Okon's message for Verbeek
Ex-Australia captain Paul Okon has a message for Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek: hand World Cup boarding passes to Scott McDonald and Nicky Carle.
With speculation swirling around whether one or both will make the 23-man cut for South Africa, Okon – who played 29 times for his country in an injury-plagued career, believes Verbeek should pin his faith in the pair.
Okon claims enigmatic midfielder Carle – whose qualities are obvious to some and dismissed by others – must go.
“Nicky would be in my 23 for sure,” Okon told The World Game. "Nicky brings something different. He can pick a pass and create something where there seems to be nothing.
"Players like him can change games, especially when you bring them off the bench when you need a little bit of a spark.
"I feel it would be a mistake to leave him at home.”
Likewise McDonald, who remains goalless for his country after 15 appearances.
"Scott has struggled in that lone striker’s role for Australia but the reality is he’s a born goalscorer. He proved it at Celtic and he’s now finding his feet with Middlesbrough," Okon said.
"I don’t take too much notice of his record for Australia thus far because being alone up front doesn’t really suit him.
“I’m sure that Pim won’t ignore his qualities and will pick him. I’d be very surprised if he didn’t. He can be an impact player.
“He can be a starter, once he breaks his duck I think the goals will start to flow for him.
“Pim just needs to persevere with him.”
Okon is convinced that Australia can survive the first phase of the World Cup and qualify from Group D for the round of 16.
“It’s going to be hard but I feel Australia will be good enough to get through. We don’t have anything to fear from anybody. We never have in the past and we won’t start now.
“The first game against Germany on 14 June is vital and so are the warm-up games against New Zealand 24 May and then our two friendlies in South Africa against USA on 1 June and Denmark on 5 June.
“We will need to build some momentum and continuity before the Germany game. There are question marks over the fitness of people like Harry Kewell, Vince Grella, Mark Bresciano and Brett Emerton," Okon said.
“If they get through some games without aggravating anything then it will give everybody a boost. I’m not sure if the squad can handle those sorts of players not being available because we probably lack a bit of depth.
“We’re out of Asia now and in with the high rollers and you can easily get found out.
“There is a short turn around between our second game against Ghana on 19 June and Serbia on 23 June, so we need our best players to be fit enough to go the distance.
“If worst comes to worse then somebody like Harry can be used off the bench, I think he will struggle to start all three games because of his groin problems, in fact he might not even figure against Germany at all.
“But he is a supreme athlete and if anybody can beat the injury, it’s him. I wouldn’t be surprised if Pim picked Harry as an out-and-out striker and I feel he could do a really good job there.”
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1001097/Okon