The Sun-Herald

The A-Team: Not the A-League

Pim Verbeek has unleashed the beast.

Finally, we know who the Socceroos coach considers his top, if not team, then squad.

For this week's 2010 World Cup qualifier against Bahrain in Manama, Verbeek is taking no prisoners, no chances, and no passengers.

(OK, maybe David Carney, so far outcast at Sheffield United he may as well travel to Bahrain on a raft).

Before the withdrawal of Vince Grella and Matthew Spiranovic, just Craig Moore, a wily veteran with over a decade of experience in Europe (yes, Scotland is Europe), was the only A-League player considered good enough for selection.

Then Grella's hammy went twang (again), Spiranovic's ankle went snap, and Moore offered the males among us at least two reasons why we should regularly check our engines (gentlemen, I'm serious here - finish reading this and then go check 'em out).

So, interestingly, Verbeek looks to the locals to make up numbers.

Up steps Jade North (who almost moved to Europe this year), Mark Milligan (ditto) breathes a sigh of relief that Verbeek still recognises him, and Mile Jedinak receives notice that if he's ambitious (and talented) enough to eventually win a contract in Europe he might get a call up to the national team a little earlier next time.

These are all details that we needn't consider right now, however.

What's important is that Verbeek, naming a squad with at least seven goal scorers within it, is not going to Bahrain to muck around.

I can't blame him. I've visited Bahrain, funnily enough on the advice of former Newcastle Jets (and Wollongong) coach Nick Theodorakopoulos. Nick is often a good judge but on that occasion he was wrong.

Very wrong.

My diplomatic advice to Pim is similar to how Craig Moore's doctor operates - get in, get it done, get out.

I wish I'd done the same rather than be marooned in a desert hotel for three days. Bahrain is not Dubai and makes Doha seem the life of the party (and, trust me, in comparison, it truly is).

But Verbeek doesn't require my advice.

Just two games into the final stage of World Cup qualifying he seems to want to get this over and done as quickly as possible and book some tickets for South Africa as soon as he can.

With Uzbekistan, Qatar, and Bahrain (possibly) out of the way, nine points from three games is a nice way to face Japan next year.

And who would have thought, our first real World Cup qualifying campaign in several decades might be over - in a good way - by Christmas.

Am I getting ahead of myself here?

Pim's A-team: Mark Bresciano (Palermo), Jacob Burns (Unirea), Tim Cahill (Everton), David Carney (Sheffield Utd), Chris Coyne (Colchester Utd), Jason Culina (PSV Eindhoven), Bruce Djite (Genclerbirligi), Brett Emerton (Blackburn Rovers), Adam Federici (Reading), Richard Garcia (Hull City), Brett Holman (AZ Alkmaar), Mile Jedinak (Central Coast Mariners), Josh Kennedy (Karlsruhe), Harry Kewell (Galatasaray), Jade North (Newcastle Jets), Scott McDonald (Celtic), Mark Milligan (Newcastle Jets), FC Lucas Neill (West Ham), Michael Petkovic (Sivasspor), Mark Schwarzer (Fulham), Shane Stefanutto (Lyn Oslo), Mile Sterjovski (Derby County), Carl Valeri (Grosseto), Luke Wilkshire (Dynamo Moscow).

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