Valeri's unlikely to marinate on his World Cup couch
LEE GASKIN
29 May, 2010 10:25 AM
Every four years Carl Valeri's World Cup recipe is the same.
Take the best exponents of the round-ball game on the planet, mix them all together in the one place and add a splash of Socceroos success.

Marinate on the couch for six weeks with friends and family by your side and enjoy.

''The last World Cup I was doing what I do every World Cup sitting with my father and brother watching it on TV,'' Valeri said.

''We've done that ever since I can remember, with all the World Cups and even the European tournaments. That's my fondest experience.''

That memory is certain to drop in the rankings if Valeri survives the final cut to 23 of Pim Verbeek's Socceroos squad on Tuesday.

It will cap a remarkable, at times challenging and frustrating, journey eight years in the making.

At 17 and having come through the AIS system, Valeri left for Italy where he joined powerhouse Inter Milan.

There he learned what it took to become a professional.

Valeri was loaned out to several Italian clubs to gain experience before landing at Italian Serie B Grosseto in 2005. He made 133 appearances before the relationship turned sour late last year. If 2010 has been Valeri's golden year, the previous 12 months were the polar opposite.

''Last year I had an operation on my knee and it took a while for me to get back into things,'' he said.

''Then I had a few contract negotiations that didn't go quite well with Grosseto, which found me not playing for three months.

''I wouldn't sign, then push came to shove and I signed. Then I got my move to Sassulo and that all changed.''

In the crazy world of Italian football, Valeri's contract is split between Sassulo and Grossetto. Basically, his future post-World Cup is in limbo.

''I don't know, pretty much Sassuolo owns half of me and Grosseto owns the other half,'' he said.

''It sounds horrible, but that's the situation I'm in.

''I'd like to stay at Sassuolo, and I think Sassuolo would like to keep me, but there's money involved.

''I can't control what they're going to do contract-wise because unfortunately I don't have a say.''

After the nightmare which was his final days in Grosseto, the small city of Sassuolo has welcomed Valeri and his young family partner Whitney and three-month-old daughter Isobel with open arms.

''Sassuolo's a new team with a small fan base, fantastic club, massive ambitions and a great owner. He has great drive and he has economic power,'' Valeri said.

''Everyone's really friendly. You don't have the pressure of a normal footballer and you're playing at a higher level.''

The wildcard in the pack is Sassuolo's bid for promotion in to the Italian Serie A.

Sassuolo is currently fourth in Serie B ahead of this weekend's final round and is assured of a spot in the four-team playoffs.

Valeri will be looking on with interest from the Socceroos camp in South Africa.
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