Aussies over confident in facing newbies.
BAFANA Bafana could become the ultimate party poopers when they face an overconfident Australia at ANZ Stadium today in a friendly international that is supposed to serve as a festive send-off to the World Cup for the Socceroos.
News of the absence of regulars like captain Itumeleng Khune and striker Bernard Parker has increased confidence and many Aussies are under the impression Australia only have to show up to win the game.
The hosts have planned an elaborate sendoff for their national team and some businesses have been encouraged to allow employees to take an early cut from work so they can attend a game some media have described as “an emotional farewell”.
A special tribute has been planned for retired Australia players Mark Schwarzer and Brett Emerton, and fans have been asked to arrive early to share the experience.
A full house is expected at the Sydney stadium as the cost of trains and buses has been included in the match ticket.
Mindful of the growing bravado, Australia coach Ange Postecoglou said he was wary of the obsessive fixation on the absence of some Bafana players and would not allow his players to start believing the hype.
“I cannot buy into that stuff,” Postecoglou said yesterday. “Once you write people off and once they put their national team shirt on, it is a unique thing.
“I am expecting a really good contest and we are not buying the fact it might be some sort of an under-strength, or weakened team or even an easy game.”
Bafana coach Gordon Igesund said the 18 players he has in his squad will deliver and Australia can expect a difficult day at the office today.
“This is a formidable team and it is a highly talented squad,” he said.
“Obviously are disappointed certain players like Bernard Parker, our top goal scorer, is not here. But you know what, this is a new generation we have got here now and we have a new group of players I believe will put up a good showing.”
Igesund has been analysing the hosts and has an idea of what to expect from the Socceroos.
“I have watched a couple of their games against Canada, Costa Rica and Ecuador and they play with a high tempo..”
Postecoglou, on the other hand, has not been so lucky and admitted he knows very little about the current Bafana squad because of the withdrawal of many regulars.
“We have done our analysis but obviously they have had a few changes to their side. Certainly from our perspective it has been a little bit of a challenge to get real analysis on individual players.
“But we have watched their last few games and they have had disappointing results as well as very good results.
“As we said we are expecting a tough game and we have got to prepare ourselves to make sure we cannot be fooled into thinking it will be anything other than an intense international match.”
The Australia coach said he was desperate to win the game as his countrymen will attach a lot of importance to the result of the final match before the World Cup in Brazil.
“In my job the result is always important. I have never dismissed a result in my whole career and I am not going to start now.
“Whether it is on the eve of the World Cup, first game after the World Cup or whether it is my first game in charge or my 100th game. The result always matters and it will matter tonight.”
Eric Mathoho will leave the Bafana camp after tonight’s encounter against Australia after receiving news his cousin has passed away in Thohoyandou.
Mathoho soldiered on after receiving the news and even trained with his teammates yesterday.
Igesund has decided against replacing him and the team will travel to New Zealand – where Bafana face the All Whites in Auckland on Friday – with 17 players. AUSTRALIA are likely to experiment in their friendly international against South Africa today with a number of first team stars carrying niggling injuries.
The match, to be played in front of 50 000 fans at Sydney’s Olympic Park, will be the final warm-up on home soil for the Socceroos before they leave for the Fifa World Cup in Brazil.
With many of the Australia players only arriving in camp on Friday, Bafana Bafana have had a longer build-up, even with their travel, and Socceroos assistant coach Ante Milicic admits head coach Ange Postecoglou will not be risking their top stars.
“It’s not a game he wants to risk any players and there’s probably players he wants to see a little bit more than others and he’ll make that call. Otherwise it’s a really good exercise for us,” Milicic was quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald.
“It also comes back to the fact we’ve got a game on June 2, we’ve got a lot of travel to get there . I’m sure he has got in his mind certain players who are pretty much going to Brazil. It’s the way he uses it and he’ll look at all the things, the loads, the fatigue, the sleeping and how everyone is pulling up.”
Milicic says Australia will be showing some of the tactics they will be using at the World Cup against Bafana, but also says they will be holding some back to keep a little mystery for opponents in Brazil – Chile, Spain and the Netherlands.
“It’s a lot more of a possessionbased game in terms of penetrating passes, playing in tight areas, looking forward, the way you receive the ball, the angles you get on.”
Milicic also says Australia have not been lulled into complacency by the fact Bafana have brought a side without many national regulars and scoffs at the notion they will be “weak”.
The Socceroos will be captained by veteran former Everton star Tim Cahill instead of regular skipper Mile Jedinak.
SA out to spoil World Cup party
BAFANA Bafana could become the ultimate party poopers when they face an overconfident Australia at ANZ Stadium today in a friendly international that is supposed to serve as a festive send-off to the World Cup for the Socceroos.
News of the absence of regulars like captain Itumeleng Khune and striker Bernard Parker has increased confidence and many Aussies are under the impression Australia only have to show up to win the game.
The hosts have planned an elaborate sendoff for their national team and some businesses have been encouraged to allow employees to take an early cut from work so they can attend a game some media have described as “an emotional farewell”.
A special tribute has been planned for retired Australia players Mark Schwarzer and Brett Emerton, and fans have been asked to arrive early to share the experience.
A full house is expected at the Sydney stadium as the cost of trains and buses has been included in the match ticket.
Mindful of the growing bravado, Australia coach Ange Postecoglou said he was wary of the obsessive fixation on the absence of some Bafana players and would not allow his players to start believing the hype.
“I cannot buy into that stuff,” Postecoglou said yesterday. “Once you write people off and once they put their national team shirt on, it is a unique thing.
“I am expecting a really good contest and we are not buying the fact it might be some sort of an under-strength, or weakened team or even an easy game.”
Bafana coach Gordon Igesund said the 18 players he has in his squad will deliver and Australia can expect a difficult day at the office today.
“This is a formidable team and it is a highly talented squad,” he said.
“Obviously are disappointed certain players like Bernard Parker, our top goal scorer, is not here. But you know what, this is a new generation we have got here now and we have a new group of players I believe will put up a good showing.”
Igesund has been analysing the hosts and has an idea of what to expect from the Socceroos.
“I have watched a couple of their games against Canada, Costa Rica and Ecuador and they play with a high tempo..”
Postecoglou, on the other hand, has not been so lucky and admitted he knows very little about the current Bafana squad because of the withdrawal of many regulars.
“We have done our analysis but obviously they have had a few changes to their side. Certainly from our perspective it has been a little bit of a challenge to get real analysis on individual players.
“But we have watched their last few games and they have had disappointing results as well as very good results.
“As we said we are expecting a tough game and we have got to prepare ourselves to make sure we cannot be fooled into thinking it will be anything other than an intense international match.”
The Australia coach said he was desperate to win the game as his countrymen will attach a lot of importance to the result of the final match before the World Cup in Brazil.
“In my job the result is always important. I have never dismissed a result in my whole career and I am not going to start now.
“Whether it is on the eve of the World Cup, first game after the World Cup or whether it is my first game in charge or my 100th game. The result always matters and it will matter tonight.”
Eric Mathoho will leave the Bafana camp after tonight’s encounter against Australia after receiving news his cousin has passed away in Thohoyandou.
Mathoho soldiered on after receiving the news and even trained with his teammates yesterday.
Igesund has decided against replacing him and the team will travel to New Zealand – where Bafana face the All Whites in Auckland on Friday – with 17 players. AUSTRALIA are likely to experiment in their friendly international against South Africa today with a number of first team stars carrying niggling injuries.
The match, to be played in front of 50 000 fans at Sydney’s Olympic Park, will be the final warm-up on home soil for the Socceroos before they leave for the Fifa World Cup in Brazil.
With many of the Australia players only arriving in camp on Friday, Bafana Bafana have had a longer build-up, even with their travel, and Socceroos assistant coach Ante Milicic admits head coach Ange Postecoglou will not be risking their top stars.
“It’s not a game he wants to risk any players and there’s probably players he wants to see a little bit more than others and he’ll make that call. Otherwise it’s a really good exercise for us,” Milicic was quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald.
“It also comes back to the fact we’ve got a game on June 2, we’ve got a lot of travel to get there . I’m sure he has got in his mind certain players who are pretty much going to Brazil. It’s the way he uses it and he’ll look at all the things, the loads, the fatigue, the sleeping and how everyone is pulling up.”
Milicic says Australia will be showing some of the tactics they will be using at the World Cup against Bafana, but also says they will be holding some back to keep a little mystery for opponents in Brazil – Chile, Spain and the Netherlands.
“It’s a lot more of a possessionbased game in terms of penetrating passes, playing in tight areas, looking forward, the way you receive the ball, the angles you get on.”
Milicic also says Australia have not been lulled into complacency by the fact Bafana have brought a side without many national regulars and scoffs at the notion they will be “weak”.
The Socceroos will be captained by veteran former Everton star Tim Cahill instead of regular skipper Mile Jedinak.
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