in tonight’s clash.
After starring for the Olyroos at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, Federici was earlier this year approached by the Italian Football Association to represent the Azzurri.
But surely the player many consider to be the logical long-term replacement for Schwarzer will make a belated debut for the Socceroos tonight, having established himself as first choice at Championship side Reading this season.
David Carney needs a big game at left-back in the absence of the tireless Chipperfield, with the latter recently voted by FC Basel fans as their player of the season after scoring 13 goals in 26 league games during their title-winning run.
Carney, by contrast, played just eight times in the league for Dutch champions FC Twente, as departed coach Steve McClaren generally preferred Dwight Tiendalli ahead of the Socceroos squad member.
Carney’s lack of first team football mirrors that of a number of Socceroos going into this clash, and it’s now or never for Sydney FC target Nicky Carle, who has one last chance to convince Pim Verbeek that he’s worth a seat on the flight to South Africa.
Carle has been in and out of the national team since making his debut against Venezuela back in 2004, but unless he turns in an influential performance against a physical New Zealand side, he may find himself squeezed out of Verbeek’s 23-man squad by everyone’s favourite Brett Holman.
The enigmatic Carle is clearly considered a luxury player by Verbeek, and perhaps his best chance to make the squad is through an injury to one of his contemporaries.
Already Rhys Williams and Richard Garcia have been ruled out of tonight’s encounter as they nurse knocks picked up during the long English season, and Verbeek could be forgiven for hoping that his players aren’t cajoled into too many full-blooded tackles in this trans-Tasman showdown.
Injuries to key players could prove catastrophic at this stage, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the cotton wool comes out and the likes of Lucas Neill and Tim Cahill aren’t substituted at the earliest opportunity.
With Nagoya Grampus striker Josh Kennedy yet another struggling for full fitness, Middlesbrough front man Scott McDonald looks set to lead the line, and he’ll be desperate to finally break his goal scoring duck for the Socceroos in his home town.
Whether the match answers any questions for Verbeek remains to be seen, but one thing is certain – we should all cross our fingers and hope that the team avoids any injuries.
Nothing would be more demoralising than losing a key player just weeks before the main event, so here’s hoping that Kiwi striker Rory Fallon’s claim that a few players “could get injured” is nothing more than empty rhetoric.
I’m not even sure why Football Federation Australia thought it a sensible idea to play our fierce Antipodean rivals in this farewell clash – not that an opponent like Croatia wouldn’t haven’t been equally fired up – but for now, we just have to grin and bear it.
But we can be forgiven for wincing every time Vinnie Grella makes a lunging tackle, as the Socceroos aim to end their farewell friendly against the Kiwis fully intact.
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