The players werent completely blameless.You would have thought after the NZ game we might have stopped the reckless tackles.

i think the reckless tackles are through frustration and when PIM leaves there will be alot more info from the players about PIM

stop crapping on about scott macdonald. we played 442 before with him and kennedy. still no goals.

Let's look for the positives: -

1) We won the National Anthem singing contest.
2) Um... We won the National Anthem singing contest.

Knowing Graham Arnold - we totally outclassed the Germans in the warm up too...shame about the game.

If this is the case why are there so many basic grammar and spelling errors??

Wow KA, really poured your heart out there. I too was shaking my head at the off side trap thing, totally bazaar. But to play 442 after telling player like Scott that he didn't fit the system is ridiculous but to play Garcia where Scott should have been boarders on Madness.

Great blog.
I thought SBS’s David Zdrilic put into words what needed to be said.
His message was basically this:
‘Nobody really ever thought Australia was going to beat Germany. Even the optimistic ones among us thought we would be lucky to snag a draw.
So really despite the poor result, we are now in no different position to where we thought we were going to be –a loss with two games in hand.’
I think he is basically on the money with this.
So then, the only difference between now and before the Germany game is this - prior to the game we had a false sense of self confidence.
We were misguided in thinking the football gods would once again smile down on us and let Timmy Cahill pop up with two miraculous goals and John Aloisi would poke in a third for fun. Oh thats right – no John Aloisi – in fact no recognised striker on the pitch at all.
Our false sense of security was based on a relatively easy Asian qualifying campaign and a bit of luck – so really it was a confidence we should never have had.
So this wake up call is probably a good thing – we now have the chance to stand in front of the mirror, be honest with ourselves, and realise that lady luck and the Aussie ‘never say die attitude’ is simply not enough anymore.
We need to pull together as a team – communicate - put in some young boys (nanna nap time for Moore, Grella and Chippers) – and we need to have a definite game plan that capitalises on each individual players strengths.
The other difference is the loss of Timmy Cahill. While he will be missed, bringing in Kewell and Bresciano will fill that hole. Easily.
The reason I believe Pim didn’t play those two is this – he was banking on the fact we were going to lose to Germany. He didn’t want to ‘waste’ a fragile Kewell and Bresciano in effect what was in his mind ‘dead rubber’.
I believe he threw on his second string options in favour of the stars to simply get the game out the way and begin his focus on winning what he believes to be winnable.
That’s either genius of downright stupidity.
We will soon find out I guess.

Pim's performance can only be judged after this World Cup, not during. There are 2 games to play. i thought he was in error too..

I disagree about Scott Macdonald. I don't think he would make a shred of difference in any formation. Was given an opportunity to establish himself as a goalscoring striker with the Socceroos, but in reality didn't take it simply because he had chances to score, and couldn't take them.

Grella's comment were appalling, but really not unexpected in light of his media appearances before the game. Perhaps he is being defensive because he has been so awful in the friendlies and yesterday. Cannot possibly play against Ghana?

I agree with Bosnich about Neill's opinion of Germany pre-game, saying how wonderful they were, and a superior team. You may as well not go out there with that rubbish. To me, both he and Pim were conceding defeat before they even went out there...there's no way that would have happened in 2006. But perhaps that is a factor of generational change. I think we must all face the reality that this team is not as good as 2006.

The truth is that this Socceroos team of 2010 has the largest profile and exposure, but is also the most overrated, in their history. We wont get a result against Ghana because this team lacks heart. They actually believe their own hype.

Pim revealed his quality earlier this year by accepting the Morocco job. When he did this I became very concerned. Why did he do this', why take a career step backward? Simple. He know he does not have what it takes to be a world class coach. He cant to step out of the Assistant Coach mould, ala Mourinho etc. One negative spillover effect is that there are no reputational disciplines to his madness. He doesn't care. Please boys do it for us, despite Pim

does anyone have pim's phone number or email address? i'd like to have a chat to him!

starting line-up should be:

schwarzer
wilkshire--milligan--neill--carney
culina--valeri
emerton--kewell--chippers
kennedy

* moore needs to go. we have old legs... but his are the oldest.
* chippers needs to push upfield. he plays in an attacking position for basel and the best part of his game is his crossing
* no use making kewell run up and down the wing. let him work some magic in the middle behind kennedy. freedom for kewell.
* grella out. this is self-explanatory.

Well said KA. The whole game was a farce due to his incomptence. I can't belive we pay Pim to make such stupid decisions.

Why do we rely on the Kewell factor, he is good off the bench for Australia, he hasnt been consistent since he was at Leeds. Milligan as a player is ordinary. Bresciano needs to be there because Wilkshire at the dead ball was below par to.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is how Verbeek guaranteed our ageing "stars" positions in the national team by rubishing the A-League and its players at every opportunity.

C'mon New Zealand, show the greatest bullshit artist to ever coach the Socceroos how wrong he was not to include some young A-League legs in the national squad, by putting on a good performance in the World Cup.

I'm supporting New Zealand and its half A-League squad at the moment big time.

This was the Gallipoli moment for Australian football. It's not the end for us but we should remember this humiliating defeat. Poor tactics against the World's best decimated us and took our best player out of our next game.

No hard feelings for Pim. Yes, he stuffed up monumentally but lets see if he can save some face. I just shake my head when the camera focussed on the Australian bench and there was Graham Arnold with his usual stunned face. It makes you wonder why did the FFA think that Pim could do this all on his own. Give the man some decent backup. Someone should have been in there telling Pim, who is obviously under the most intense pressure of his coaching career, that changing his tactics may not be the wisest move.

Now back to it, the boys on the field have to rediscover the Aussie ANZAC spirit and show some fight, whatever the outcome.

Oh, and one them should punch Grella in the face and tell him to stop being such a w@nker.

He had not 1, not 2 but 3 warm up matches to experiment. The world cup is not an experimental thing. Sack him.

Sure, Pim's performance can only be judged after this World Cup, but he CAN be judged on that game. Hopefully he makes up for it in the last two games, but nobody is very optimistic now.

Grella seems to be in a wierd space mentally this campaign. Or maybe he was always nuts and I never noticed. As for Neill, I guess he was trying to be clever. Not a good look, Lucas.

And I was also disturbed when Pim took the Morroco job, because it seemed like a vote of no confidence in the Socceroos. I mean, sure his qualifying campaign is a good sales pitch, but why not wait till you showcase your skills at the WC before you grab the $$$? Maybe he's never really believed we could make it out of the group stage.

well said, all of you. I would defiantley be putting Beauchamp in defense. He has much more experience.

I wonder what life would be like if Philippe Troussier had gotten the job instead of Verbeek.

just wow... ripped him a new one or what, just sums it all up really what we've been saying about his tactics, formation and our worry that we can't dominate a game

to be fair, id have to say, IF garcia snagges that goal, and if the penalty for handball in the second half was awarded 4-2 with 10 men isnt to bad

Even if Pim does well in the next two games, I cant wait to see the back of this guy. I would rather have an Aussie taking the team, even Farina wouldnt have lost 4 nil. F*@k off Pim & dont come back.

Pim froze, choked,bottled it.....stagefright.....and look who was sitting beside him....Arnie!

I agree Lappin, even though Farina isnt liked by many people, he always had the Socceroos playing attacking football

Farina most probably wouldn't of made a difference because he has favourites, and can't see past his nose. I wish Gus was still coaching but hey we all have to learn by this one huge mistake. lets not give up.

Well, lets put their Green and Gold flag away, turned off the stereo playing "Down Under" just for a minute.

You want "young players". Kisnorbo had a good match against ManU that put him in the running, and would have been there if he didn't get injured. Kilkenny mouthed off at Arnold, Ogga at Verbeek. He gave Williams a go, he give Spira a go, he gave North a go, he gave Milligan a go, he gave Federici a go, he gave Oar a go. The "young defenders" got carved up by Iraq FFS!! There are NO other young players worthy of taking over. He tried 100+ of 'em all up. None could cut the mustard.

Re: Germany. He set up Culina on the left side to protect Chippers, as he identified the Germans on their right with Lahm and Muller being a threat. Where did the first goals come from? From our left. Who do you blame: Verbeek or Culina and Chippers?

Schwarzer was even more culpable for the second: who do you blame Verbeek or Schwarzer?

He set Garcia and Cahill up front. They combined for a goal-line clearance in the first 5 minutes.

Cahill got himself sent off. Oh yeah, Cahill's excused 'coz he was frustrated by Verbeek's tactics, so that too is Verbeek's fault.

Neill doesn't know how to play the off-side trap, that lead to the first goal. Verbeek's to blame for that too?

Third goal the Germans just walked through the middle of the defense. Where were Neill and Moore? Verbeek's fault again.

We want to compete with a three time winner with a squad that has two players in the EPL , a few in second or third tier leagues and the rest clubless? Verbeek is an ordinary manager, but its easy to blame the foreigner and letting "our boys" get off scot free. To do that would mean the lesson would not have been learned. The players, along with Verbeek got put in their place.

Well written KA

4:3? With Viduka, Aloisi.

5 for, 10 conceded in Confed Cup?

so u think paying Pim the tosser 2.5 mil to have his team play like this is ok? ,id rather pay someone less to get our asses haned to us, stefcep.