My letter to Pim Verbeek
Thursday, 05 March 09, 06:22 AM · Comments(3)
Dear Mr Pim Verbeek
I am an Australian, like many Australians I was ecstatic when, in November 2005, John Aloisi put the ball into the top right corner of the goal, and we were off to Germany. I was also ecstatic when 3 goals were scored without reply in June 2006 to make us win our first World Cup match. I shared our pain when we played Italy and were, perhaps cruelly, knocked out of the World Cup. I have experienced the highs and lows of football in Australia.
Mr Verbeek, I paid my hard earned cash, I am not rich, I study full time and work once or twice a week and try to keep money for times where I may need it. Yet I paid, to watch Australia versus Kuwait at Canberra Stadium.
Mr Verbeek, did those players want to be there? there was no spark, no fire in their eyes, they ran forward looking for penalties, gave the ball away in midfield and were indecisive in defens. Mr Verbeek, the defenders were turned everytime, they did not stand up and close players down, and they were a shambles with no communication.
Mr Verbeek, I was most dissapointed with the midfield, Zullo seemed to be playing as a winger, this should not have been your instruction to him because you should know that we cannot get decent service to the strikers normally, another person on the last line of defense is not going to help. The midfield was too leaky, why, at half time, did you not say to them 'when you get the ball, trap it, kill it dead. Play the way you are facing, do not try to turn because you loose the ball too easily'. This would have been the right thing to do to at least make the squad members play football that could tangibly get a goal. when the midfielders were on the ball they never seemed to have options, when a player in midfield has the ball they should always have two simple and immediate options, they can then pass and move to get into a recieving permission, this would have drawn defenders up and given the forwards some space. There was very little dynamic movement in the midfield and I belive this was the reason for our loss.
If I seem frustrated at the midfield I am just as frustrated at the forward line, there was no movement until the ball had started to arrive, and even then the balls being played to and from the forward line were comical, did they not relise that their through balls were rediculous? They should have, and then gone to playing the ball to feet, pass and move, their insistance to play 'the perfect ball' drove me crazy over the ninty minutes that i was forced to watch this butchering of the game of football.
Mr Verbeek, answer me this. Would you, after seeing that gutless, passionless, talentless, and frankly comical performance from the team I was so wishing to do well, would YOU have paid your own money, to watch that abomination to football? If your answer is no, then I reccommend you do some thinking, before more people boo your team at the end of a match.
This one I have not sent, mainly due to some trouble I got into with admin types after my last letter, but to the English folk $40 AUD may not seem like a lot, please watch the game however possible, and you should wonder why the FFA did not pay me to sit through that abomination.
Like this blog? Help spread the word: 
-
Gregoir said:hmm, perhaps I didn't explain myself clearly. So, in the interests of the law,...
Michael Pietrus said:This is funny stuff. A little boy with an Arsenal jersey triying to justify Edu...
Roberto Zuniga said:This is the most ridiculous article about diving that I have read.I am glad tha...
-
Gregoir
AU
A spot of Perspective
3 Comments · Add yours
Much as I like to support my fellow gooners, I dont think this should be posted amongst the Arsenal section!!
Pim is Dutch. You being Australian and likely have a better understanding of playing with egg shaped balls, should refrain from critizising one of my countrymen. We, after all, invented the modern game back in the seventies and know much more about football then you would. With regard to the performance, perhaps you should focus on your fellow countrymen who performed dismally instead of bagging the coach. Personally, I would never pay any money to see your team.
Hans, if I may, I would like to defend my side of the argument. Guus Hiddink managed Australia, he introduced some of the best tactics I have ever seen and made us play above our potential. I have nothing against the Dutch way of football. The performance was dismal. Also, did I ever criticize Pim? Look, please. I think once, when I said he should have given the players a friggin earbash at half time, I just addressed the letter to Pim and wrote to him, I never blamed him for the loss, I blamed the players. Thats my side. Cheers Hans