Hehe riv your opinion of Valeri wouldn't happened to be coloured by the fact he's a Canberra boy, would it? lol j/ks, infact that's a nice point of difference, that he's not just 'another one' from Sydney or Melbourne.

BTW That 'Minnie Vinnie' label is a horrible tag he's being trying to shrug off ever since Graham Arnold stuck it on him. He's his own man and certainly much more than that. TBH Over the past year or so, I would've even preferred he starting at DM over Grella (Injury and form troubles), aswell as Jedinak (Not as experienced in Europe/Elite football as Valeri), such has been the good, steady, impression he's left in his NT stints thus far, which is something you want from your DM.

BTW I think once he becomes a Serie A regular, then that 'Vinnie's Deputy' tag will FINALLY wear off.

And I suppose it's pleasing for our NT to see one part of the field where we can be pretty confident in our stocks, unlike the front third/strikers and centre backs.

Carl puts country over club

* By Marco Monteverde
* From: The Daily Telegraph
* May 21, 2010

A SHOT at playing in the Italian Serie A looms as Carl Valeri's consolation prize if the Socceroos midfielder is chopped from Australia's World Cup squad.

With his Italian second division club Sassuolo in a promotion dogfight, Valeri yesterday admitted it was "a little bit upsetting" that he was back in Australia at the business end of the season.

But when there's a chance to represent your nation at the World Cup, country comes first every time.

"I'm hopefully playing in a World Cup, which is every player's dream," Valeri said. "They [Sassuolo] asked permission for me to stay for the games but it was very light-hearted and they all gave me a big hug and wished me all the best.

"We have a lot of fans in Sassuolo who are going to support Australia."

If the dreaded axe falls on the 25-year-old midfielder when Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek announces his final squad on June 1, Valeri is expected to return immediately to his club, which is likely to be in the midst of a four-team playoff battle for a spot in Italy's top flight.

"They [Sassuolo] said, 'If you get the chance [to go to the World Cup] go and if things don't work out come back and play in the playoffs'," he said.

"That's my dream [to play in Serie A]. I've obviously been working very hard at it ... promotion is a big thing for me, for every player and for the club. It means a lot of money. It means massive things for the city."

If Verbeek chooses four holding midfielders in his squad, Valeri is a certainty to go to South Africa alongside Vince Grella, Jason Culina and Mile Jedinak. But Verbeek admitted the versatility of defenders Luke Wilkshire and Rhys Williams, who can both play in the midfield, could have Valeri and his good friend Jedinak battling for one spot in the 23.

"I haven't made up my mind," the Socceroos mentor said.

"Mile is doing very well in Turkey, Carl has done a fantastic job for the team in every game he's played for the Socceroos, so they can do a job.

"They are good football players, but it's not just about being a good football player, it's also about what's the best balance for the upcoming four, five or six games that we're going to play."

Valeri played down any potential rivalry between himself and Jedinak, and was hopeful they would both get the nod from Verbeek. "There could be room for both of us, but in the end it's Pim's decision," the Canberra product said.

"We're both professional players and we're going to work hard."

Jedinak, 25, was adamant he and Valeri could fit into the same squad.

"It's a tough one, but personally I think there is room for both of us," said the former Central Coast Mariners star, who finished the Turkish season at Antalyaspor on loan from Genclerbirligi.

"Carl's a fantastic player, but we're just going to have to wait and see what the boss says. I know the boss knows what I can do in that position and elsewhere on the field."

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/soccer/carl-puts-country-over-club/story-e6frey4r-1225869409475

I strongly disagree, but it's a game of opinions and there as many of these as there are fans.

He is the number two DM to me, behind Grella and ahead of both Culina and Jedinak. He has looked the goods in his Socceroo appearances and in my view more comfortable than Jedinak. I also think his passing range is better than Jedi, but overall they are pretty comparable. I also think Valeri's years in Italian football may make him more tactically aware, but that is just a guess.

He shouldn't be ahead of Jedinak in the 23 if we only take 3 DM's.