World Cup preview: Australia
Coach: Pim Verbeek
Key player: Tim Cahill
Previous best: Second round 2006.
During the Round of 16 in the previous World Cup in Germany, Australia were dumped out in the cruellest way possible. Four years later, the Socceroos are gunning for revenge.
Fabio Grosso’s name will always be scowled upon whenever mentioned in Oz, after the Italian full-back went down easily under a Lucas Neill challenge in the penalty area late on in Kaiserslautern. From the resultant penalty, Francesco Totti put the Azzurri through to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup at the expense of Guus Hiddink’s side.
Millions of Australians were understandably left fuming by that notorious penalty decision; but they’re back this summer for South Africa, albeit in one of the tournament’s groups of death.
Placed alongside the vastly experienced Germany, a powerful and energetic Ghana side and the very dangerous Serbia, Australia are not universally fancied to progress past Group D.
However, they reaped the benefits of being entered into the Asia qualifying region prior to the World Cup finals. Instead of struggling to get to grips with having to qualify in a different region from their usual Oceania Zone, the Aussies took to it like a duck to water.
Pim Verbeek’s men conceded just a single goal from their eight qualifiers – a run which included seven consecutive clean sheets – and racked up six victories in a group alongside Japan, Bahrain, Qatar and Uzbekistan.
After going about qualification so impressively, Australia will aim to keep the momentum going right through the group stages. A last-gasp 2-1 friendly victory over neighbours New Zealand in May will have certainly kept morale high, but the serious business will begin in earnest on June 13th when they play three-time winners Germany.
The current coach has instilled a very European sense of discipline, stability and pragmatism to the Australian team since taking the reins in 2007; and continuing to keep things tight at the back will be essential for the Socceroos if they’re to keep their dream alive of reaching the Round of 16 for a second consecutive World Cup.
But while keeping a clean sheet against the likes of Bahrain and Qatar is one thing, stifling the attacking threat of their Group D counterparts will be an entirely different proposition.
And at the other end of the pitch, a worrying lack of firepower up front stands to work against Australia. With no proven international goalscorer in his squad, Verbeek may be forced to deploy Harry Kewell in an unfamiliar role as lone striker.
Having been plagued by injuries once again throughout the current season, the 31-year-old may struggle to produce his best form this summer, at the time when Australia will need him most.
Fortunately, they do have Everton attacking midfielder Tim Cahill, who continues to play such a key role for both club and country, fit and healthy. A spectacular brace in the 2006 World Cup against Japan outlined Cahill’s credentials as a top-class international player. He will be hoping to chip in with a couple of goals in South Africa to make up for the lack of a striker.
In general, the spine of the team is solid. Mark Schwarzer in goal offers reliability and a calm head, Galatasaray defender Lucas Neill has proven his worth with every club he’s played for, and a wealth of hard-working midfielders ensures that rival nations will find it tough to retain possession against the Aussies.
It’s just the heavy cloud of a lack of options up front which refuses to budge.
Ranked as the group outsiders to progress to the last 16, Australia will have to prove the doubters wrong if they are to replicate the run of four years ago. That would be possible if they had one or two proven goalscorers in their 23-man squad.
Football is all about scoring goals, though, and Australia lack the firepower to make an impact.
As a result, their quest for revenge is set to be put on hold for another four years.
Australia squad
1 Mark SCHWARZER (Fulham)
2 Lucas NEILL (Galatasaray)
3 Craig MOORE (unattached)
4 Tim CAHILL (Everton)
5 Jason ČULINA (Gold Coast)
6 Michael BEAUCHAMP (Al-Jazira)
7 Brett EMERTON (Blackburn)
8 Luke WILKSHIRE (Dynamo Moscow)
9 Joshua KENNEDY (Nagoya)
10 Harry KEWELL (Galatasaray)
11 Scott CHIPPERFIELD (Basel)
12 Adam FEDERICI (Reading)
13 Vince GRELLA (Blackburn)
14 Brett HOLMAN (AZ Alkmaar)
15 Mile JEDINAK (Antalyaspor)
16 Carl VALERI (Sassuolo)
17 Nikita RUKAVYTSYA (Twente Enschede)
18 Eugene GALEKOVIC (Adelaide United)
19 Richard GARCIA (Hull)
20 Mark MILLIGAN (JEF United)
21 David CARNEY (Twente Enschede)
22 Dario VIDOŠIĆ (Nuremberg)
23 Mark BRESCIANO (Palermo)
Click here for previews of Australia's Group D opponents:
http://www.senore.com/World-Cup-2010-preview-Germany-a12411
http://www.senore.com/World-Cup-2010-preview-Ghana-a12415
http://www.senore.com/World-Cup-2010-preview-Serbia-a12417
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