This is the third in a series of articles from Awl Sports Blogger about sport, following on from There WAS an Aussie World Champ in Abu Dhabi in 2010 and Can’t bat, can’t bowl, can’t throw?.
The group stage of the Socceroos second ever Asian Cup is over, so is the notion we can win it in any kind of style.
We may be the highest FIFA ranked nation in Asia but in all honesty we have never played like it. The notion of a flag waving, crowd cheering, net bulging Asian Cup redux in 2011 is well and truly past. This Asian Cup 2.0 is a flop release and there is little hope for the service pack.
Australia are through to the quarter finals, but we’ve limped in rather than charged through, typified by our less than inspired performance in the final game.
So group stage done, three games played, where do we stand?
We have a world class goalkeeper and a hard-as-nails defence, who so easily corral and outmuscle the other guy, it hardly seems to matter which square peg we jam into our gaping round hole on the left.
Our central midfielders can’t keep the ball, can’t pick a pass, can’t run at the opposition, can’t run with them or close anyone down … they do put in some tackles, but you often get the feeling it’s more by queer chance than any real determined planning.
The Aussie attackers are dangerous in the air, but we still can’t counter attack, or create the movement needed to crack teams open by passing quickly along the ground.
Now is it just me or does all of this sound a bit familiar? Been hearing it for the last four years haven’t we?
Holger Osieck might be exactly the coach we need. The Anti-Pim. Just the man to help us reclaim our football identity after the total farce of our 2010 World Cup campaign, orchestrated by coach Pim Verbeek. However, thanks largely to our good mates at Football Federation Australia we are wasting the chance this Asian Cup gave us to start building an attacking team for the future.
Instead of utilising a few star players to bring along the next generation, we are clinging on to the same raft of players who were clearly not up to the job in South Africa. In a misguided attempt to win the Asian Cup, FFA are trying to paper over the cracks in the team by banking on experience rather than trusting to youth. But by not taking the risk of playing new players in the national team, we are sure not gaining any of the possible benefit, just simply playing the same poker hand over and over, expecting new results.
The first case in point is the decision to partner Lucas Neill and Sasa Oganovski in central defence. Oganovski was recently named Asian Player of the Year. Great defender, all credit to him … but the bloke is 31, just a year junior to the veteran captain Neill. A case can be made for either player for a spot in the Australian XI, but to just as certain neither of them will be winning any foot races is that neither will be going to the next world cup either. Instead of using one of them to bring along an up-and-comer such as Matthew Spiranovic, we have a less than dynamic duo that cannot push high and pressure the other team, and are badly exposed when the ball is played in behind them. Cue the route one goal our Batman and Robin coughed up recently.
Just as notably is that with David Carney playing we didn’t have a proper left back on the park, yet so happy was Osieck with his services we don’t have a young (or even old) backup in the squad! Matt McKay has done as good job as you could hope filling in, but seriously FFA is this the long term plan for the opening game of Brazil 2014?
Speaking of long term plans … In a 10 minute cameo against Bahrain, Neil Kilkenny showed more skill, class and composure than any our established midfielders had in the tournament combined. Ditto Carl Valeri who started his first match of the tournament that very game. Valeri was one of the few Aussie players who enhanced his stock at the World Cup, he has since been benched for the greater glory of Jason Culina and Mile Jedinak, two old true believers from the Verbeek cult of the defensive. I know which two I want in the engine room for Australia.
Perhaps, the true test of our team’s current mindset came in the same match with the injured Luke Wilkshire unavailable to play at right back. Wilkshire is a central cog in the Socceroos machine, and at 29 just in the right time of his career to be a leader in 2014. What to do … blood a youngster? Someone with speed and energy to replace Wilkshire’s endless drive? No, enter Jade North, a converted centre back and yet another aging allum of the Pim School for Playing Safe Football. Is this not the perfect chance to move the excellent (but aging) Brett Emerton to right back and introduce a new outlet further up the pitch. Nathan Burns anyone?
Really the lack of fresh players in attack is as confusing as any other selection in the team. With our core of star players Harry Kewell, Brett Emerton and Tim Cahill lacking a touch of speed but oozing with technical class, it has long seemed the time is right to move them around and add a bit of pace and dash into the mix.
With our defence and midfield lacking mobility, there’s a lot to be said for an outlet target upfront or on the flanks. I can only imagine the two way street that could develop between the skill and experience of Harry and the pure physical talents of Nikita Rukavytsya if they were given the time together on the park. It would also give a clear attacking option on the left and bring much needed balance to the team, allowing Brett Holman and Tim Cahill to play more centrally where it is clear they are so much more effective.
The result of these non-selections has been a Socceroos team that cannot control a match. Remember we’re supposed to be the number one in Asia! If we cannot dictate the terms in our own region it bodes ill for the tougher competition we will face in the World Cup. This Asian Cup was a great opportunity. We still may do well and grind out some results, but lets hope in four years time in Brazil, today’s success won’t seem like yesterday’s lost opportunity.
This series follows on with Lakers are off in LA LA land.