Four years ago, I watched The World Game with bemusement as Craig Foster unprofessionally ranted at Ange Postecoglou, treating the guest with utter disrespect. I thought I saw the worst of Foster, but now he has reached a new nadir.
The funny thing is that only a day before Craig Foster was the one with the voice of reason, suggesting that this isn’t the time for over-analysis and over-criticism of the team. That the postmortem should happen after the World Cup, and this is the time to give the team the support when it needed it the most.
Now, in a complete turnaround that almost suggests bipolar personality, Foster on The World Cup show now calls for Pim Verbeek to be immediately sacked. He suggested a group of Australian captains should go up and demand for Verbeek to explain his tactics, and if they are not happy with his explanation, then they should enforce their own game plan on the team and if Pim is unhappy with that, let him leave.
That’s insane.
For someone who says that Australian coaches are under-qualified and lack experience and the need for foreign coaches to come and improve standards, what makes the players who have far less experience in coaching more qualified then Pim to make tactical decisions? After all would Foster be happy if the likes of Graham Arnold and Frank Farina, who are both ex-captains of the Socceroos, leading the “ex-captains committee”?
Also, would any coach in the world want to work in a country where there is a committee that second guesses the decision of a coach? History has shown clubs have been undermined when people in the upper management have interfered in the realms of the coach.
Considering the way Craig Johnston and Foster differ in their opinions of how Australia should play, especially after Johnston suggested that Australia should play route one football, there’s no reason that the “captains committee” will agree with each other, leaving an even more unfocused performance. Managing a sporting team is not a democracy and Foster’s idea of this committee is insane.
Lastly, sacking a coach in the middle of the World Cup is just mad. This has only happen once in the history of the World Cup (Cha Bum-Kun in the 1998 World Cup) and never after one game when the team hasn’t been eliminated yet. It’s impossible for anyone to come in with short notice and improve the performance of the team
Towards the end of the segment, Johnston then suggested as an alternative to the sacking of Verbeek that there should be a player led coup with the team ignoring the instructions from the manager and have one of the players become the de-facto manager of the Socceroos. Foster quickly agreed that this was a good solution.
Now to be fair, there have been some successful precedence to this, apparently Michael Ballack became a de-facto manager of Germany after the 2-1 loss to Croatia at Euro 2008 and Paraguay made it to the Round of 16 of the 2002 World Cup by ignoring the manager’s instruction. According to Chilavert: “At half-time, the players decided to go on the attack and not do things the way the coach had told us.”
However, although there are rumours of internal divisions in the Socceroos and there were hints that Grella and Kewell was dissatisfied with the tactics and selection, there’s no indication that Verbeek lost the confidence of the entire squad, unlike the Paraguay side. We also don’t have a leadership equivalent of a Ballack and a Chilavert. Also, didn’t Foster always say that Australian players are relatively tactically naive?
In the end, Foster’s rant reveals his own hypocrisy and his criticism and suggestion reveals his biggest weakness as an analyst – that he sometimes lets his emotions get in the way of his better judgment.
Now I have been a big critic of Verbeek and the way we have been playing for the last two to three years, but now isn’t the time for calling for his sacking or a player led revolt. This is the time to give Australia and Verbeek support and give him the opportunity to make amends, especially when Australia has not been eliminated at the World Cup yet.
As Foster previously suggested but ultimately forget, the time for the postmortem should occur after the World Cup.
Harry Kewell
Guest
Fozzie is a legend, his heart is in the right place.
Fred
Guest
I totally agree, it was absolutely cringeworthy and embarrasing.
Australian Football
Roar Guru
I am not sure if that is right---Pim was appointed by Ben Buckley as far as I know. Who were these exSocceroos that interviewed him you say..? My information is he was interviewed by a departing Rob Baan-ex Football Technical Director, (a mate) John Boultbee-Head of International Football Development and gave Ben Buckley their advice.
apaway
Guest
Fozz doesn't have the required coaching qualifications to take the role of national team coach, and I suspect he is happier doing what he's doing. Let's look at this from another view: Before the Germany game, there was a lot of opinion that the Socceroos style of play would be unsuited to the World Cup finals - too defensive, not enterprising enough in attack, too much emphasis on the holding midfielders playing deep etc. The irony is that Verbeek (whether he listended to all the talk or not) DID change the structure. And it failed spectacularly. I note that up to last night there had been only 28 goals in 17 games of what has been a very defence-oriented World Cup, with the only team to really come out of a defensive shell and attack successfully being - Germany. (And yes, they had help from a disorganised defence) Now leaving aside individual player performances, is it fanciful to suggest that if Verbeek had played his "Asian Qualifiers" line up and formation, that the score might have been a little closer, possibly even in the realms of "acceptable", and Verbeek, although still with his detractors, might not have been hung, drawn and quartered?
apaway
Guest
AF Verbeek was interviewed and appointed by a committee of well-credentialled ex-Socceroo players who were deeply involved in the coaching pathways of the AFC. It wasn't just Ben Buckley. The FFA also allegedly offered Fozz the chance to complete his professional coaching license and then be able to critique the coaching set up of the FFA but Fozz declined, possibly regarding it as a conflict of interest. I agree he says a lot of insightful and honest things about the state of the game, but this week he has managed to refute his very own advice only 24 hours after giving it. He is somewhat hard to keep up with...
dasilva
Roar Guru
yeah, It's hard to take rumours of players revolt seriously when it coming from the source of a commentator who advocated a player revolt.
Realfootball
Guest
Quite painless.
yossarian
Guest
There are many precedents for 'the team' deciding that the manager is wrong. Heppened with England under Bobby Robson (a really good coach) when in mexico (I think) they persuaded him to finally go with a sweeper role after he steadfastly refused to change his 4-4-2 system. It was the senior players in the squad who went to him to voice their feelings after a poor first round result, they improved their performance markedly afterwards and Bobby along with the players got the plaudits. As for Pim...average in my view at best, but don't sack him now, who takes over Graeme Arnold?...noooooooo! Australian team is also average; over the hill, slow, technically poor, but probably the best players we currently have. Oar is simply 'potential' at the moment, his defensive work is non-existant and the Germans would have ripped both sides of the park apart with him in the team. Nicky Carle can't even make Crystal Palace's first team for his lack of fitness and defensive frailties, don't tell me he is our solution.That's not Pim's fault - although the tactical set up and lack of 'steel' were. Did anyone see Moore on the 4th goal stand and watch as the Germans ran past him to get into the box?But worst of all is the FFA who personally I think have missed the best opportunity to develop football in this country ever, and should be vilified for their wasting of the last ten years in youth development and this 'golden generation' of Aussie players. No younger kids coming through any where near the level of this current crop; no long term plan for development, no qualifying for the U17 WC for years now, a narrow 'pathway' for young teenagers to persue rather than doing what the rest of the world does at 14 (which is widen the net, not narrow it), flawed AIS, State Academies of Sport models. It's a long time in the wilderness boys.
Joe FC
Guest
Craig Foster has now resorted to peddling rumours in his very public effort to disparage & discard Pim. Last night on SBS news he blandly reported rumours claiming that 3 senior Socceroos had contacted FFA requesting Pim be immediately sacked. Later during the World Cup Show on SBS2 Les Murray joined his protégé’s assault & raised the allegations, conveniently providing another tub thumping forum for Foster. Later denials by Ben Buckley & Harry Kewell are not likely to dampen the fire burning in the belly of single minded zealots.
mice
Guest
Watching the highlights of the Spain v Switzerland. After the goal was scored the commentators words were "route one football". I have to agree with Craig Johnston. There are may ways to play the game and you play to your strengths.
Alders
Guest
The point being they are hardly sporting or footballing powers. Anything else need explaining?
Lorry
Guest
Can we please call them what they are, "coaches"? "Managers" sounds so corporate and makes one immediately think of elaborately-coiffed arrogant European (or Thai or Russian) club-owner/corporate-criminal types... But seriously, leave Pim alone! The cattle are the problem...
hp
Guest
I think he's an idiot fullstop. That was unprofessional of him.
NY
Guest
Fozz was too emotional on SBS the other night. At this point there is nothing we can do, and just hope that the performance against Ghana is much better. Let's face it. Pim is an average coach. We know it. Fozz knows it, and that's what frustrates the hell out of him. I have no doubt that Ricki Herbert could do a better job with the Australian team at the moment. And that is what you look for in a coach. Getting the best out of the team he has at his disposal with clever tactics.
David
Guest
I think foss was right Verbeeks plan was a shamboles any nation in the World loe 4-0 which potentially should have been 7-0 would sack their coach on the spot or at least take some sort of action. We seem to content to hope magically everything gets better and we beat Ghana
JD
Guest
I believe Craig Foster to be strong in his comments and emotional. However, what he states is fact. European and many other countries are very technically good. Craig Foster simply wants the best for Australia in this sport and when he sees a major setback, I can understand how he could be a little up-front with his feelings. He wants to see Australia playing against any country in the world and not being seen as an underdog, but as a true contender.
Cpaaa
Roar Pro
“Science-fiction Football" , that was a cracker and even better coming from Les Mr.Football Murray. lol. Foz seemed to like the analogy as well. Das i agree that sacking Pim now seems unrealistic, but if he pulls another stunt like that again or has lost the dressing room, then what other choice do the players have? Lastly on Foz, he said before the tournament that if Australia is to progress, it will not be because of our tactician but because of the selfbelief the players have in themselves. (or something along those lines) Only one game in and that could not be further from the truth.
Football Mad
Guest
Remember that Foster is part of the PFA. He is continually talking up the players. His view is that only elite level players can make good coaches. Coaches such as Sacchi, Mourinho, Parriera show this does not have to be the case. His suggestion that a panel of ex-players take over the reins of the team now is ludicrous. How many of our players play in the Champions League? How many play for top clubs? How good is our talent pool? If Verbeek has lost the dressing room, well, shame on the players. Their job is to do their best under whatever tactics the coaches devises. If this doesn't work out, the coach gets sacked. But not in mid-tournament. Some of the players should worry less about appearing on the telly or in magazines (eg Neill, Kewell, Cahill) and more about performing on the pitch. Let Verbeek continue until the team is knocked out. Then, if (when?) we are unsuccessful, appoint someone else.
dasilva
Roar Guru
Ok Fisher Price Which high calibre coach would take over the team for two games at the World Cup at short notice The only person who would do that would be coaches from Australia as no foreign coach would do it. Tell me are there any high calibre coach in Australia that should take over from Pim Verbeek for the last two games of the World Cup? The only thing sacking Pim would do, is actually hand the keys to the Socceroos back to Graham Arnold Pim is already leaving after the world cup. That's the time to get a "high calibre coach"
dasilva
Roar Guru
Perhaps, but what's the option Let Pim Verbeek finish his job for the World Cup is the least worst option out of all the other options (such as sacking Pim Verbeek, installing a captain's committee or a player let coup detat) as all the other options have a higher risk of even poorer performance and also would make Football a laughing stock in the media with football being portrayed as a disorganised rabble again. Australia made a mistake with Pim Verbeek and we have to see this mistake through.