Australian coach Pim Verbeek is doing his best to ensure the Socceroos starting line-up for tonight's World Cup qualifier against Qatar remains a mystery until kick-off.
To see the final training session...
Throughout the week leading up to the match, Verbeek has consistently mixed up formations at training and refused to give an insight into his starting line-up or even his squad of 18.
That trend continued at the official pre-match media conference in Brisbane on Tuesday.
"We are ready, the group is good, almost everybody is fit and ready to play, so it will be interesting for you (to guess) who will be in the final 11, which I will not tell you, so you don't have to ask," Verbeek goaded.
"Also the final 18, I don't tell you, because nobody knows it so far."
The big question apart from whether Verbeek will go with the experience of Craig Moore or the form of Chris Coyne in central defence, is just how the Dutchman will handle the unavailability of midfield quartet Harry Kewell, Mark Bresciano, Vince Grella and Carl Valeri.
Jason Culina said on Monday he may fill Grella and Valeri's shoes as a holding midfielder, but Verbeek would not confirm this.
He was also a man of few words when asked how Moore had been performing in camp.
"Like the other 25, very good," was his reply.
Verbeek was not even willing to reveal anything about his formation or tactics but did say he would be happy with a victory of any kind, be it comprehensive or not.
"I prefer to score as many goals as possible but this is international football, I don’t think Metsu (new Qatar coach Bruno Metsu) will allow us to score five goals," he said.
"If it's early perfect, if it's a last minute goal also perfect, as long as we get the three points."
The match will be Metsu's first game coaching Qatar, who currently top Group A, but Verbeek was not expecting the Frenchman to make any major changes compared to when the Socceroos beat Qatar twice earlier this year.
"You cannot change players, can you?" Verbeek said.
"He cannot change the quality of the players and also not the weak points, he can probably change strategy, we have no idea what he is going to do.
"We know what we have to do, we know they are dangerous, they have four points but could have easily had six points, they deserved to win both games."
To see the final training session...
Throughout the week leading up to the match, Verbeek has consistently mixed up formations at training and refused to give an insight into his starting line-up or even his squad of 18.
That trend continued at the official pre-match media conference in Brisbane on Tuesday.
"We are ready, the group is good, almost everybody is fit and ready to play, so it will be interesting for you (to guess) who will be in the final 11, which I will not tell you, so you don't have to ask," Verbeek goaded.
"Also the final 18, I don't tell you, because nobody knows it so far."
The big question apart from whether Verbeek will go with the experience of Craig Moore or the form of Chris Coyne in central defence, is just how the Dutchman will handle the unavailability of midfield quartet Harry Kewell, Mark Bresciano, Vince Grella and Carl Valeri.
Jason Culina said on Monday he may fill Grella and Valeri's shoes as a holding midfielder, but Verbeek would not confirm this.
He was also a man of few words when asked how Moore had been performing in camp.
"Like the other 25, very good," was his reply.
Verbeek was not even willing to reveal anything about his formation or tactics but did say he would be happy with a victory of any kind, be it comprehensive or not.
"I prefer to score as many goals as possible but this is international football, I don’t think Metsu (new Qatar coach Bruno Metsu) will allow us to score five goals," he said.
"If it's early perfect, if it's a last minute goal also perfect, as long as we get the three points."
The match will be Metsu's first game coaching Qatar, who currently top Group A, but Verbeek was not expecting the Frenchman to make any major changes compared to when the Socceroos beat Qatar twice earlier this year.
"You cannot change players, can you?" Verbeek said.
"He cannot change the quality of the players and also not the weak points, he can probably change strategy, we have no idea what he is going to do.
"We know what we have to do, we know they are dangerous, they have four points but could have easily had six points, they deserved to win both games."
To see the final training session...
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