Aussie media change their tune

The Australian media has come out in support of the Socceroos's after the national team bowed out of the World Cup with a 2-1 win over Serbia.

The papers' reactions were markedly different to the fierce criticism that was served up after the opening match, where Australia lost 4-0 to Germany.

Pim Verbeek's side missed out on the second round on goal difference and after launching a tirade of abuse at coach Verbeek and, to a lesser extent, the players after the Germany loss, local media began to warm to the Socceroos following their 1-1 draw with Ghana.

And they were positively glowing after the win in Nelspruit on Wednesday.

"Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant," wrote the Sydney Morning Herald's Mike Cockerill, who was one of the Socceroos' most trenchant critics.

"There was to be no salvation in Nelspruit. But there was redemption. The Socceroos are going home, but they're going with their heads held high. And as a consolation, that's not to be underestimated." Cockerill said the Socceroos had managed to "claw back" some respect from the Australian sporting public.

"It's the Australian way. You go down fighting, and didn't they put up a fight?" David Davutovic, writing for the News Limited stable of newspapers, agreed that Australia had nothing to be ashamed of.

"Getting out of the group phase was always going to be a huge achievement for the Socceroos, who in fairness are not among the best 16 teams in the world," he wrote.

"Had they gone down in the lacklustre fashion they did against Germany then questions would have been asked of the players and particularly coach Pim Verbeek.

"But they went down swinging and that's why every one of the Socceroos fans stayed in the stadium well after the final whistle."

However, the ABC's Joel Vander wished Australia had shown that same fighting spirit earlier.

"So where was this in the opening 4-0 embarrassment in Durban?" he asked.

"If only coach Pim Verbeek had instilled some confidence in his charges that they could get a result that day.

"Instead of the meek surrender that we witnessed, we might have seen the fighting Socceroos we've become accustomed to." http://www.football365.co.za/story/0,22162,14287_6226138,00.html