Rhys Williams makes toughest call of all for sake of Socceroos

* By BRADEN QUARTERMAINE
* From: The Sunday Times

HEARTBREAK kid Rhys Williams chose to sacrifice his own World Cup dream for the greater good of the Socceroos.

The 21-year-old Middlesbrough player told his family he made the final call on his fitness in South Africa this week, conceding to coach Pim Verbeek that he didn't think he could play at his best during the tournament due to ongoing groin issues.

Williams is understood to be battling the dreaded osteitis pubis, and is likely to consult renowned groin specialist Steve Saunders in Adelaide as he attempts to prepare himself for the upcoming club season.

Williams will escape Perth today with his younger brothers Ryan and Aryn for a holiday to Bali as he tries to deal with the disappointment of missing the tournament.

Williams broke the news he was out of the World Cup in a heartbreaking text message to his mother Audrey in Perth on Wednesday.

"He texted us in the morning and said, "I'm not in the 23. It was my choice, so please don't make a big deal of it," Ms Williams said.

"He was there right 'til the very end and then in his heart realised that he couldn't give what he wanted to give."

Ms Williams said her son was coping as well as could be hoped and he would watch Australia's World Cup matches on TV.

"He's hurt deep down I suppose," she said.

"He's obviously upset. But he's always been level-headed. All of my kids have been very mature before their time really."

Back-up goalkeeper Eugene 0Galekovic and youngsters Tommy Oar, James Holland and Shane Lowry also missed the 23-man squad, but have remained with the team to train.

The careers of Williams and 0Lowry, good friends and products of local club ECU Joondalup, have mirrored each other in various ways and they were united in pain this week as both missed out.

The omission of Williams sparked a bitter exchange between Verbeek and Middlesbrough manager Gordon Strachan, with Australia's coach blaming the English Championship club for mismanaging his injury and playing the defender-cum-midfielder with the aid of painkilling injections.

Strachan fired back, denying he cost Williams his World Cup place and saying both he and the club objected to being made scapegoats.


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