Pim bags A-League standard

[CCM-JAM80]

Source: The Daily Telegraph

Pim bags A-League standard

PIM Verbeek has delivered his most unflattering assessment yet of the A-League on the eve of the finals.

The Socceroos boss, who has been open about his concerns about A-League players' ability to handle international football since coming into the job two months ago, today compared the standard of the local competition as less than that of a training run for a struggling German club.

The Dutchman today named 20 A-League players in an extended 39-man squad for Australia's opening World Cup qualifier against Qatar in Melbourne on February 6.

But he all but admitted the bulk of that local talent was there in case any of the 19 overseas players selected could not be available for the match.

Two German-based players - World Cup squad members Josh Kennedy and Michael Beauchamp - have not played for their Bundesliga teams for several weeks due to the Christmas break.

But Verbeek said three weeks training with Karlsruhe (Kennedy's club) and third-bottom Nuremberg (Beauchamp) would have the duo better prepared for Qatar than if they were in the A-League.

"If you train for there weeks with Nuremberg or with Karlsruhe, I have to be very honest, I still think that's better than playing A-League games," Verbeek said at the announcement of his squad today.

"I saw the important (A-League) games last weekend and you can see players under pressure that they didn't bring the same performance that I have seen before, so they are still not very consistent at the moment.

"(The A-League) players have to show me they can do a job against Qatar, that they are capable of winning the games.

"I am not here to please players, I'm not here to please anybody, I'm here to win the game.

"That's the responsibility I have to the Australian fans and Australian football.

"I like them all, as I've said already, but it is nothing to do with liking your players, I want to see them do the job.

"That's why I was here for five weeks. No one can tell me, that I didn't give them the chance and the possibility.

"I will do that again, and if they are good enough they can show me next week and I can select them.

"But I be honest to them, if they're not good enough at the moment I will tell them also."

I think Pim's assessment is a little harsh, though I appreciate his honesty and his "straigh shooter" style. I am sure the players do as well. This is what we need before the World Cup, this is what the A-League and the powers to be need to hear whilst we are at it.

The challenge has been set to those in the A-League - PROVE PIM WRONG!

 

[northernspirit]

true but surely these comments should be made internally not through the media
it only gives the football bashers ammo to degrade our game

 

[CCM-JAM80]

true but surely these comments should be made internally not through the media
it only gives the football bashers ammo to degrade our game

I believe the A-League has never tried to pull the wool over the sporting public's eyes when it comes to where we stand in the scheme of things on a world wide scale - this is why I don't see this type of comment as "ammo" for anyone.

One could also argue that, "Any publicity is good publicity".

I understand what you're saying though, but I don't think we as a code should be treading on egg shells or "making sure we aren't giving the other codes ammo" when it comes to stuff like this. Our National coach is giving an honest assessment of our A-League players. He, in his own way, has challenged those selected and provided the A-League clubs with that added motivation to "continually get better at what we do".

The other codes only have to look at our growth season by season as well as the crowds we are pulling in for club games - as one Sydney journo said - "the Sydney Roosters would kill for a crowd like the one Sydney FC pulled last week."

John Aloisi has been quoted in this month's Alpha that Spider Everitt (sp?) from the Swans has made the comment that our game is their number one danger (or words to that effect) as well.

The alternative here: Pim tells a porky pie and only runs to set himself, and his players, up for a fall - we all know where we stand here.

 

[Atomic]

Pim's comments are on the mark. He would've lost credibility by not addressing the issue publicly. I think we can be thankful he is not treating us like idiots

 

[CCM-JAM80]

Pim's comments are on the mark. He would've lost credibility by not addressing the issue publicly. I think we can be thankful he is not treating us like idiots

Well said - he only gains credibility with the majority whether we're talking about hard core football fans or the fan who takes a remote interest come World Cup time.

 

[nero]

I have heard from some players/fans that the tackling is far worse than in Europe and the standard of play is far below the top tiers. However, I think compared to the NSL we are improving and with young talent coming through now as well as late twenty some things coming back the standard may one day equal the lower top leagues of Europe.

P.s Craig Foster will love those comments form Verbeek, he is always bagging out the standard of the A-League /Mariners. I dread hearing his comments on The World Game. He will sleep with one hand on it tonight!

 

[kepo]

Gold member is a gronk saying this shit.