If it is true, and a Lucas Neill led mutiny against the previous Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek occurred before last year’s World Cup opening game against Germany, then Neil should be immediately relieved of his duties as captain of the Australian national football team.
It was released into the media this week that prior to the opening game of the 2010 World Cup against Germany, Lucas Neill asked then Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek to leave the room while he spoke to his charges.
With the team to himself, Neill then erased the coach’s game plan from the whiteboard, told his team to “forget this bullshit” and ordered them to play the way they always had – attacking football.
This new game plan, sprung on the Australian team literally minutes before they were to face arguably the World Cup nation with the most consistent tournament record, would easily describe the absolute disgrace with which the Socceroos took to the pitch that night.
While much has been said about Pim Verbeek’s defensive footballing style and the fact he put results above the aesthetics of how his team plays, there is no denying that as coach of the Socceroos (with exception to the Disaster in Durban) results were the one thing that he did managed to achieve.
Which made it all the more surprising that against Germany, Australia seemed completely lost on the park.
I’ve spent the last twelve months with a lot of anger aimed squarely at Pim Verbeek. I criticised his blatant giving in to the German team for our early removal from the tournament and sung the praises of anybody offering to give us more attacking flair.
However, now, with the bombshell news that Pim did have a plan to get a pragmatic result against a team with a much higher skill base than the Australians and that the plan was overthrown at the very last minute by the ego of a player whose judgment was clearly lacking, the man everyone loved to hate seems to be a lot less at fault than was first thought.
My anger is palpable: what on Earth was Neill thinking to change the game plan only minutes before the start of the match? What sane person would think that this level of confusion and misunderstanding would benefit the team?
This is the man that is meant to represent our country and the countless Australians at all levels of the game (of which I am myself) and yet I am left to think that he was more concerned with his ego and belief that he knew better than the coach, abused his position of leadership in the team and ruined our 2010 World Cup campaign.
If this is the truth and Lucas Neill really was responsible for the “Disaster in Durban,” then he’s not someone who I would want representing me, and the sport that I love, to the rest of the world.
It’s true that while I’ve never been a believer in Pim’s footballing tactics and I am very glad now that Holger Osieck is the coach of the Socceroos, I just can’t help but think that had Neill not had such a terrible brain snap at such an important time, we could all be talking about what was, rather than what could have been.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
BrisbaneGrowl Now that Les Murray has publicly admitted the story about Lucas was FALSE, I reckon it would be nice if you, too, provided some sort of apology for this article.
apaway
Guest
Maybe it was the same source as Robbie Slater's, when he came out with the equally scurrilous article about Harry Kewell. A rare case of SBS and Fox Sports co-operating to chop down some of Oz football's tallest poppies.
apaway
Guest
Maybe Lionel Messi led a mutiny and threw out Diego's game plan.
Australian Football
Roar Guru
Arrh good ol' Bernie---yes he is always good for a source of information that comes from a fly on the wall out of the player's dressing room sheds. I think Les fell for a sucker punch.
Kasey
Guest
jamesb: you know, football has had more than its fair share of haters in this country. As a fan you'd think that I'd be used to it. But I still cringe when I see otherwise respectable sports journos going out of their way to show football a lack of respect. Sometimes it feels like we are to be looked upon as second class sports fans in this country because we dare to follow something other than the precious code of the author of whatever jibe about the world game. And then when they get the arc-up response they desired, they can sit back, laugh and say, gee you sokkah guys really should lighten up! I know as a fan I would find it a lot easier to take criticisms of the game on board (and lets face it, there are more than a few things that could be done better by the FFA and the HAL clubs) if the rebukes were delivered without that sh*t-eating ("I told you dumb wogs") patronising sentiment that just oozes through the writings of such football hating luminaries as Phil Rothfield, Peter Fitzsimons, Graham Cornes, Mike Sheahan etc. I will know football has arrived in this country when it garners the same level of basic respect in media writing that all the other football codes receive. I predict this will happen in about 50 years, if at all.
jamesb
Guest
Kasey i wouldn't worry too much about Fitzsimons. How can i say it, he is a different kettle of fish. Half the time he is seroius, other times he just likes to stir the pot.
Andy
Guest
Niell is past it, time to bring in some younger players who can do things like run.
Davo
Guest
no i wouldn't lost respect for neill, he already is a great captain, just the new level of respect for standing up to Pim wouldn't be gained.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
And, yet another eye-witness present on the day, one of the National Team's reserve GKs, Eugene Galekovic, says that ... 1. Lucas Neill did not call for mutiny before the Germany clash in Durban. 2. There was a good bond in team camp and there was no animosity between the team and Pim 3. He was there and never heard FIFA reps knocking on the door telling the team they were about to forfeit if they didn't emerge from the change rooms! Source: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/socceroos-mutiny-claims-are-hearsay/story-e6frecj3-1226080929588
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
Agreed, SJ. "First hand" accounts trump "credible sources". For this story to have any real traction a 1st hand account of events as described by Les needs to be brought forward.
oly
Guest
Yes but Les has a responability to double-check his facts - that's called journalism. Why did he not contact Neill for a comment? Of course, his story would be a lot less interesting if it included Neill saying it wasn't true and that he didn't even make the final speech before the game.
Slippery Jim
Guest
So Davo, does that mean now that Lucas Neil has come out and said it is all lies and he supported Pim throughout the campaign you will lose respect for him? Les Murray has a lot to answer for if he has got this wrong, as it seems almost certain he has. Some people are saying that his 'credible source' was Craig Foster. Me, I'll believe Craig Moore and those who were actually present.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Yup. Agree with Ben's comments. Les is reporting what someone TOLD him. So, provided Les has reported correctly then Les is not lying - he has reported what the person told him. BUT, that does not mean that the statement is TRUE ... this is the very reason hearsay evidence is not allowed to be used (apart from some exceptions) as evidence in court cases. The only people, who can state what happened are the people who were there at the time. And, if there are conflicting reports from people who were eye-witnesses to this event, each of us would have to decide which eye-witness is the most credible and truthful.
Roarchild
Guest
Allegedly the source is Bernie Manic. If all he has done is take it from the one source and not bothered to check with the rest of the players (in fear of the story breaking) then it is really sloppy and poor. Football is now has a much bigger profile than when Les first started so the extra scrutiny might have surprised him.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
No, there would be an Australian Football Journalist who was screwed by his source. He wouldn't be the first. Les' big gamble is the amount of trust he has placed upon his source as he has backed this source with his reputation by not placing in the normal caveats. This is where his professional standing risks taking a pummeling. I believe that Les is repeating what he heard; I just think in this case some more caution should have been exercised. Hence it is Neill's word, and the word of many other Socceroos, against that of an unknown source. It's not a case of Neill's word against Les. You may well find both men are telling the truth.
BrisbaneGrowl
Roar Rookie
I do have to disagree on one point though, Lucas has every reason to lie (I'm not saying he is however, keep that in mind). He's the one the accusation is centered on. If Les Murray truly is lying, then as an Austrlian Football Journalist, that would be a disgrace.
Roarchild
Guest
Sorry but I don't think Les has the credibility he used to. While on the FIFA ethics committee he introduced Hagirty to the FFA and is now spruiking a book (and kept the story until the book was released).
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
sure, I agree it's not an excuse. But, that wasn't the issue. The issue was whether Germany also humiliated Argentina & England and I reckon the humiliation was worse, given the quality of players in those teams.
Davo
Guest
No way. Neill has earned my respect for standing up to Verbeek. He was a complete joke of a coach. The only downside is that it came too late, it needed to come many months earlier not after the starting lineup was named without a striker. Lucas showed pride in Australia and insisted that we play the Australian way. The Australian way is 'having a go', at least trying to compete. The beleif that the australian was is that 'we should beat everybody' is rubbish formed by Verbeek in his interviews. Neill stood up for the good of our country. To all of you saying that we may have only lost 2-0 etc. if we have had played Verbeek style. That is purely a prediction, there is no way of knowing. Besides when Inter Milan played a 8-1-1 formation against barcelona they STILL LOST 1-0 on the night. Congrats to Neill and as for Verbeek, well one thing is for sure, Morocco won't be copetitive in football for the next decade or so with that fool involved.
dasilva
Guest
The fact that Argentina and England were "humiliated" against Germany doesn't excuse Australia being humiliated by Germany if Serbia and Ghana can be competitive against Germany then so could Australia, England and Argentina. I also say that if Germany was as clinical against Australia as they were with England and Argentina then it would have been a repeat of the saudi arabia disaster