Kennedy dreams of Archie reunion

[toonarmy#9]

Striker Josh Kennedy has expressed his dream of playing alongside his old buddy Archie Thompson for the Socceroos.

Wodonga-born Kennedy is enjoying the last few days of his holidays with family in Melbourne before he starts pre-season training with Japanese club Nagoya Grampus next Thursday.

Fully refreshed after having his first break in 15 months, he said he would dearly love national coach Pim Verbeek to give him and Melbourne Victory's red-hot hitman the opportunity to play alongside each other.

“I’d just love to play with Archie Thompson for Australia,” Kennedy, 27, said.

“I think we have played only once together for the national team. It was a friendly match against Argentina at the MCG in 2007 and I think we played for an hour.

“I know Archie from our Carlton days in season 1999/2000. He would fit perfectly into my ‘big man, small man’ game.

“His skill complements mine and vice-versa. But at the end of the day Mr Verbeek picks the team and we’ll just have to wait and see if the boss gives us a go. But if we get the chance I’m sure we’d do well together.”

That rare match-up could take place as early as March 3 when Australia face Indonesia in a 2011 Asian Cup qualifier in Brisbane.

The Australians have yet to qualify for the finals in Qatar next January after only drawing 2-2 with Kuwait on January 7.

Verbeek is expected to pick an attacking team gathered mainly from the A-League in an attempt to finish off the qualifying campaign with a flourish although a draw would be enough to see the Socceroos through.

Kennedy, who moved to Japan from Karlsruhe in Germany’s Bundesliga at the end of the last European season in June, said his stint in the J.League had made him a better all-round player.

“My move to Japan definitely has improved me as a footballer and I say so not because you have asked me the question,” he said.

“Playing in a different style of football has not necessarily added a new dimension to my game but it taught me how to do things differently.

“In Germany I learnt as much as I could while in Japan you learn, for example, to bring people into the game in different ways. The more I play the more I strengthen my game on the ground.

“The better I can keep the ball and the better I can bring other people into the game, it is also good for the Socceroos team.”

Kennedy said he had lots of time for the quality and energy of the J.League, which is seen by many as Asia’s strongest championship.

“I think it’s a great standard. They love to create things and play attacking football which suits me to a tee,” he explained.

“It’s good to be a striker in Japan. I had more chances in 10 games in Japan than I had in a whole season in Germany with Karlsruhe.

“Yet it’s tough to gauge the Japanese standard with that of Europe because it is not the same football. But I reckon the top three or four clubs in Japan would be competitive and hold their own in the middle ranges of the Bundesliga.

“The only difference is that in Germany and England you have those 1.95m players who are very useful at set-pieces. In Japan we do not have this sort of player.”

Kennedy’s contract with Nagoya Grampus ends just after the World Cup in South Africa.

[toonarmy#9]

What a joke. Thompson isn't good enough for Australia

[Red-4-Life]

What a joke. Thompson isn't good enough for Australia

Kennedy must have been hit in the head or something...

[TOPGUNJIMMYAUFC]

+1...........his only good for a victory win....

[Wayne Rooney's Elbow]

+1...........his only good for a victory win....

You've seen a few of them now.