Les Murray rips into Pim Verbeek

[Leon]

Les's speech the other night sounded like a eulogy. I knew him and Foster would be upset but I was watching thinking WTF?

In the dim distant past both of them were reasonable football pundits but now they both just sprout crap, moreso Foster.

You can tell Foster does love the Socceroos and cares deeply about Australian football in general, but he just talks too much rubbish to be taken seriously.

 

[Borgsta]

Les's speech the other night sounded like a eulogy. I knew him and Foster would be upset but I was watching thinking WTF?

In the dim distant past both of them were reasonable football pundits but now they both just sprout crap, moreso Foster.

You can tell Foster does love the Socceroos and cares deeply about Australian football in general, but he just talks too much rubbish to be taken seriously.

Other than saying the next manager must be Australian what has he got wrong with his spiel?

 

[adelaidecrows]

I have no sympathy for pim because when it comes to the World Cup you live and die by your actions. Pim chose to contain Germany rather then from the start put them under pressure. It went totally against the grain of the Australian mentality. The time for trialling that game plan was against the USA and Denmark not Germany round one of the most important tournament in soccer. Thats an unforgivable mistake.

 

[mark73]

Les's speech the other night sounded like a eulogy. I knew him and Foster would be upset but I was watching thinking WTF?

In the dim distant past both of them were reasonable football pundits but now they both just sprout crap, moreso Foster.

You can tell Foster does love the Socceroos and cares deeply about Australian football in general, but he just talks too much rubbish to be taken seriously.

Huh? I thought a lot of what he said was spot on. If you don't like the guy then just say that.

 

[Naughton]

Other than saying the next manager must be Australian what has he got wrong with his spiel?

From what I remember, I think he actually said that in the future there should be an Australian football person within the FFA to oversee the direction of whichever manager we appoint - to make sure the manager coaches the team the 'Australian way'. So no more tugging of forelocks at our masters on the pitch, as happened versus Germany.

So he wasn't against a foreign manager. He just wants the manager managed by an Aussie. Maybe himself

I agree with pretty much everything he had to say. Would've hated to be coached by someone like Verbeek.

 

[tribey]

Whats this guy on ? A team thats never been in the top 20 team in the world doesnt make the final 16 of the world cup. I dont understand all the fuss.

It had nothing to do with the team's limited ability, it was the way we conceded the tournament before it had begun with the most defeatist, meekest selection and tactics I have ever seen from a Socceroos team.

Switzerland-Spain, New Zealand-Italy and Serbia-Germany proved what can happen if you believe in your players and structures.

We didn't and were handed a hiding that proved to be the ultimate difference between elimination and a Ro16 game versus the USA with a potential QF date with Uruguay afterward.

Can't believe the criticism of Les and Foster ITT. It's theatrical, but it is almost entirely correct.

 

[Benno_900]

You think our media are harsh? Check this out from Italy:

(You don't have to understand Italian, look closely at the cartoon.)

That's ****ing disgraceful ... should be 4-2-3-1 not 4-3-3.

 

[DB10]

Any of you Italians know what kind of paper 'Il Giornale' is? Is it one of Berlusconi's? The editorial on the left seems to say (to my illiterate Italian) that Berlusconi wouldn't have approached it like Lippi.

t'is owned by his brother, so says wiki.

 

[Northalives]

Les Murray gets what Les Murray wants. Les wants Foster, Les gets Foster.
Foster massages Les's ego and Les lets Foster be "SBS's expert football analyst".

It is people like Foster that encourages Australia to produce big headed w***ers like Ned Zelic whose one and only love is himself - **** Australia! but now, as Zelic manoevres himself to be another of "SBS's expert football analysts", Zelic is portraying his "passion" for Australia.

It's that **** Foster who told Australian players to pick their own team and play the way they want to and **** their coach.

I thought it was the Australian way to listen and do everything that your coach tells you to do - regardless if you think it is right or wrong as a player.

Foster said the French players should do the same and last night, (early this morning), Foster said at half time that the Uruguayans should just allow the South Koreans to come at them. Well they did and they nearly lost the game.

Craig Foster's "expert analysis" is and has been an absolute embarrassment right from the very first time he was put up by SBS, or should I say Les, as their expert on football. Anyone that knows anything about the world game can only but roll around in hysterics at the things that Foster says.

Some here in Adelaide are angry that Pim didn't "develop" players for the future. Development was not what Pim was hired to do! His job was to get us to the World Cup and once there, to get us to go as far as possible.

Pim **** ed up by by placing his trust in what he believed to be professional footballers, only to be let down by a bunch of eunuchs in the game against Germany and low and behold, instead of Les and his **** sucking mate Foster having a go at the prima donnas who represented our country, they had a go at the coach and blamed him entirely for the inept performance.

As for development, that is the job of our governing body. That is to say that they must put in place the correct programs to teach and nurture the very young and then, identify the elite and assist their further development. They must certainly stop your Fosters' and Zelics' from having anything to do with football in this country for they are the "modern", "no-hopers" of the past that kept football in the doldrums.

I am not going to make myself popular here but give Verbeek the team Hiddink had last time and we would have gone at least as well this time as in 2006.

Hiddink is a mercenary who is good at getting the best out of the best and that's why you will never find him managing mediocre sides.

I IMPLORE ALL PARENTS TO TELL THEIR CHILDREN TO COVER THEIR EARS WHEN FOSTER APPEARS ON THE TV - BETTER STILL, TELL 'EM TO GO OUTSIDE AND KICK THE BALL AROUND; THEY'LL LEARN FAR MORE BY DOING THAT THAN LISTENING TO FOSTER.

 

[mark73]

Les Murray gets what Les Murray wants. Les wants Foster, Les gets Foster.
Foster massages Les's ego and Les lets Foster be "SBS's expert football analyst".

It is people like Foster that encourages Australia to produce big headed w***ers like Ned Zelic whose one and only love is himself - **** Australia! but now, as Zelic manoevres himself to be another of "SBS's expert football analysts", Zelic is portraying his "passion" for Australia.

It's that **** Foster who told Australian players to pick their own team and play the way they want to and **** their coach.

I thought it was the Australian way to listen and do everything that your coach tells you to do - regardless if you think it is right or wrong as a player.

Foster said the French players should do the same and last night, (early this morning), Foster said at half time that the Uruguayans should just allow the South Koreans to come at them. Well they did and they nearly lost the game.

Craig Foster's "expert analysis" is and has been an absolute embarrassment right from the very first time he was put up by SBS, or should I say Les, as their expert on football. Anyone that knows anything about the world game can only but roll around in hysterics at the things that Foster says.

Some here in Adelaide are angry that Pim didn't "develop" players for the future. Development was not what Pim was hired to do! His job was to get us to the World Cup and once there, to get us to go as far as possible.

Pim **** ed up by by placing his trust in what he believed to be professional footballers, only to be let down by a bunch of eunuchs in the game against Germany and low and behold, instead of Les and his **** sucking mate Foster having a go at the prima donnas who represented our country, they had a go at the coach and blamed him entirely for the inept performance.

As for development, that is the job of our governing body. That is to say that they must put in place the correct programs to teach and nurture the very young and then, identify the elite and assist their further development. They must certainly stop your Fosters' and Zelics' from having anything to do with football in this country for they are the "modern", "no-hopers" of the past that kept football in the doldrums.

I am not going to make myself popular here but give Verbeek the team Hiddink had last time and we would have gone at least as well this time as in 2006.

Hiddink is a mercenary who is good at getting the best out of the best and that's why you will never find him managing mediocre sides.

I IMPLORE ALL PARENTS TO TELL THEIR CHILDREN TO COVER THEIR EARS WHEN FOSTER APPEARS ON THE TV - BETTER STILL, TELL 'EM TO GO OUTSIDE AND KICK THE BALL AROUND; THEY'LL LEARN FAR MORE BY DOING THAT THAN LISTENING TO FOSTER.

Crap. I'm sorry but he was sub standard as a manager. He was inept technically, he had players fighting with him, he was arrogant and he instilled a game into players that was completely against what their strengths were. Most of us saw it straight away. Why didn't he, isn't he a manager? Getting paid $2m a year? If you don't like Foster, then spare us the babble and just say so.

 

[tribey]

Les Murray gets what Les Murray wants. Les wants Foster, Les gets Foster.
Foster massages Les's ego and Les lets Foster be "SBS's expert football analyst".

It is people like Foster that encourages Australia to produce big headed w***ers like Ned Zelic whose one and only love is himself - **** Australia! but now, as Zelic manoevres himself to be another of "SBS's expert football analysts", Zelic is portraying his "passion" for Australia.

It's that **** Foster who told Australian players to pick their own team and play the way they want to and **** their coach.

I thought it was the Australian way to listen and do everything that your coach tells you to do - regardless if you think it is right or wrong as a player.

Foster said the French players should do the same and last night, (early this morning), Foster said at half time that the Uruguayans should just allow the South Koreans to come at them. Well they did and they nearly lost the game.

Craig Foster's "expert analysis" is and has been an absolute embarrassment right from the very first time he was put up by SBS, or should I say Les, as their expert on football. Anyone that knows anything about the world game can only but roll around in hysterics at the things that Foster says.

Some here in Adelaide are angry that Pim didn't "develop" players for the future. Development was not what Pim was hired to do! His job was to get us to the World Cup and once there, to get us to go as far as possible.

Pim **** ed up by by placing his trust in what he believed to be professional footballers, only to be let down by a bunch of eunuchs in the game against Germany and low and behold, instead of Les and his **** sucking mate Foster having a go at the prima donnas who represented our country, they had a go at the coach and blamed him entirely for the inept performance.

As for development, that is the job of our governing body. That is to say that they must put in place the correct programs to teach and nurture the very young and then, identify the elite and assist their further development. They must certainly stop your Fosters' and Zelics' from having anything to do with football in this country for they are the "modern", "no-hopers" of the past that kept football in the doldrums.

I am not going to make myself popular here but give Verbeek the team Hiddink had last time and we would have gone at least as well this time as in 2006.

Hiddink is a mercenary who is good at getting the best out of the best and that's why you will never find him managing mediocre sides.

I IMPLORE ALL PARENTS TO TELL THEIR CHILDREN TO COVER THEIR EARS WHEN FOSTER APPEARS ON THE TV - BETTER STILL, TELL 'EM TO GO OUTSIDE AND KICK THE BALL AROUND; THEY'LL LEARN FAR MORE BY DOING THAT THAN LISTENING TO FOSTER.

Yeah, can't disagree with this post more. Still <3 you though pr0tbr0 <3

 

[Northalives]

Crap. I'm sorry but he was sub standard as a manager. He was inept technically, he had players fighting with him, he was arrogant and he instilled a game into players that was completely against what their strengths were. Most of us saw it straight away. Why didn't he, isn't he a manager? Getting paid $2m a year? If you don't like Foster, then spare us the babble and just say so.

So what you are saying is that in the game against Germany, Verbeek was crap but for the other two games, the players were brilliant and Verbeek had nothing to do with it?
Look, rightly or wrongly, for ever and a day, players get the credit for winning, coaches get burnt for losing - unfortunately, that's the lot of the coach. Don't you reckon that there are people in Russia that want Hiddink strung up for not making the World Cup ?
If anyone thinks that the performance against Germany was entirely Vebeek's fault then they are naive.
I don't understand how you arrive at the statement "...inept technically.." and the only players that were "...fighting with him...", were the Foster type **** wits who reckon that they are more important than the game.
You are right, Foster disgusts me but not because of his lack of knowledge but because he is oblivious to the fact that his outbursts are capable of ruining the careers of potential elite young footballers before they even start.
I have seen first hand how many, many potential top grade footballers have been ruined by parents who have the same, egomaniacal attitude as Craig Foster and as a consequence, their children think that their shit don't stink and that they know more than the coach. It's hard enough to get pre/post pubescent boys to be disciplined let alone having their parents actively encouraging them to be insubordinate.
If you and those like you want to find a scapegoat for us not getting through the group stage, bad luck! The simple truth is that we were not good enough.

 

[mark73]

So what you are saying is that in the game against Germany, Verbeek was crap but for the other two games, the players were brilliant and Verbeek had nothing to do with it?

That's a lot of what I'm saying, yes.

If anyone thinks that the performance against Germany was entirely Vebeek's fault then they are naive.

In 1997 a Venables lead Socceroos outfit with questionable talent other than Bosnich, Viduka and a youngster in Kewell eeked out a result against a full strength Brazil. Irrespective of the competition, yes, I think the coach should be accountable.

You are right, Foster disgusts me

A guy is passionate and wants the best for his country and that disgusts you? What ****ing planet are you on?

 

[Northalives]

That's a lot of what I'm saying, yes. In 1997 a Venables lead Socceroos outfit with questionable talent other than Bosnich, Viduka and a youngster in Kewell eeked out a result against a full strength Brazil. Irrespective of the competition, yes, I think the coach should be accountable.A guy is passionate and wants the best for his country and that disgusts you? What ****ing planet are you on?

For **** s sake! Wake up you dumb **** ! Everyone is passionate about their country and wants the best for their country - that is not what disgusts me !
What disgusts me is Foster's completely and utterly disgraceful call for players to be traitors - to defy their coach and the long held Australian ethos of doing what is asked of you to the best of your ability.
Foster is the type of **** head that you would not want go to war with - he would desert you and your mates at the slightest hint of him having to do something that is remotely dangerous.
I reckon Foster is great to listen too when I am in need of a laugh. He has absolutely no idea about the intricacies of the game of football and as I said earlier, anyone that has worked in or works in the field of imparting the knowledge and skills required to play football, even at the most basic of levels, knows that Craig Foster has not got a clue - this is not a reason to be be disgusted by a person.
A reason to be disgusted by a person is if that person advocates treachery. That is what Foster advocates therefore, he is disgusting and if you don't understand that basic concept, then you should become an SBS expert football analyst.

 

[mark73]

For **** s sake! Wake up you dumb **** ! Everyone is passionate about their country and wants the best for their country - that is not what disgusts me !
What disgusts me is Foster's completely and utterly disgraceful call for players to be traitors - to defy their coach and the long held Australian ethos of doing what is asked of you to the best of your ability.
Foster is the type of **** head that you would not want go to war with - he would desert you and your mates at the slightest hint of him having to do something that is remotely dangerous.
I reckon Foster is great to listen too when I am in need of a laugh. He has absolutely no idea about the intricacies of the game of football and as I said earlier, anyone that has worked in or works in the field of imparting the knowledge and skills required to play football, even at the most basic of levels, knows that Craig Foster has not got a clue - this is not a reason to be be disgusted by a person.
A reason to be disgusted by a person is if that person advocates treachery. That is what Foster advocates therefore, he is disgusting and if you don't understand that basic concept, then you should become an SBS expert football analyst.

So what you're saying is, you don't like Craig Foster? Ok, fair enough. Glad we've cleared that up. The part that I highlighted I did so because I have often thought the complete opposite, but each to their own. You can also lay off the personal insults, it's not really making any difference.

 

[Borgsta]

So what you are saying is that in the game against Germany, Verbeek was crap but for the other two games, the players were brilliant and Verbeek had nothing to do with it?

I think I heard "Why the **** didn't he do this in the Germany game?" about 100 times. So to answer Verbeek ****ed up against Germany and did what he should do in the other two. In the other two games he actually showed some faith in his players and they responded.

And yes lay off the insults of other posters.

 

[belfast_bomber]

So what you're saying is, you don't like Craig Foster? Ok, fair enough. Glad we've cleared that up. The part that I highlighted I did so because I have often thought the complete opposite, but each to their own. You can also lay off the personal insults, it's not really making any difference.

In all fairness, that's not what he said. He explained quite clearly that what he disliked about Foster was not his "passion for his country" but his call for the players to undermine the manager's authority, which he sees as a repugnant and un-Australian attitude (I'm not saying it is, but it's a valid standpoint).

Not agreeing with everything he said but that one point is fair enough.

But the insults don't help anyone Northalives.

 

[mark73]

In all fairness, that's not what he said. He explained quite clearly that what he disliked about Foster was not his "passion for his country" but his call for the players to undermine the manager's authority, which he sees as a repugnant and un-Australian attitude (I'm not saying it is, but it's a valid standpoint).

Not agreeing with everything he said but that one point is fair enough.

But the insults don't help anyone Northalives.

Up until now, the players have been quite reserved in what they have said re tactics. If fans are questioning a managers ability long before the world cup then you can assume those better qualified would be doing the same thing if not outwardly, then internally. The campaign is over, and Verbeek is gone and now we're hearing about discontent and confusion within the ranks. Doesn't that spell it out to some extent?

 

[Northalives]

In all fairness, that's not what he said. He explained quite clearly that what he disliked about Foster was not his "passion for his country" but his call for the players to undermine the manager's authority, which he sees as a repugnant and un-Australian attitude (I'm not saying it is, but it's a valid standpoint).

Not agreeing with everything he said but that one point is fair enough.

But the insults don't help anyone Northalives.

Yes, you are absolutely correct and I apologise. I allowed myself to get wound up because my post was not interpreted correctly and my frustration boiled over so I expressed my thoughts as plainly as possible.
I just find it very disturbing that Foster is getting off scot-free over what he is advocating. Can you imagine if James Hird came out in the media and said that the Essendon players should pick the team and go out and play where and however they like ?

 

[jd2006]

A better description of Fozzy in AFL terms would be Nick Sautner =)