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Two weeks ago, Australia’s World Cup hopes rested on a knife’s edge. Now, after a credible 1-1 draw with Japan, and a flattering 4-0 victory over Jordan, Australia is just one win away from booking its place in a third consecutive World Cup.
In fact, if it were not for an inexplicable handball by makeshift left back Matty McKay we would already be there, and Tuesday’s match against Iraq in Sydney would be a dead rubber.
That mistake was followed by a very nervy game for McKay against Jordan, where he misplaced quite a few simple passes and did not provide the support that would’ve allowed young gun Tommy Oar the space and service he needed to build upon a man of the match performance against Japan.
Despite this I have one thing to say against all of McKay’s detractors: calm down.
Any serious football fan obviously already knows McKay’s history, coming to prominence as the captain of Brisbane Roar’s all conquering 2010-11 team.
After sweeping to the title and being widely recognised as a vital part of the best A-League team we’ve seen, we saw McKay head off to an ill-fated and ill-advised move to Scottish giants Rangers, where their approach was not suited to McKay’s short passing and industrious midfield style.
McKay ended up in China – via a short stop in Korea – as so many Australians have now begun to do.
However as the failed stint in Scotland was just beginning, McKay also started to break into the national team. Many saw him as a natural fit in the midfield, as a player who’s short passing game could greatly benefit Australia.
However Holger Osieck, realising how versatile a player McKay was, used him in a number of positions early on including left back, a position he then found himself as first choice after David Carney fell of the map.
Against Japan McKay put in his best performance in a long time, looking assured and barely putting a foot wrong. That was until his blatant hand ball, which led to Japan’s equaliser from the spot.
After this game McKay was crucified on all forms of social media, people ignoring his positive contribution to the game due to the one error which unfortunately cost Australia dearly.
People were calling him the worst Socceroo ever (clearly forgetting about Max Vieri), useless, saying the error was ‘unforgivable’ and calling for McKay to be dropped in favour of Michael Zullo and, in the long run, Shane Lowry.
McKay’s error-filled performance against Jordan did not help his cause.
However many people seem to forget that Mckay is not a left back. He has been asked to do a job for his country because, according to Osieck, he is the best option we have at left back.
I’m not here debating whether or not McKay should be our first choice left back, all I’m saying is the flack he is receiving is not fair. He has been asked to play where he is not comfortable simply because we as a country are struggling to produce quality left backs.
Scott Chipperfield was the last player to look comfortable there and even he was not a natural defender he was a converted midfielder just like Mckay, Carney and Zullo.
I hope Lowry is soon given a chance to prove himself there but until that point, support McKay as you would support any other Socceroo.
He should be commended for being asked to play out off position and not complain about it but put his head down and do the best job he can.
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