Verbeek headache as Moore is 'sacked'

[the_gun]

Australia coach Pim Verbeek has been handed a selection nightmare ahead of the World Cup with news that former Socceroos captain Craig Moore has been sacked by Greek Super League club Kavala.

The World Game understands the 34-year-old defender has been kicked out unceremoniously by club chairman Charalambos Efstathiadis as a result of what is rumoured to be an off-field incident.

Moore scored a penalty but was also booked in Kavala's 3-1 home defeat to Ergotelis on Monday (AEDT), but while Dutch coach Aad de Mos has not been happy with his form, he was keen to keep the former Newcastle United and Brisbane Roar man.

Privately, the 63-year-old, who has coached Ajax, Werder Bremen, PSV Eindhoven and United Arab Emirates in a career spanning 30 years, said he didn't think Moore was in the form required to play in the World Cup for Australia, but now his countryman Verbeek won't have a chance to see for himself.

The news leaves Verbeek with a defensive headache as he starts to focus on his final 23 for Australia's 2010 World Cup tilt in South Africa

With Patrick Kisnorbo injured, and Simon Colosimo getting no game time as a result of a bureaucratic bungle by the Korean Football Association that stopped him joining FC Seoul, Verbeek has flown to Japan to scout Eddie Bosnar and Mark Milligan

Thus far, Moore has not been available for comment, but the news does not look good for either him or the Socceroos at this stage.

Milligan, who produced a solid performance for new club JEF United at the weekend.

With the news of Moore's sacking arriving in the wake of an Achilles injury to Leeds stopper Kisnorbo, the versatile former Olyroos captain is firmly in the frame for a surprise call-up to the Socceroos starting side next to skipper Lucas Neil.

The significance of Verbeek's visit and brief post-game meeting was not lost on the former Sydney FC, Newcastle Jets and Shanghai Shenhua man.

"It's a terrible blow for Patrick and not something you ever want to see happen to a team-mate, especially in a World Cup year. I just hope he bounces back really quickly," Milligan said.

'It's also a big loss for the team and it just goes to show how quickly things change in football and that you can’t take anything for granted.

"That's the way I'm approaching the next couple of months, taking nothing for granted and just trying to play as many games as I can and to stay injury free."

Milligan, who was a part of Guus Hiddink's squad at Germany 2006, has made an impressive start to his new life in Japan's second tier with promotion-hunting JEF United, whose 2-1 win over Thesoa Kusatu at the weekend was its second in three games this season.

"Pim pretty much said to me afterwards to just keep going and that's what will give myself every chance (of being picked)," he added.

"When you are playing regularly things tend to full into place and it's obviously a big goal for me to get into that World Cup squad. It's just great to back in the picture again for Australia."

Milligan filled a plethora of positions in his spell with Shanghai, even including a couple of appearances as a striker, and showed in Australia's 1-0 win over Indonesia in March a new-found maturity.

"When I have been given game time I think I've done reasonably well and the rest is obviously up to Pim," the defender, who first came to prominence at the 2007 Asian Cup before slipping off the radar as his club career briefly askew, added.

"Seeing him in Japan was like catching up with an old mate, Pim is pretty relaxed away from camps and it was just good to know he's monitoring how I am going."

With fellow World Cup hopefuls Jade North on the bench for new club Tromso at the weekend, Matthew Spiranovic yet to break into the Urawa Red Diamonds first team and Michael Beauchamp out of favour with Saudis Al-Jazira, Milligan's timing appears to be spot on with the World Cup just 10 weeks away.

"I think I've matured a lot on and off the field in past year or so, playing and living in China helped me grow up a lot. It's good being out of your comfort zone."

A welcome distraction will be the arrival of his first child with partner Rhia about to give birth next week.

A World Cup call up would cap the year off nicely.

[toonarmy#9]

there's no other central defenders that are even close to good enough to play at the world cup unless they use Rhys Williams as a CB but even he isn't that great yet

[Željko Jurin]

Spiranovic ??

Bundesliga and J-league experience

[toonarmy#9]

Spiranovic ??

Bundesliga and J-league experience

Oh yeah, forgot about him. Gotta be better than Bosnar and Milligan surely?

[the_gun]

also Michael Beauchamp but then again i dont really rate all that much.

[Chade]

Eddie Bosnar, lol. Would he complain about the opposition until they gave him the ball?

[Con]

We have woes. Now it won't even be that solid, reliable feeling of at least having the experienced 2006 World Cup back-4 playing together - even though Chippers and the others are 4 years slower and older.. What will young German , Ghanian or Serb attackers do to them?

[DOC]

so here are the options
moore-sacked and not in good form
kisnorbo-injured and not going
milligan-good form and playing, best prospect
spiranovic-young but has class
beauchamp-average player but playing
colosimo-good at a league level but was average in asain cup quals and should not go
bosnar- pretty much says it all
williams-can play there but inexperienced and coming off injury, but looks a good prospect
neill-captain and looks the goods in turkey
madaschi- not playing a high level but has done well in aus squads
coyne-average season with perth, don't see him going
lowry-fringe player and doesn't play first team at villa don't see him going
sasa og-step in the wrong direction calling up a 30 year old, plus verbeek isn't a fan

may play a back 3 with wilkshire, neill and chipp

[the_gun]

yeah i think were definitely not in an ideal position defensively. having said that i think we should be to alarmed. i think that who ever it is that gets called im sure will do the job.

[Blotto]

sasa og-step in the wrong direction calling up a 30 year old, plus verbeek isn't a fan

may play a back 3 with wilkshire, neill and chipp

I dont get your consistent concern's about a 30 year old getting called up to the World Cup. it's in 2 months time. It's common knowledge that this squad is going to have to be rebuilt big time after the WC. We need experience at the moment. Not grooming youngsters, that can happen after the WC.

If we play with a back 3 in the WC. We're fucked...

[PhilDunphy]

so here are the options
moore-sacked and not in good form
kisnorbo-injured and not going
milligan-good form and playing, best prospect
spiranovic-young but has class
beauchamp-average player but playing
colosimo-good at a league level but was average in asain cup quals and should not go
bosnar- pretty much says it all
williams-can play there but inexperienced and coming off injury, but looks a good prospect
neill-captain and looks the goods in turkey
madaschi- not playing a high level but has done well in aus squads
coyne-average season with perth, don't see him going
lowry-fringe player and doesn't play first team at villa don't see him going
sasa og-step in the wrong direction calling up a 30 year old, plus verbeek isn't a fan

may play a back 3 with wilkshire, neill and chipp

not very encouraging!

[DOC]

sasa og-step in the wrong direction calling up a 30 year old, plus verbeek isn't a fan

may play a back 3 with wilkshire, neill and chipp

I dont get your consistent concern's about a 30 year old getting called up to the World Cup. it's in 2 months time. It's common knowledge that this squad is going to have to be rebuilt big time after the WC. We need experience at the moment. Not grooming youngsters, that can happen after the WC.

If we play with a back 3 in the WC. We're shiraz...

why have him as a stop gap solution when the squad is going to be based on youth after the world cup

[DOC]

so here are the options
moore-sacked and not in good form
kisnorbo-injured and not going
milligan-good form and playing, best prospect
spiranovic-young but has class
beauchamp-average player but playing
colosimo-good at a league level but was average in asain cup quals and should not go
bosnar- pretty much says it all
williams-can play there but inexperienced and coming off injury, but looks a good prospect
neill-captain and looks the goods in turkey
madaschi- not playing a high level but has done well in aus squads
coyne-average season with perth, don't see him going
lowry-fringe player and doesn't play first team at villa don't see him going
sasa og-step in the wrong direction calling up a 30 year old, plus verbeek isn't a fan

may play a back 3 with wilkshire, neill and chipp

not very encouraging!

if you include other a league players then maybe wilkinson, durante, mckain and thwaite are the only ones who come close