serious14
Well-Known Member
http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/football/emerton-woe-opens-door-for-holman/2009/02/03/1233423223028.html
Michael Cockerill
February 4, 2009
SUPER sub Brett Holman is set to be given the chance of a lifetime as Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek looks to cover the loss of Brett Emerton for the remainder of the Wold Cup campaign.
Verbeek yesterday named a 22-man squad for next week's decisive qualifier against Japan in Yokohama and, while the coach was giving little away, the odds are Holman will be called off the bench to fill the enormous hole left by Emerton, who injured his knee playing for Blackburn Rovers at the weekend.
Emerton is scheduled to return to Sydney for an operation next week and is likely to be sidelined for at least nine months - by which stage Australia's World Cup fate will almost certainly have been decided.
Holman, 24, has largely been used as a substitute by Verbeek during the qualifiers despite his solid form in the Dutch league over the past two seasons. His only two starts came against Qatar and Uzbekistan away from home, but he has been part of the squad for the past three years and his preference for playing down the right channel usually occupied by Emerton makes him the obvious choice to partner Luke Wilkshire on that flank.
Asked yesterday how much the team would miss Emerton, Verbeek replied: "First of all, it's terrible news for him. Second, it's terrible news for his club, and, last but not least, it's terrible news for us. We will miss him - of course we will. Normally he is a starting player. We cannot cover him with players of the same quality, so we have to fill in with players of other qualities."
The loss of Emerton, the failure of Mark Viduka to overcome his catalogue of injuries, the likely absence of Harry Kewell, and the continuing cloud over Scott Chipperfield's fitness leaves the Socceroos short-handed for the biggest game of the campaign so far. But Japan's build-up has been unconvincing, and with coach Takeshi Okada under pressure to deliver a result, the Socceroos could yet spring a surprise.
Verbeek was pressed repeatedly for his views on Japan's current woes, but failed to bite. Asked whether there was a special rivalry between the two nations following the 2006 World Cup and the 2007 Asian Cup, Verbeek said: "That's for the media. It's a big game, that's true. That's why all the players want to be there. A beautiful stadium, a sold-out stadium, every player wants to play a game like that."
After an unconvincing start to the 2011 Asian Cup qualifying campaign - Japan narrowly beat Yemen at home before losing last week in Bahrain - the local media has called for Okada's head. But Verbeek is drawing no conclusions. "They only used J-League players for those games, so it says nothing. We also played a zero-zero in Indonesia last week [using only A-League] players, and that says nothing, too. I can only say about Japan I know everything. I mean, I know everything. There are no secrets there."
Japan have recalled five overseas-based players for the match, most notably Celtic playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura. Verbeek flew out of Australia last night to watch Japan's friendly against Finland in Saitama tonight, but admitted he was unlikely to draw any last-minute conclusions. "It's not so interesting for me to see this match, I just want to see them live," he said.
With a full weekend of European fixtures ahead, Verbeek hasn't ruled out late changes to his squad - including a last-minute recall for Kewell if he can make a comeback appearance for Galatasaray. "If he plays, I may call on him. I will think about that," Verbeek said.
To cover for late withdrawals, James Troisi, Jacob Burns, Bruce Djite and Nick Carle have all been placed on stand-by.
Sorry Mike, but no, it really doesn't. Those previous substitutions were for a No. 10-esque roles or for strikers, not a f*cking right winger. He shouldn't even be in the squad, let alone the starting XI.......
And SUPER SUB??
Michael Cockerill
February 4, 2009
SUPER sub Brett Holman is set to be given the chance of a lifetime as Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek looks to cover the loss of Brett Emerton for the remainder of the Wold Cup campaign.
Verbeek yesterday named a 22-man squad for next week's decisive qualifier against Japan in Yokohama and, while the coach was giving little away, the odds are Holman will be called off the bench to fill the enormous hole left by Emerton, who injured his knee playing for Blackburn Rovers at the weekend.
Emerton is scheduled to return to Sydney for an operation next week and is likely to be sidelined for at least nine months - by which stage Australia's World Cup fate will almost certainly have been decided.
Holman, 24, has largely been used as a substitute by Verbeek during the qualifiers despite his solid form in the Dutch league over the past two seasons. His only two starts came against Qatar and Uzbekistan away from home, but he has been part of the squad for the past three years and his preference for playing down the right channel usually occupied by Emerton makes him the obvious choice to partner Luke Wilkshire on that flank.
Asked yesterday how much the team would miss Emerton, Verbeek replied: "First of all, it's terrible news for him. Second, it's terrible news for his club, and, last but not least, it's terrible news for us. We will miss him - of course we will. Normally he is a starting player. We cannot cover him with players of the same quality, so we have to fill in with players of other qualities."
The loss of Emerton, the failure of Mark Viduka to overcome his catalogue of injuries, the likely absence of Harry Kewell, and the continuing cloud over Scott Chipperfield's fitness leaves the Socceroos short-handed for the biggest game of the campaign so far. But Japan's build-up has been unconvincing, and with coach Takeshi Okada under pressure to deliver a result, the Socceroos could yet spring a surprise.
Verbeek was pressed repeatedly for his views on Japan's current woes, but failed to bite. Asked whether there was a special rivalry between the two nations following the 2006 World Cup and the 2007 Asian Cup, Verbeek said: "That's for the media. It's a big game, that's true. That's why all the players want to be there. A beautiful stadium, a sold-out stadium, every player wants to play a game like that."
After an unconvincing start to the 2011 Asian Cup qualifying campaign - Japan narrowly beat Yemen at home before losing last week in Bahrain - the local media has called for Okada's head. But Verbeek is drawing no conclusions. "They only used J-League players for those games, so it says nothing. We also played a zero-zero in Indonesia last week [using only A-League] players, and that says nothing, too. I can only say about Japan I know everything. I mean, I know everything. There are no secrets there."
Japan have recalled five overseas-based players for the match, most notably Celtic playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura. Verbeek flew out of Australia last night to watch Japan's friendly against Finland in Saitama tonight, but admitted he was unlikely to draw any last-minute conclusions. "It's not so interesting for me to see this match, I just want to see them live," he said.
With a full weekend of European fixtures ahead, Verbeek hasn't ruled out late changes to his squad - including a last-minute recall for Kewell if he can make a comeback appearance for Galatasaray. "If he plays, I may call on him. I will think about that," Verbeek said.
To cover for late withdrawals, James Troisi, Jacob Burns, Bruce Djite and Nick Carle have all been placed on stand-by.
Sorry Mike, but no, it really doesn't. Those previous substitutions were for a No. 10-esque roles or for strikers, not a f*cking right winger. He shouldn't even be in the squad, let alone the starting XI.......
And SUPER SUB??
