Valeri puts mate in the picture
BY JAMES BUCKLEY, SOCCER
26 May, 2010 07:47 AM
Carl Valeri's place in the 28-man Socceroos squad flying to South Africa today was never really in doubt.

The 25-year-old is a fair way up coach Pim Verbeek's pecking order, and will most likely play a role in next month's World Cup finals.

For the defensive midfielder's good mate Brett Holman though, a seat on the plane to South Africa wasn't quite so cut and dried.

But after finishing a sublime chip from Valeri to score the winner against New Zealand on Monday night, the AZ Alkmaar playmaker gave Verbeek no choice but to select him.

Valeri spent yesterday just outside of Melbourne with girlfriend Whitney and baby daughter Isabel.

Impressed by Holman's performance against New Zealand, the Tuggeranong junior told The Canberra Times he couldn't be happier his close friend would be joining him in South Africa.

''He's a fantastic player. We met when we were doing the under-17s and we started doing that when we were 15, so that's nearly 11 years [we've been playing together] now,'' Valeri said. ''He's one of those players that loves the ball and likes to create so he's always on my back.

''I like to chip a ball over the top. That comes off in training but not in games so to come off in a game situation, 90th-minute winner against New Zealand, we were pretty happy.''

Not so fortunate when Verbeek trimmed his squad yesterday was struggling striker Scott McDonald, who is yet to find the net in 16 appearances for his country.

Nick Carle and Jade North also failed to secure a spot in Australia's 28-man contingent.

Verbeek trimmed his squad from the original 31 to 28 - one more than originally flagged after convincing Football Federation Australia to let him take four goalkeepers to the camp.

Youngsters Tommy Oar and James Holland were named but Verbeek said they were effectively going for the experience and were unlikely to be part of the final 23-man World Cup squad he names on June 1.

McDonald, who played for most of Monday night's 2-1 win over New Zealand at the MCG, was the surprise omission.

With a dearth of strikers, Verbeek opted not to plump for the Middlesbrough front man.

Instead Belgian-based Nikita Rukavytsya and Josh Kennedy will back up Harry Kewell.

Verbeek admitted McDonald struggled in his lone striker system, and had missed out for that reason.

''Scotty is a typical two-striker player, and that's where he feels happy also,'' Verbeek said. ''But we don't play with two strikers.''

Everton star Tim Cahill and Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer also headline the squad.

Verbeek said the players from this squad who did not make the final 23 would stay in South Africa for the duration of the tournament.

The Socceroos play friendlies against Denmark on June1 and the United States on June5 in Roodepoort ahead of their opening group match against Germany in Durban on June14.

- with AAP

SOCCEROOS WORLD CUP SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: Mark Schwarzer, Adam Federici, Brad Jones, Eugene Galekovic. Defenders: Scott Chipperfield, David Carney, Lucas Neill, Michael Beauchamp, Shane Lowry, Craig Moore, Mark Milligan, Rhys Williams, Luke Wilkshire. Midfielders: Vince Grella, Carl Valeri, Jason Culina, Mile Jedinak, Tim Cahill, Brett Holman, Dario Vidosic, Mark Bresciano, Brett Emerton, Richard Garcia, James Holland, Tommy Oar. Strikers: Nikita Rukavytsya, Josh Kennedy, Harry Kewell.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/football-soccer/valeri-puts-mate-in-the-picture/1840094.aspx?storypage=0