PIM Verbeek says he won't be ordering Chinese any time soon after the Socceroos' Kunming adventure but says his men have the stomach for a fight after a battling 0-0 draw.
To see Pim and the Aussieroos arrive home in Sydney this morning...
“I'm happy to be back. My experiences in China so far are not so good, as you know already. As you know, I normally like Chinese food but not anymore,” a smiling Verbeek said after returning to Sydney Airport early this morning following Australia's draw with China on Wednesday.
A bout of gastro hit the Dutchman during a press conference the day before the game causing a scare in the Socceroo camp. “I'm happy to be back,” Verbeek added.
And what made him even more happier was the Aussie spirit shown against the Red Army. Verbeek said he enjoyed seeing the Socceroos mete out payback on China's Sun Ji Hai after his horror two-footed tackle almost cut Socceroo Luke Wilkshire in two during the World Cup qualifier two days ago.
“I could not believe it [the tackle]. He gave two minutes before that a yellow card for pushing somebody on the arm then two minutes later it was an unbelievable tackle. And okay, maybe he couldn't see it but we all saw it,” he said.
“But I was very pleased to see that some of the players took a little revenge after that. That says enough about the team spirit. It was good to see. It has been done now and we're looking forward to the Iraq game.”
Socceroo Jade North described the challenge as unforgivable. “I've never seen tackles like that and for the player to stay on the field. I feel sorry for Archie as well for that first challenge.
“We've got to expect that sort of stuff now that we're in Asia. The referees don't listen to you, they just walk away. That's football in Asia.”
“It was a crazy tackle,” Verbeek said of the Thompson tackle that may have caused knee ligament problems. “I think we all can agree. I think it was a dark red but who am I, I'm just the coach.”
But the beaming Verbeek was also keen in talking up the next generation of Socceroo heroes who stepped into the breach when their country needed them to perform.
“It was a great performance by us," he added. "The young boys who haven't played so much, like Valeri, Holman, Culina, Beauchamp and Jade North, they are an interesting generation and again we need all our players for the next two years.”
To see Pim and the Aussieroos arrive home in Sydney this morning...
“I'm happy to be back. My experiences in China so far are not so good, as you know already. As you know, I normally like Chinese food but not anymore,” a smiling Verbeek said after returning to Sydney Airport early this morning following Australia's draw with China on Wednesday.
A bout of gastro hit the Dutchman during a press conference the day before the game causing a scare in the Socceroo camp. “I'm happy to be back,” Verbeek added.
And what made him even more happier was the Aussie spirit shown against the Red Army. Verbeek said he enjoyed seeing the Socceroos mete out payback on China's Sun Ji Hai after his horror two-footed tackle almost cut Socceroo Luke Wilkshire in two during the World Cup qualifier two days ago.
“I could not believe it [the tackle]. He gave two minutes before that a yellow card for pushing somebody on the arm then two minutes later it was an unbelievable tackle. And okay, maybe he couldn't see it but we all saw it,” he said.
“But I was very pleased to see that some of the players took a little revenge after that. That says enough about the team spirit. It was good to see. It has been done now and we're looking forward to the Iraq game.”
Socceroo Jade North described the challenge as unforgivable. “I've never seen tackles like that and for the player to stay on the field. I feel sorry for Archie as well for that first challenge.
“We've got to expect that sort of stuff now that we're in Asia. The referees don't listen to you, they just walk away. That's football in Asia.”
“It was a crazy tackle,” Verbeek said of the Thompson tackle that may have caused knee ligament problems. “I think we all can agree. I think it was a dark red but who am I, I'm just the coach.”
But the beaming Verbeek was also keen in talking up the next generation of Socceroo heroes who stepped into the breach when their country needed them to perform.
“It was a great performance by us," he added. "The young boys who haven't played so much, like Valeri, Holman, Culina, Beauchamp and Jade North, they are an interesting generation and again we need all our players for the next two years.”
To see Pim and the Aussieroos arrive home in Sydney this morning...
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