Brett, we should have done this a long time ago. But now that you will grace the field with a Premier League club, it seems fitting to make it official. We, the football people of Australia, are sorry.
For the first four years of your Socceroo career, bar the goal you scored against China on debut, we derided you. We chastised you. We used you as a scapegoat.
Now every Socceroo fan has egg on their face.
What you have done since the start of the 2010 World Cup has been remarkable. Your goal against Ghana was a joyous occasion. Your goal against Serbia simply exquisite.
That you flourished under Pim Verbeek is even more awe inspiring. That man would have trouble getting Barcelona playing in an entertaining and expressive way. The less said about him the better.
You have forged out a long career in the Dutch Eredevise, playing at this high level to the bemusement of many Socceroo fans who didn’t see such experience translate to the green and gold.
You made us wait, but now you are delivering. Each time you have stepped out for the team since that game against Ghana you have been exemplary. You tenaciously defend, hustle and press, an essential ability needed to play the most modern styles of football.
You have a technical ability with the ball at your feet unmatched in the Australian side. You have even won the praise of our team’s harshest critic, SBS Chief Football Analyst Craig Foster. He believes you play in the space behind the strikers and in front of the holding midfielders superbly.
You are almost the only option we have in this vitally important position. So much so that Tim Cahill’s place in the starting eleven has been questioned.
You are what all upcoming Australian footballers should aspire to be. A player who displays intelligent movement, advanced penetrating passing and sound technical quality. You balance this with admirable defensive skills.
You are the perfectly rounded modern footballer.
The Premier League is where you deserve to be.
However be wary. Alex McLeish does not exactly play a pretty game. His sides, especially when he was successful at Birmingham, were built on tight defense. He is yet to impress at Aston Villa.
Regardless of this, hopefully the arrival of a player like yourself changes the mindset at Villa Park.
Best wishes in the Barclays Premier League Brett, you will succeed.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
This morning, in the 1st leg of the Europa League QF, Brett Holman scored an absolutely cracking goal - as perfect as a Messi or Ronaldo goal. And, Holman played the final inch-perfect pass to assist with the winning goal as AZ Alkmaar beat Valencia 2-1. http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/socceroos-star-brett-holman-scores-brilliant-goal-as-az-alkmar-win-europa-league-quarter-final-first-leg/story-e6frf423-1226314208928
The Keeper
Guest
It makes me wonder sometimes why anyone would want to represent Australia in any sport. WTF is wrong with some of you people? For starters, how can anyone possibly still be raising the Nicky Carle over Brett Holman argument? Its done. I commend Anthcol for the public apology as there is no doubt Brett deserves one from many people in Australia. Your article sums up what Brett has always brought to the Australian team and any team he has played for. Unfortunately, once the bitter couch potatoes in this country take aim their bad taste tends to spread like a desease. In Bretts case this is despite the fact that their misguided opinions differ greatly from that of all Bretts current and previous coaches and teamates. Fortunately, they actually no what they are talking about and therefore it is their opinions that count. I personaly don't need to apologise because I have known Brett from long before his journey began with the short stint at Parramatta Power. I understand the time, effort, dedication and sacrifices he and his family made in order for him to realise his dream. He has built a succesful career playing the sport he loves and proudly represented the country he loves which is more than I have done and I dare say more than most of the hate brigade combined has done.
JimmyMac
Guest
thanks. and so you can all now apologise also to luke wilkshire.
tomdartnell11
Roar Rookie
Well well, this has put the cat amongst the pigeons. Apology or not, Holman has undoubtedly changed the perception around him and improved his standing in the national team picture over the last three years.
Lucan
No apology coming from me either. The guy WAS RUBBISH and was given many chances others haven't been lucky enough to receive. Yes, through perseverence and hard work he had improved greatly and now owns his place in the Australian XI. But what he does today, doesn't mean what happened in '07, '08, '09 no longer exists. Good luck to him in England. He better be a first team footballer there, otherwise it is a daft move.
Midfielder
Guest
The new kids on the block are Musty & Tomas....
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
+1
Davo
Guest
Nicky Carle is only past his best form becuase he was never selected when in best form. Pim Verbeek should apoligise to australia for all the harm he caused the game here. - Rubbishing the A-League - Making the Socceroos boring, costing FFA attendence revenue - Making a good squad bomb out the World cup becuase of the team he chose in the first match and the tactics he played - Leaving out talented players and playing holman Pim was a disgrace to Australian football
TomC
Guest
Yeah, really, Fuss. We were hardly competitive against Germany. Certainly the way we got blown away in that game wasn't a performance of a team that wants to make the second round of the world cup. We haven't played enough meaningful games against teams of that calibre for your 'smashed on the scoreboard' standard to be useful. And sure we didn't get belted by Italy or Brazil in 2006, but we couldn't score against them either.
John
Guest
Speak for yourself. Im not sorry at all. One fluke goal at the WC and suddenly hes gods gift to man. Hes got poor touch poor passing and poor vision. He still sucks and always will. Look at his recent 2011 highlight video for AZ. He has all highlights of him missing and its supposed to be a promotional video. LOL
apaway
Roar Guru
Interesting article. As one who felt Holman had a lot to offer (no, not re-writing history, and he was a standout at the 2010 WC), I've no doubt he has proved many doubters wrong. That said, I'm a little concerned about his move to Villa, a big club who have been awful this season under Alex McLeish. The part of the article I respectfully do not agree with is the criticism of Pim Verbeek. I think a lot of football people base their assessment of Verbeek on one match; the 4-0 loss to Germany. It took a manager of immense fortitude to turn the Socceroos around from that, and they only missed qualification on goal difference. Germany went on to put 4 past both England and Argentina.
Axelv
Guest
He performed very well in the warm up games to the World Cup, also excellent in the Asian Cup, has also been vital for the previous round of the World Cup Qualifying.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
To a team that delivered similar drubbings to other exceptionally strong nations as well as ours.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
"The issue is that once we got there, we weren’t at the level we needed to be to compete with genuine world class teams." Really? AUS lost 1 game against one of the most powerful teams in the World and, perhaps, the 2nd strongest team at the FIFA WC. From memory, AUS has only been totally smashed on the scoreboard in 1 meaningful game in the past 10 years. That sort of achievement would be the envy of every other Australian national sports team.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
On one hand, that's fair enough - but a lot of the judgement on Holman is swayed by two WC goals (fair enough, they are valuable and rare), but it's possible that that sways a lot of fans' opinions and glosses over the 45 NT games were he was ordinary, and often, quite hopeless. Holman got a fair bit of credit out of those 2 WC goals, perhaps enough to wipe out his debits with interest, but there is a limit to how long you dine out on that.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
super G On reflection, that group is much, much tougher than the one we have now - let us see if we qualify as smoothly as we did that time.
TomC
Guest
I didn't think we were awful against Ghana. Anyway, it's not just that Verbeek got us there. We got there so easily it was just plain boring. Very few teams qualify for a world cup as smoothly as we did for 2010. The issue is that once we got there, we weren't at the level we needed to be to compete with genuine world class teams. As TC says, the problem was with his brief, not with the execution.
Futbanous
Guest
Only question I need to know is does he do the job for the NT when on the park. Far as I can discern,yes he does. The rest is semantics.
Matt F
Roar Guru
I disagree. Holman is a better player then Carle and their club records (a regular starter in one of the best Eredivisie teams with champions leaue experience and soon to be EPL player vs a good A-League player who had a couple of mediocre seasons in Europe) demonstrates this.
Kasey
Guest
I saw Holman Score and nobody believed me! I guess running around like a headless chook will still get you socceroos caps:( and even the sun shines on a dog's @rse once in a while, & like Palmers scatergun approach to yelling at FFA, take enough shots sooner or later one will hit the target. I was so relieved to see Bresciano back in the team for the Saudi game last month. Bresh has something Holman will nevrer have...pure footballing talent(just wish he was 25 not 32). More Mark, Less Brett please. Signing for the Vile doesn't make you a decent footballer it just means more Australian's will notice him now, especially those poor sods who think the football world begins and ends with the Barclay's Premier League:( There's still hope for Matt Leckie to fill the midfield breach for when Bresh, he's only young.