Earlier this week, former Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek, the man who ‘led’ Australia’s 2010 World Cup campaign in South Africa, came out and painted a grim picture for the future of the national team.
He said that it will take “at least a generation” for Australia to produce players capable of taking on the world.
In an interview with Qatari sports website Doha Stadium Plus, Verbeek, now Morocco’s under-21s coach, said “a dwindling youth talent pool was one of the reasons [he] did not stay in the job after the World Cup.”
I have news for you Pim – we know, and we were glad to see the back of you. It was never your team Mr Verbeek, it was Australia’s, and you brought the game to its knees.
You got two million bucks a year to lead us into a World Cup and you crucified the Socceroos with your negative style of football.
That shocking performance against Germany not only broke hearts, but ended our World Cup campaign. It sums up your tenure.
I refuse to place all of the blame on the players. You sent the players out with a plan that they simply didn’t believe in. Many were left confused and frustrated by the negative tactics you frequently used.
You have a huge share of responsibility for the long term challenges the team faces to get back to a standard where we can compete with the top teams.
“If you see the performance of their youth teams at the moment, it isn’t that encouraging,” Verbeek said.
You mention that in the third round of 2012 Olympic Games qualification, “they” (the Olyroos) played six games, but couldn’t “score a single goal.”
As I see it, there are two glaring omissions that you failed to consider.
1. Obviously a failure to score in five consecutive games is concerning, but Pim, I plead for a sense of perspective. The Olyroos had two perfectly good goals disallowed in Uzbekistan. Against the UAE, they had the two best chances of the game.
2. The Olyroos’ Olympic campaign was blighted by club-versus-country issues – the non-FIFA dates meant European-based players were mostly unavailable.
No disrespect to the players who were picked, they gave all they could, but if you think of a European-based forward line of Tommy Oar and Matthew Leckie, that is the extra bit of quality that was missing in an attacking sense.
Hopes that the golden generation of Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka and Tim Cahill would evolve into a consistent production line may not eventuate, but there are several hundred Australians plying their trade across the globe.
Tom Rogic and Aaron Mooy continue to light up the A-League, while emerging talents Mustafa Amini (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Eli Babalj (Red Star Belgrade, Serbia) and Curtis Good (Newcastle United, England) have made their way from the Hyundai A-League to heavyweight European clubs.
The Australian influence in the K-League has shown no signs of abating, with Brendan Hamill (Seongnam Ilhwa) and Alex Wilkinson (Jeonbuk Motors) the latest to land in Korea.
It’s great to see these players head to all parts of the world to develop their game. It’s a positive for the national team, as well as the actual players.
So Pim, with respect to your comments regarding the state of the game in Australia, just zip it.
Yours sincerely,
Football Fan
Reynoldsinski
Guest
There are 10 countries that are full members of the ICC, and around 27 associate members. If FIFA was as stringent as the ICC, then there would probably be 50+ countries (maybe more) that would only be associate members of FIFA.
Bondy.
Guest
How many nations play cricket 5 or 7.
Brendon
Guest
These magical "cycles" people talk of is fascinating to me. Top players will just magically appear out of nowhere after a certain amount of time? The reason the Australian cricket team improved was because of the measures and hard work done back in the 80' and 90's - not through some magical cycle. Football is no different.
Brendon
Guest
Typical foreign coach bashing you see with Deans and the Wallabies. Sure, Pim was negative and his selections and strategy for the game against Germany were bizarre and wrong but he got us to the 2010 world cup easily - much easier than we are currently attempting 2014 and qualification was his job. We walked away from 2010 with the same group 1 record as 2006. 1 win, 1 loss and 1 draw. Yeah, Ghana went ahead through instead of us because of the Germany game. Pim gets demonised while Hiddink's idiotic choice to play Kalac against Croatia instead of Schwarzer in 2006, cost us a win and almost the draw to put us through to the 2nd round is forgotten. You only have to look at how many Australians are commanding full time spots in teams in the big leagues in Europe to see the quality isn't there. We've seen it in rugby, cricket and football - the quality of players coming through aren;t just there and its not the head coach's fault so stop scapegoating them, especially if they're foreign.
jamesb
Guest
look, it goes in cycles. But slowly Australia will start to produce quality players like Kewell and Viduka. Similar to Australian cricket, a great side in the past, now struggling to produce batsmen, again it goes around in cycles.
Evan Askew
Guest
I think Pim is a bit of an arrogant European time server. But we shouldn't ignore some of the good points he makes. He raised a point about the A league clubs not having youth academies. I think that is something that has to be addressed so that the best talent can get the proper professional coaching and not have to pay vast sums to afford it. The club pays for it in the hope that one day it will yield them a Mark Viduka or a Ned Zelic who will give them a juicy transfer fee. Or it will yield them a Alex Tobin or Paul Trimboli who will win heaps of titels with the club and be a great player for the club. So far Central COast Mariners are the only club to have done this, though I think Newcastle Jets are making important strides in youth development. The point Pim made about the Olyroos is a bit unfair though. We were missing Oar, Leckie, Devere, Luongo, McGrath, Holland and Sarota so it is obviously going to be difficult to progress. Especially when Vidmar persisted in picking Hoffman. Ultimately I suspecgt Verbeek is little bitter that he is not appreciated in this country for qualification. He did do a good job but it would have being better if he had shown more diplomacy as his comments about the A league coincided with the downturn in its crowd levels.
Mark
Guest
Great discussion there Johhno and Sheek! Good to see a solid discussion with respect going both ways. Well played!
Realfootball
Guest
You are most certainly allowed to shoot the messenger if (a) he's a mediocre nonentity (b) his message is 2 years out of date. 2 years is a long time in football.
Johnno
Guest
Sheek I agree A-league is doing fantastic job well done FFA. Yes a team in Canberaa, and Auckland i hope to see happen I can't believe no Canberra, Auckland knights come back too. A-league doing well , good times for football in OZ.
Slimey
Guest
"Morocco’s under-21s coach" -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
sheek
Roar Guru
Johnno, I can't believe there's no A-League team in Canberra. Plus bring back the Auckland Knights. But A-League is booming & good luck to the FFA for their efforts.
Darwin Stubbie
Guest
100% on the money ... Aust football can't afford to shoot the messenger and PV is better placed than most to comment ... I actually believe that if Verbeek did actually leave anything detrimental behind it was the notion that W-cup qualification through Asia is a doddle
Bondy.
Guest
Johnno. I agree with the rugby concept I heard T Horan taliking about months ago he's right,I primarily only watch the wallabies but bits of super rugby,you may have to close a club down perth or melb and then a few slective imports forwards and backs selective chosen,then we would dominate super rugby and concern the blacks. Theres a very fine line Johnno between the sports though it must be said as an associate I like most of the rugby guidelines .
Johnno
Guest
Good points sheek hard to compare 2 very different sports in OZ, evolved different mate. I know one thing whatever business model the A-league is doing it is working, super rugby could really take note especially in marketing and game day or match day promotion and match day plaaning to generate hype and atmosphere. Only 2 teams that impress me iin that regard are the Force and Reds. Tahs good luck next year I hope the new coaching staff and admin staff have what it takes. But whatever the A-league is doing I think the 2 best things they have done are a pro team in west sydney, and match day experience at A-league matches is hugh quality atmosphere. Hats of to the A-league marketing departmant.
sheek
Roar Guru
Johnno, Football has evolved differently to Rugby. That said I'm not against foreign players in an ARC if/when it happens. I'm just against a "flood" of them. For rugby, I think 2-3 per team max. The football situation is different in that we have to fill the 'hole' left by over 200 Aussies playing overseas. That's a massive number of players offshore. If rugby eventually goes the same way then reluctantly I would argue the same for it (more imports).
nordster
Guest
"I have news for you Pim – we know, and we were glad to see the back of you. It was never your team Mr Verbeek, it was Australia’s, and you brought the game to its knees." So on the one hand it was never his team...but he brought the game to its knees...hmmm make up your mind ;) He is a convenient scapegoat for our developmental shortcomings. National team coaches have less influence than people assume, they have a squad for a few days here and there. Pim as a coach was quite compatible with australia. Call him mediocre if u like, we are not that far ahead of him if at all. Glad he is speaking up...dont zip it at all...we need to hear what folks like him have to say. He knows us better than we would like to admit.
Johnno
Guest
sheek you say "will encourage both more foreign players & Aussies to head here." Why don'y you share the same attitude to foreigners in super rugby. Like a lot of rugby fans I notice they have a very open and flexible view to foreign imports in other codes but are not so welcoming of foreigners in super rugby. I never get that . 5 per team in A-league. 1 marquee yet I have a hunch sheek you approve of 5 in A-league but not 5 per super rugby squad.
sheek
Roar Guru
One thing that Pim said which struck a chord with me was the travel involved to Europe & back with so many of our leading players based over there. That is a reason why we should develop our a-League as quickly as possible. Hopefully, having guys like del Pierro, Heskey & Ono here, plus leading Socceroos like Emerton, will encourage both more foreign players & Aussies to head here. I don't know if it's all Pim's fault (lack of depth). Certainly he stuffed up with the tactics back in 2010, but a lack of quality footballers coming through is the fault of a lot more people than Pim.
Bondy.
Guest
Cam anybody geiuinely say that Verbeek is /was our only saviour for the past four years,is Verbeek really a better coach or man motivater than say a Postecoglou,why arent we using Australians in the first place,did Verbeek give you the impression he really cared for the team or our nation.or our position in world football. He genuinely never filled anybody at anytime with optimism ,he's now shovelling sh## in Morrocco with a youth team and they wont let him near senior their national team players I think that speaks volumes for Verbeek. Well put together read.
Johnno
Guest
Good article and you bring up some good points. But lets get some facts too. He has no conflict of interest so should make in my opinion Pim the perfect candidate to be the front man of problems in Australian soccer, as he is not bound by contracts. He only left in 2010. Is now in youth programs high performance in Morocco. And anyone who has a dig about Morocoo football development standards is clearly ignorant about the country. Morocco 32 Million, has produced a lot of good rugby players who have played for France, and now play in top 14 in France, the Morocoo rugby team and soccer team are developing very well in 2012 some very positive results. Morocoo is in Africa yes. And Africa is massive continent. And Morocoo is right up in North-west Africa, and what does that basically mean. It means it is on Europe’s door step. Morocco is only separated by a small stretch of water from Spain. Think the English Channel. Between England-France. Well that is like Morocoos distance to Spain the current world soccer champions. And obviously Moroccos links to France which is right next to Morocoo and Spain to. French is spoken by 33% of Moroccoans. Do not be fooled by Moroccos current FIFA ranking of 81. They are much better than that . Have a look at there national team roster you will see many more of there players are playing for big Europe clubs than our boys. Our boys seem to run to Asia more anyway than Europe, and Europe soccer leagues are vastly superior to Asian soccer leagues anyway, and more Moroccoans in Europe than in Asia which our boys seem to run too now , . Morocco has players at Liverpool, Atheltico Madrid who are doing great in Spain La liga this year, Lens,,Aston Villa,. Moroccoo has produced some of the great athletic runners middle distance runners ever. , And some top rugby players who have played for France and 1 or 2 of them had a few blues with some aussy rugby players one what's his name he is married to the host of today show on 9, and writes for the herald he was the bloke cant remember there names but was test Australia VS France at Allianz stadium then SFS in 1990. SO people like Pim Verbeek are very qualified ot make judgements as the have been in the inner sanctum of Aussy soccer in recent times only 2 years out of the sanctum. And Pim never sugar coats and is honest, that is what you want. Or do you want a yes man, who sugarcoats everything. And the point about availability of Olyroos, we lack depth and pim has pointed that out in the past. I mean who should make accurate and who would you trust. Les and Foz lol. Please. Foz a man who says Pim should be sacked int he middle of the world cup campaign, and have the assistants take over in the middle of the tournament I mean please. Or Les who had to retract in his book , a public reiteration about comments he made about Lucas Neil in his book. I mean are Les and Foz or SBS for that matter still the voice of Australian football. When I hear Les and Foz now after world cup 2010 I am not so sure if SBS are as relevant to Australian football when i hear this 2 sometimes. I trust Pim far more than those 2. And Pim;s comments also are a bit of I told you so with a cheeky Pim grin that he loves to give. As well as his promise to sing the Aussy anthem which he did for SImon Hill after making the world cup , he sung on national tv. He is no tenor Pim, but has a good dutch laugh. In Guss we trust in Pim we trust, 2 Dutchman who don’t let Australia soccer down. Now they are giving a lot of technical help. And that is not sugar coating the reality of Australian football and where we in reality sit globally. So bravo flying dutchman Pim. Fly in fly out, but in Pim is right in Pim we trust