SOCCEROO prima donnas could get the chop as Pim Verbeek promises simply to field the best available team in the hunt for Asian success in the World Cup qualifiers.
He’s promised to maintain the same style of Dutch play brought in with Rob Baan and Guus Hiddink but insists results are more important than anything else.
“It’s all about winning games,” he said. “We want to play nice football, interesting football – but it’s all about winning games.
“If the right players are there, then we have to use them. I’m willing to build up a new team.”
But he stressed there would still be a place in the side for veterans like Mark Viduka – who has held fire on deciding on his international future while a new coach was being sought.
“We know some players are getting older,” he added. “But we should not think that these players are not good enough any more.
“If some of the older players can bring us to the World Cup then he should play. We will have to find the best team. It’s my job to select players that can win games.
“But just having quality players will not win games. We have to make difficult and hard decisions to bring in young and talented players sometimes.”
Verbeek plans on relying on current backroom staff Rob Baan and Graham Arnold to assist him in the coaching role but may bring in his own choice of assistant later.
“We have to learn from the past,” he said. “I’m very curious to learn from Graham and Rob what was happening during the Asian Cup campaign. I think the result was very disappointing
“It was a very difficult tournament with the training facilities and travelling. It’s not easy. It’s important that we learn from our mistakes.”
He added: “It’s not an easy task to qualify. We can’t compare it with the World Cup. Asian football is completely different.
“The physical side of things and the referees are very different. We should not be arrogant. We have to be very philosophical.”
Australia’s group for the first stage of their World Cup qualifying campaign has been dubbed the Group of Death, but Verbeek was keen to dismiss the fear factor.
“If you are already worried about the first round, what will happen at the next round?” he said. “I am 100 percent confident we will qualify for the next round.
“It’s not going to be easy and we will be prepared for it – but we are Australia. It’s a difficult group but that’s the challenge.”
He added: “If I wasn’t 100percent sure that we can do it, I wouldn’t be sitting here. We have to respect the opponents but do not fear them.”
“It’s all about winning games,” he said. “We want to play nice football, interesting football – but it’s all about winning games.
“If the right players are there, then we have to use them. I’m willing to build up a new team.”
But he stressed there would still be a place in the side for veterans like Mark Viduka – who has held fire on deciding on his international future while a new coach was being sought.
“We know some players are getting older,” he added. “But we should not think that these players are not good enough any more.
“If some of the older players can bring us to the World Cup then he should play. We will have to find the best team. It’s my job to select players that can win games.
“But just having quality players will not win games. We have to make difficult and hard decisions to bring in young and talented players sometimes.”
Verbeek plans on relying on current backroom staff Rob Baan and Graham Arnold to assist him in the coaching role but may bring in his own choice of assistant later.
“We have to learn from the past,” he said. “I’m very curious to learn from Graham and Rob what was happening during the Asian Cup campaign. I think the result was very disappointing
“It was a very difficult tournament with the training facilities and travelling. It’s not easy. It’s important that we learn from our mistakes.”
He added: “It’s not an easy task to qualify. We can’t compare it with the World Cup. Asian football is completely different.
“The physical side of things and the referees are very different. We should not be arrogant. We have to be very philosophical.”
Australia’s group for the first stage of their World Cup qualifying campaign has been dubbed the Group of Death, but Verbeek was keen to dismiss the fear factor.
“If you are already worried about the first round, what will happen at the next round?” he said. “I am 100 percent confident we will qualify for the next round.
“It’s not going to be easy and we will be prepared for it – but we are Australia. It’s a difficult group but that’s the challenge.”
He added: “If I wasn’t 100percent sure that we can do it, I wouldn’t be sitting here. We have to respect the opponents but do not fear them.”
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