what im trying to work out is . if pim is saying this now does that mean he is making an excuse to now changing his mind about williams and is not taking him to SA.

So... Rhys isn't going to be fully fit for the world cup but could have been? Or... bad management but no harm done?

Conversely, Strachan has coached in a veritable Mickey Mouse league, manifesting in the SPL. Some pundits in Australia claim that Scott McDonald found it difficult to play against some of the Asian national teams, because there was a gulf in technical class from the Scottish Premier League. The Asian international teams being considered decidedly superior. The Championship is renowned as playing a type of football useless for success at international level. This is where Strachan has coached - in MIckey Mouse leagues!!!

He has little credibility through a misplaced and inherent football ethnocentricism. So Strachan is coaching in Mickey Mouse competitions compared to the Asian World Cup Qualifiers and the Asian Cup.

Many of the best Asian players find it more difficult to assimilate in European countries, because of cultural differences. Hence, this can be suggested for their lack of success in Europe.

This is the sort of thing that ruins player's careers. I reckon Rhys should get some advice from Kewell on how to handle injuries, while in camp with him. Look what Liverpool did to his career.

@swoosh
injections cant make you play through bad injuries only minor ones but the problem is there is a huge chance of aggravating the injury

Riv

& the clubs also have a duty of care to the player

If the kid is carrying a bad injury why is he in the squad ?
Verbeek says one thing and does another.

Strachan is a chump it is a well documented fact.
I remember he held Mccdonald back on a few occaisons whilst at Celtic.
Strachan has no brain when it comes to looking beyond his club.

Yes and no. On the one hand it sucks to take an injection because you're ignoring the body's signals. On the other hand players are there to perform and sometimes the body's signals are more of an annoyance than a warning. He's 21 and should be able to recover from any soft tissue injury.

But, fair play to Pim -- the World Cup comes before any club.

JimmyO, the point with Moyes is that he bitches and whines and moans every time Tim has to travel south of the equator. Strachan proved himself to be a first rate dunce when Scott McDonald went to an Asian Cup qualifier (IIRC) and didn't get on the park and Strachan described it as a mickey mouse tournament and that he should have to release players for that.

Cahill did not play the last game of the season after it became mathematically impossible to catch Liverpool.

The culture imperialism of the British managers reigns surpreme again. Would it be different if it were Spain? We can't have an aussie team in the World Cup doing well at the expense of a Euro one.

Oh, and yes, the clubs pay their wages blah blah blah ...

Well said Pim. But Strachan's treatment of Williams is no different to the treatment Cahill has had from Moyes in the past or the treatment Harry got at Liverpool.

Hear hear Pim


What do you think about the FourFourTwo article Verbeek Bakes Boro Boss' Call?
AUSTRALIA boss Pim Verbeek has slammed Middlesbrough manager Gordon Strachan for his handling of Socceroo Rhys Williams who had been battling a pre-World Cup pelvic injury.

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