Another One Bites The Dust In China

Newcastle Herald

Wednesday March 26, 2008

By MICHAEL COCKERILL - SMH

THE Socceroos will be hoping they don't get the World Cup wobbles like their coach, Pim Verbeek, who almost collapsed during a media conference yesterday while discussing his final plans for today's crucial qualifier against China in Kunming.

Verbeek was four minutes into the conference with travelling Australian journalists when he said he had to stop because he was "not feeling very well" before staggering and being helped to a chair.

Verbeek had earlier skipped breakfast after complaining of a stomach bug. Team doctor Peter Bruckner later confirmed it was a gastric complaint and not any problem with the altitude.

After a few hours rest, Verbeek was able to attend the familiarisation session at the match venue, Tuodong Stadium, and he was expected to be in his normal place on the bench tonight.

Verbeek will certainly need all his wiles and experience to guide Australia to a result after a spate of injuries, which he admits has forced him to adjust his selection plans.

The only solace after a week of bad news capped by Bruce Djite's hamstring injury at training on Monday is the likelihood that Harry Kewell will be fit enough to start the game, although not necessarily to end it.

Kewell left training early on Monday, but Verbeek said "that was to protect him", and the Liverpool star could be used in the same playmaking role he performed for 45 minutes in last weekend's warm-up match against Singapore.

The issue for Verbeek is that a desperate Chinese team could target a half-fit Kewell in the early stages, but given the dearth of options it was a risk both coach and player might have to take.

Indeed there is little doubt China, roared on by a fiercely parochial home crowd, will try and knock the Socceroos off their stride. China's play has become increasingly physical under new coach Vladimir Petrovic, and local journalists expect the hosts, who have spent three weeks in camp acclimatising to Kunming's altitude of 1900 metres, to go as hard as they can as early as they can.

That was no surprise to Verbeek, who said: "We expect them to be physical, that's the way they play, and we have to be ready for that. The pressure is on them, that's true, because if they don't win they'll probably be out for the qualification."

In truth, the pressure has mounted on the Socceroos after a catalogue of injuries that has ripped the heart out of their attacking options.

Djite's hamstring injury, likely to sideline the Adelaide striker for at least a month, follows the loss of Scott McDonald, Mile Sterjovski, Tim Cahill and Josh Kennedy.

Asked whether he has any strikers left, Verbeek laughed: "I still have a few, but of course I agree this was not expected. You cannot be happy, that's true, but on the other hand we still have players who can do the job . . . that's why we took enough players to come over here.

"It's a little bit tough, but we still think we can win the game, and that's why we go for it."

China go into the game after a sequence of poor results, with their coach under increasing scrutiny, and injury problems of their own.

Strikers Dong Fangzhou and Shi Jun have been ruled out and two other European-based players winger Shao Jiayi and utility Sun Jihai and striker Han Peng are all returning from injury and are tipped to start on the bench. Midfielder Zhou Haibin, who provides the workrate to support playmaker and captain Zheng Zhi, is also under an injury cloud going into the match.

For all that, China will be slight favourites, and while he will not admit it, Verbeek will be delighted to escape with a draw.

That means Australia will take a far more defensive approach than they did in last month's opener against Qatar, with either Brett Holman or Mark Bridge given the thankless role of lone striker.

SMH

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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