Pim Verbeek’s Australia have made it through to their toughest qualifying campaign since joining the Asian confederation – and with a match to spare at that. But a flattering points total wasn’t enough to paper over the cracks of some suspect selections by the new national coach.
It’s perhaps not so much Verbeek’s first Qq Poker Online choice side which is suspect. When the canny Dutchman has Australia’s full armoury at his disposal you would tip the Socceroos to be among the World Cup qualifying places at the end of a marathon AFC campaign.
It’s more the ongoing and lingering doubts over the identity of the country’s best backup XI.
Mind you, Verbeek’s defensive tactics have taken a bit of a bashing too in Australia (he tended to use a pair of holding midfielders in the away games against Iraq and Qatar with just a lone striker upfront), a ploy which stifled any creativity fostered from Harry Kewell’s busy performances.
But considering the Socceroos booked their passage into the final 10 with a 3-1 win in Doha – albeit from a Brett Emerton brace from right wing-back – few are bothering to overly quibble.…