PREGNANT partners and a June baby boom have left Socceroo coach Pim Verbeek facing a potential World Cup headache.
Four members of his squad are due to become fathers during a busy month which is crucial to Australia’s hopes of booking a spot in South Africa 2010.
Captain Lucas Neill, midfielders Jacob Burns and Mile Sterjovski plus striker Josh Kennedy are all due to welcome new additions in June.
While it seems unlikely that Verbeek would suddenly find himself robbed of four players, all at the same time, the coach was probably only half joking when he told the media: “I think we need a big squad.”
Injury or stubborn club managers are usually the main culprits in robbing a country of its players for international matches.
Verbeek said: “The babies are all in June. It doesn’t make it (the job) much easier.”
The coach hopes there won’t be any further delivery dates to be added in June as he continues with preparations for the forthcoming battles.
A friendly with Ghana is the first challenge and Verbeek says it will be another opportunity for A-League players to demonstrate that they can rise to the challenge of international football.
He said: “It is a good opportunity to give players international experience in combination with the (overseas) players who finish their leagues earlier than the rest.”
Harry Kewell is not a question mark for the Ghana game in Verbeek’s eyes and he joked that he was relieved Liverpool had not made the Champions League final because it meant the player would be free to travel to Australia.
A-League performers Jade North and Adam Griffiths were among those to seize their chance the last time the Socceroos trained together and Verbeek will be watching the home-based players very closely once again in the build up to the Ghana match.
He said: “We have more players on the list who made a good impression (in Singapore and China). There is a big chance I will let those players come in.”
The Olyroos are due to participate in the Intercontinental Under 23 Championship this month in Malaysia against fellow 2008 Beijing Olympic Games participants Argentina and Nigeria, along with Croatia, Ghana, Iraq, Republic of Ireland and Malaysia. Verbeek could yet dip into Graham Arnold’s squad and instead focus those players on the Ghana game.
Captain Lucas Neill, midfielders Jacob Burns and Mile Sterjovski plus striker Josh Kennedy are all due to welcome new additions in June.
While it seems unlikely that Verbeek would suddenly find himself robbed of four players, all at the same time, the coach was probably only half joking when he told the media: “I think we need a big squad.”
Injury or stubborn club managers are usually the main culprits in robbing a country of its players for international matches.
Verbeek said: “The babies are all in June. It doesn’t make it (the job) much easier.”
The coach hopes there won’t be any further delivery dates to be added in June as he continues with preparations for the forthcoming battles.
A friendly with Ghana is the first challenge and Verbeek says it will be another opportunity for A-League players to demonstrate that they can rise to the challenge of international football.
He said: “It is a good opportunity to give players international experience in combination with the (overseas) players who finish their leagues earlier than the rest.”
Harry Kewell is not a question mark for the Ghana game in Verbeek’s eyes and he joked that he was relieved Liverpool had not made the Champions League final because it meant the player would be free to travel to Australia.
A-League performers Jade North and Adam Griffiths were among those to seize their chance the last time the Socceroos trained together and Verbeek will be watching the home-based players very closely once again in the build up to the Ghana match.
He said: “We have more players on the list who made a good impression (in Singapore and China). There is a big chance I will let those players come in.”
The Olyroos are due to participate in the Intercontinental Under 23 Championship this month in Malaysia against fellow 2008 Beijing Olympic Games participants Argentina and Nigeria, along with Croatia, Ghana, Iraq, Republic of Ireland and Malaysia. Verbeek could yet dip into Graham Arnold’s squad and instead focus those players on the Ghana game.
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