Shane Smeltz slams Verbeek A-League taunts

* David Lewis
* From: News Limited newspapers
* June 24, 2010 12:30AM

SHARP-shooter Shane Smeltz believes the All Whites World Cup no-names have discredited the controversial claim of Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek that the A-League is sub-standard.

One of five A-League players in the New Zealand side which rattled football's established order by holding world champions Italy to a 1-1 draw, Smeltz and his Kiwi mates will seal a place in the round of 16 in South Africa if they can spring another upset and pillage Paraguay tonight.

The domestic competition's Golden Boot for the past two seasons, Smeltz is rankled by Verbeek's notorious statement that training in the Bundesliga surpasses performing in the A-League, declaring : "You can't go saying that an A-League peparation isnt good enough for this level because the A-League players in our squad have proved otherwise.

"The most disappointing thing is that those sorts of statements dont help the competition's development.

"You can't compare the A-League to the world's best competition's but we've shown it's decent standard and the A-League boys in our side have proved they can mix it with the best and none of us have any sort of inferiority complex."

Verbeek picked just two players with recent A-League experience in his Socceroos squad - former Brisbane Roar defender Craig Moore and Gold Coast United skipper Jason Culina - and has never done anything to hide his distain for the competition.

But Gold Cost United striker Smeltz, who scored New Zealand's goal in the draw with the Azzurri, is living proof that the Dutchman is wrong as the world's 78th-ranked nation held the team ranked fifth.

The Kiwi squad, which includes a total of eight A-Leaguers, also features two uncontested players and four more that play in the local competition over the ditch.

Smeltz, who is eyeing off a lucrative overseas deal, has no doubts that coach Ricky Herbert's shock troops can continue the fairytale by overcoming Paraguay, with the Kiwis needing a victory to reach the last 16 and set up a possible mega meeting with Holland.

"People doubted us but we didn't doubt ourselves and we believe we can cause another upset," he added.

"There's huge belief in the squad. We know we are no mugs and we have shown that the gap between ourselves and the best isn't as wide as some people think.

"We're on equal points with Italy with one game to go."

Tthe equation is that New Zealand must beat the Latin Americans and Italy must sink Slovakia.

With South Africa out, New Zealand have been adopted by locals as one of the teams the barrack for as they bid to create history.

If Smeltz is feeling the pressure, he isn't showing it.

"We love being the underdogs. Everybody seems to be jumping on the bandwagon. You hear stories about other teams like France and England with problems in the camp but we are all prepared to die for each other. People have tried to dig dirt on us, but there isn't any."

Accessible to both public and media, the Kiwis are the humble heroes of South Africa 2010 while the Socceroos are, by contrast, bloated by their own self-importance and encircled by a retinue of grim-faced minders wherever they venture.

It's an openness which makes them irresistible to the uncommitted.

"We like to keep things simple," added Smeltz. "We've done ourselves proud with the draws against Slovakia and Italy. We are playing with smiles on our faces.

"We play for each other and we are difficult to beat. No matter what happens we have taken New Zealand football a long way."

Smeltz isn't surprised that Australia have struggled while the All Whites have shimmered, adding: "The first game is vital and when they were heavily beaten by Germany it was a huge setback for them.

"We got a late equaliser against Slovakia while Australia were left hanging their heads a bit."

Having made no secret of his desire to secure an offshore move to a lucrative land of plenty, whether its Asia or Europe, Smeltz, 28, believes the time could be nigh.

Despite an unsuccessful foray in England's lower league's earlier in his career, he insisted: "'I'm at my peak now and if I get noticed then I'll be happy. I want to play at the highest level I can and if the opportunity does come hopefully something can be sorted out. That said I am happy on the Gold Coast. I love it there and I'll wait and see what, if anything, happens".

Smeltz, who has two years to run on his contract with Miron Bleiberg's side, has a buy-out clause of $300,000.

mmm... and what have the NZ A-Leaguers done in South Africa. Smeltz as been anything but impressive but scored an offside goal, Wood has looked better when he has come on. Paston was brilliant at shot stopping against Italy but in general has been shaky. Bertos has been an abject failure. The side is built around Nelsen and the other overseas players with the A-Leaguers making up the numbers.

Funny, if Smeltz was eligible to play for Australia I bet Pim would have picked him

Pim's statements way back when were obviously a hyperbole that was taken to heart. And now we're exaggerating back the other way.

This.

+1

Australian media trying hard to catch up to the English tabloids.

If Smeltz failed in Engurland's 5 tier, I doubt he'll do well in Germamy.