Make last 16 and we can win whole thing: Verbeek


Make last 16 and we can win whole thing: Verbeek

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Joffa
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Make last 16 and we can win whole thing: Verbeek

MICHAEL LYNCH
May 21, 2010

PIM VERBEEK has set the Socceroos the pragmatic World Cup target of qualification from the group stage. Should they succeed in that task, he says, ''everything is possible''.

Verbeek was part of the coaching team that took South Korea to a semi-final in 2002, only to see the same side eliminated at the first hurdle in Germany four years later. He knows just how difficult World Cup success can be - especially for small or emerging nations.

Crucial will be the form and fitness of his major players - Tim Cahill, Harry Kewell, captain Lucas Neill and goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer - along with the team's defensive organisation and its ability to make the most of what chances come their way, especially from corners and free kicks.
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''Realistically … that's what I think,'' he said yesterday when asked about his team's prospects against Germany, Ghana and Serbia.

''A country like Australia should look for the final 16. And then we all know everything is possible - that's why you go to the World Cup. Realistically, it's a tough group - but every group is tough. We can do something but we need our key players, and we all know who they are. We know that Timmy is scoring our goals so far, so you need a player like him in your team.''

Verbeek is running his eye over 31 players in this Melbourne camp ahead of Monday night's farewell international against New Zealand.

He says he already knows 17 of the 20 outfield players he will take with him to South Africa, plus the three goalkeepers, so the remaining 10 outfield players are battling for three places in the final squad, due to be named on June 1.

Verbeek, meanwhile, believes Germany will miss the influence of their injured captain Michael Ballack off the field as much as on it.

''There is no Ballack, but they have [Bastian] Schweinsteiger. They have enough good players,'' he said. ''Ballack is the key figure for them with his experience, but I think he is more important off the field also. He is definitely the leader of the team, so I think they will miss him. But they have enough good players. They are a physically strong and mentally strong team. They are tournament players, also. They always start a bit rusty and get better and better in the tournament - so let's hope it's the same now.''

Verbeek admits that he does not quite know what to expect from the Ghanaians, while he feels the Serbs will be formidable opponents.

''Ghana is unpredictable for me,'' Verbeek said. ''Whether they play with or without Michael Essien will make a difference. But they went to the African Cup without six players and still reached the final - that says enough.

''Serbia, I think everyone underestimates them, but I don't. They are good individual football players, they play in some of the best teams in the world. But our players love challenges and it's a big challenge to play Germany, Ghana [and] Serbia.''

http://www.smh.com.au/world-cup-2010/world-cup-news/make-last-16-and-we-can-win-whole-thing-verbeek-20100520-vp5d.html

GazGoldCoast
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We get through the group and face England, I think we have a good chance against them. After that, we hope there's an upset somewhere so the next game or two is not too hard. EG we could have been playing Ukraine for a place in the final if we'd beaten those bloody Italians. CMON! FIRED UP!!! :lol:
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Theres an Italian girl at Uni 4 years on who still is adament Australia are sore losers and that tackle wasn't a dive but a disgusting foul by Lucas Neil who should have been red carded.


I swiftly told her to get back into the kitchen and make me a bowl of pasta :lol:

WOLLONGONG WOLVES FOR A-LEAGUE EXPANSION!

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I can't believe we are still harping on about this...](*,)
AndyRoo
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Vaughn2111 wrote:
I can't believe we are still harping on about this...](*,)


wtf... the Iran loss still burns me.

Doesn't matter if you think it's a dive or no dive we lost in the world cup, it's a bad memory. If some people choose to believe it's a dive to reduce the pain somewhat then power too them.
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GazGoldCoast wrote:
We get through the group and face England, I think we have a good chance against them. After that, we hope there's an upset somewhere so the next game or two is not too hard. EG we could have been playing Ukraine for a place in the final if we'd beaten those bloody Italians. CMON! FIRED UP!!! :lol:


Ukraine went out in the quarters, Italy played Germany in the semi-final.

The Socceroos have no chance of winning the World Cup, unless everyone else drops dead prior to kick off.
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Silence Zarathustra wrote:
GazGoldCoast wrote:
We get through the group and face England, I think we have a good chance against them. After that, we hope there's an upset somewhere so the next game or two is not too hard. EG we could have been playing Ukraine for a place in the final if we'd beaten those bloody Italians. CMON! FIRED UP!!! :lol:


Ukraine went out in the quarters, Italy played Germany in the semi-final.

The Socceroos have no chance of winning the World Cup, unless everyone else drops dead prior to kick off.


Well, Al Quaeda are apparently working on that, although we'd probably be one of their prime targets. :shock:

Seriously, we've beaten England, we've beaten Argentina, we've beaten Brazil, we beat Italy last time (well, it was a moral victory) and we can beat anyone on our day.
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Silence Zarathustra wrote:
The Socceroos have no chance of winning the World Cup, unless everyone else drops dead prior to kick off.

....and even then. :-"
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GazGoldCoast wrote:
Seriously, we've beaten England, we've beaten Argentina, we've beaten Brazil, we beat Italy last time (well, it was a moral victory) and we can beat anyone on our day.


Not recently they haven't. And it's a little difficult to claim a victory if you can't score, even against ten men for half the match.
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This seems like a backflip to about a week ago where the papers were reporting that he said we have no chance to win the cup.
buddha69
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Heineken wrote:
Theres an Italian girl at Uni 4 years on who still is adament Australia are sore losers and that tackle wasn't a dive but a disgusting foul by Lucas Neil who should have been red carded.


I swiftly told her to get back into the kitchen and make me a bowl of pasta :lol:

:lol: :lol:
What a bitch
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Heineken wrote:
Theres an Italian girl at Uni 4 years on who still is adament Australia are sore losers and that tackle wasn't a dive but a disgusting foul by Lucas Neil who should have been red carded.


I swiftly told her to get back into the kitchen and make me a bowl of pasta :lol:

The first thing that popped into my head was, "was she hot?"
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We can beat some world class teams on our day but we aren't going to win the world cup. Anyone who thinks we are are either high or just incredibly stupid.
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Blacky_Johnson1 wrote:
We can beat some world class teams on our day but we aren't going to win the world cup. Anyone who thinks we are are either high or just incredibly stupid.


I would imagine quite naive as well.
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Were going to win.
GO


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