Andy Harper blasts new Socceroos coach for opportunity lost

[TOPGUNJIMMYAUFC]

AUSTRALIA faces the real risk of not qualifying for the next World Cup in Brazil, a leading pundit has warned.
Fox Sports football commentator Andy Harper said he has been left underwhelmed by the squad new Socceroos coach Holger Osieck has named for the friendly internationals against Switzerland and Poland in Europe and he wants to see the team blooding new and younger faces.

“Osieck has spurned a chance to evaluate the next generation of Socceroos,” Harper said on Fox Sports FC, which he co-hosts.

“The selections are an opportunity lost. The squad was drawn from the core of the last couple of World Cups, the core from the Slovenia match a couple of weeks ago, which left us all a bit empty, to be frank,” he said.

“Holger Osieck has made it very clear by the naming of this squad, that he wants to win the Asian Cup, and the best way to do that is with the most experienced squad and the best players available.”


But Harper called on Osieck to give the next generation of Socceroos a chance of strutting their stuff in the coming friendlies, Asian Cup and in the lead-up to the qualification matches for Brazil in 2014.

“Instead we've got four friendly games this year, then three guaranteed games in January next year, at the Asian Cup in Qatar, that's seven games that we're not going to have to prepare youngsters for 2014.

“You look at the strikers picked for the friendlies - Josh Kennedy, Harry Kewell, Scott Mcdonald, they're all going to be deeply into their 30s by 2014.”

[takeonthekeeper]

he makes a good point though. with players such as ramsey and leckie out performing the older players at adelaide, then wouldn't it make sense to develope them into the next generation of our stars.

he hasn't learnt from te world cup. the teams with older players were dropping like flys, yet the teams with young guns in them such as germany and ghana were dominating.

fair enought that you need experience.

Germany will be a team to be feared in the next few world cups.

[DOC]

after the asian cup i predict the youngsters will get a go and a few more oldies moved on, if we don't perform at the asian cup harper will have a whinge about that, we are in the top 3 teams in asia, prob behind japan and south korea atm so we need to make our mark in asia first before looking to build to 2014

[SpursOnTheRise]

It's a bit of an issue, bit reminscant to Lippi going into WC 2010. Although you can hardly say their are that many good young players coming through for the roo's. In saying that, they players may be shite but we might aswell give them expirience.

[Madridista612]

after the asian cup i predict the youngsters will get a go and a few more oldies moved on, if we don't perform at the asian cup harper will have a whinge about that, we are in the top 3 teams in asia, prob behind japan and south korea atm so we need to make our mark in asia first before looking to build to 2014

I'd prefer to make a mark in the World Cup than the Asian Cup. I agree with Harper, now is the time to bring in the youth.

[Loppermann]

after the asian cup i predict the youngsters will get a go and a few more oldies moved on, if we don't perform at the asian cup harper will have a whinge about that, we are in the top 3 teams in asia, prob behind japan and south korea atm so we need to make our mark in asia first before looking to build to 2014

I'd prefer to make a mark in the World Cup than the Asian Cup. I agree with Harper, now is the time to bring in the youth.

stupid idea

[Wraith]

he makes a good point though. with players such as ramsey and leckie out performing the older players at adelaide, then wouldn't it make sense to develope them into the next generation of our stars.

he hasn't learnt from te world cup. the teams with older players were dropping like flys, yet the teams with young guns in them such as germany and ghana were dominating.

fair enought that you need experience.

Germany will be a team to be feared in the next few world cups.

Wait until he plays more then 1 good game before putting Ramsay in that category.

[Red-4-Life]

if Australia dont bring up youth soon, forget going to Brazil in 2014

[Steelinho]

There are plenty of players in the current selection who will be playing in 2014, injuries permitting.

You can't just lump a whole bunch of youth into a team at once, you need to do it slowly and at the right times. We have a bazillion other games before the World Cup. It's four bottle of shiraz years away. Why is everyone already so bottle of shiraz upset about a game only two months out from the last World Cup?


Andy Harper, simply put, is an idiot.

[the_gun]

if Australia dont bring up youth soon, forget going to Brazil in 2014

[takeonthekeeper]

+1