The World Cup is always exciting but for fans of South Korea, June 2010 is going to be fascinating. If being in a group with South American powerhouse Argentina, 2004 European champions Greece and African giant Nigeria wasn’t exciting enough, there could be some familiar faces around this summer. Pim Verbeek is one. The Dutchman was the assistant coach at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and then took the helm in July 2006 for a period of one year during which he led South Korea to third place at the 2007 Asian Cup. As soon as the competition finished, so did Verbeek’s time in the Land of the Morning Calm and he resigned. A few months later, he surfaced in Australia, after Dick Advocaat, South Korea’s 2006 World Cup boss, refused the job, Verbeek took charge. Charged with leading the Socceroos to South Africa, the laconic European did just that. Australia strolled through qualification and finds itself in a tough-looking group with European heavyweight Germany, talented Ghana and a tough-looking Serbian team. Such a line-up reads slightly scarier than the one at the Asian Cup which involved Indonesia, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia but Verbeek is feeling confident. “I can honestly say there was one word that shot through my mind when we came out in a group with Germany – great!” He wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald. "It's the second-toughest group overall, I'm sure about that. But when the stakes are so high, we'll be up for a fight. Germany are very strong…Over the years they have shown how successful you can be with a team that works together. "Ghana are playing on their home continent but that's a double-edged sword. They will have support for sure, but as with Germany will also face pressure to live up to the fans' expectations. We beat them last year in a friendly in Sydney, though neither side was at its strongest. Serbia will be quick but also strong.” Verbeek will always have a special place in the hearts of South Korean fans. As well as his time in charge of the national team, he will be remembered as an assistant to Guus Hiddink in 2002. Hiddink took Australia to the 2006 World Cup and after subsequent spells with the Russian national team and a temporary job in charge of London club Chelsea, it looked for a time as if the man, who was granted honorary citizenship of Korea after his exploits with the Taeguk Warriors, was going to be at the 2010 World Cup. The well-travelled tactician takes the Turkey job in August, leaving a window of opportunity to take the vacant Ivory Coast position though he has since ruled himself out. It would have made for an even more fascinating Group G. The talented Africans, defeated 2-0 by South Korea in a recent warm-up in London, have been placed in a group with Brazil, Portugal and North Korea. South Korean fans were already looking forward to seeing how their northern neighbors perform in such a tough environment but the addition of Hiddink into the mix would have been the egg on the top of that particular bi-bim-bap. Hiddink was also in the frame for the Nigeria job that was vacant until earlier this month. He didn’t get it but one of his predecessors in Seoul definitely wanted it. Jo Bonfrere arrived in South Korea in June 2004, took the team through qualification for the World Cup before resigning in August 2005. As the man with past experience with Nigeria, he led the team to the gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics; the Dutchman was desperate for the chance to finally go to the World Cup. "I know your players very well,” he said last month. "The players have confidence in me, I also have confidence in them, I know what it takes to build a good team for Nigeria, I only needs time for training," he said. "I always say that Nigeria can beat any team in the world. But you have to build a team to achieve this. There is no problem of players, the players are there, what is needed is just time to build a team. If you give me the job on time, I will build a team that will reach the final of the World Cup in South Africa," he added. Bonfrere’s predecessor Humberto Coelho, who resigned in May 2003, was also very close to South Africa. He led Tunisia through qualification to the stage where the Carthage Eagles needed just to win their last game in Mozambique to make it to the 2010 World Cup. Tunisia lost and Coelho was out of a job. Another former South Korean assistant coach Afshin Ghotbi is now coach of Iran’s national team and came very close to qualifying for South Africa. If only all had made it. It would have been a Korean reunion like no other! Tags Soccer News football

There must be something in the water in South Korea. Anybody who spends time on the coaching staff of the national team seems to spend the rest of their career doing pretty well for themselves. A Korean Football Association (KFA) official told me recently that the organization should start charging commission or finding fees. He has a point as it is not impossible that four teams at the 2010 World Cup could have former member of the South Korean coaching staff as their head coaches. Just take a look at the recent history. Guus Hiddink isn’t doing too badly for himself and is now preparing Chelsea for a UEFA Champions League semi-final and is also trying to guide the Russian national team to the 2010 World Cup.

If the pressure was well and truly on Japan coach Takeshi Okada going into his side's World Cup qualifier with Australia in Yokohama, then the resultant 0-0 draw will have done little to alleviate it. Japan dominated in front of 65,571 fans at Yokohama International Stadium, but a combination of poor finishing and dogged defending from the Socceroos saw Pim Verbeek's team snatch a hard-earned point. Missing English Premier League stars Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka and Brett Emerton through injury, Pim Verbeek's decision not to field a single recognised striker from the start spoke volumes for Australia's approach to this clash. It was left to the Blue Samurai to dictate the tempo as they surged forward in search of an early goal to calm the nerves of the home fans, and they almost found one when Nagoya Grampus striker Keiji Tamada hit the side netting after just five minutes. Japan's best chance arrived from a Shunsuke Nakamura free-kick, but the Celtic wizard fired his effort well over the crossbar. When Gamba Osaka midfielder Yasuhito Endo took over free-kick duties late in the first half he failed to even beat the wall - however the diminutive midfielder did manage to sting Mark Schwarzer's palms with a stinging long-range drive with twenty minutes remaining. For their part Australia managed just a solitary shot on goal for the entirety of the match, as Verbeek's plan to take a point from this tricky-looking fixture came to fruition. Australia's spoiling tactics were lamented in some circles Down Under, but on the whole the pragmatic Dutchman has received faint praise for taking 10 points from the opening four final round qualifiers. Japan's next clash is at home to Bahrain in Saitama on March 28, while on April 1 Australia take on Uzbekistan in Sydney Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com J.League News Tags Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

Japan's upcoming World Cup qualifier against Australia in Yokohama has been punctuated by an on-going verbal stoush between the two sides. The chatter kicked off in earnest after Japan beat Qatar 3-0 in Doha last November, with a bullish Japan coach Takeshi Okada telling reporters that he wanted to "shut up" the Socceroos. Predictably his statement was like a red rag to a bull for the Australians, with Socceroos skipper Lucas Neill retorting that his team could be one of the first to qualify for the finals in South Africa in 2010 by picking up three points in Yokohama. Never short of a quote, West Ham United defender Neill went on to declare that Australia has the "mental edge" over a struggling Japanese side. "We know psychologically we have a slight edge over them from the World Cup," Neill told AAP in the build-up to an eagerly anticipated clash. That World Cup reference comes from Australia's epic 3-1 win over Japan in the group stage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany - which launched the Socceroos on their way to the second round. Japan claimed revenge with a penalty shoot-out victory in the quarter-finals of the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, and the tension is building ahead of the latest installment of this burgeoning rivalry. Just days away from the clash at a sold-out Yokohama International Stadium, Takeshi Okada has softened his tone. "I need to be careful about what I say now... all I can say is that it won't be as easy as tonight," he told The Daily Yomiuri in the wake of Japan's recent 5-1 friendly defeat over an inexperienced Finland at the National Stadium in Tokyo. "There were some things we did well today, and some things we didn't. Thinking about the Australia game, I think we needed to execute better, but the match was meaningful to us." Okada is under fierce pressure after his side were beaten 1-0 by Bahrain in Manama in an AFC Asian Cup qualifier at the end of last month. At the same time Australia drew 0-0 with Indonesia in Jakarta, however Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek negated any potential criticism ahead of that clash by naming a side comprised entirely of A-League representatives. Verbeek has reverted to a largely European-based squad for the match in Yokohama - but they will meet just 48 hours prior to kick-off - handing Japan somewhat of a psychological advantage. The cagey Dutchman has been quick to turn the pressure back on Japan, however, telling reporters that his team can afford to lose in Yokohama and still qualify comfortably for the finals in South Africa. Okada, meanwhile, will be desperate for a win - with some sections of the Japanese press calling for his head following a lacklustre qualifying campaign so far. It all points to a fascinating encounter in Yokohama, although with the top two from a five-team group qualifying automatically for South Africa, both Japan and Australia have time up their sleeves to guarantee themselves a place at FIFA's money-spinning extravaganza. The Japan - Australia clash will take place on February 11 at Yokohama International Stadium, with kick-off set for 7.20pm local time. Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com J.League News Tags Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

Mark Viduka and Craig Moore, two of Australia's stalwarts from the last World Cup in Germany, continue to refuse to commit to South Africa 2010. But Pim Verbeek's confident progress in charge of the Socceroos is allaying fears Australia still rely on a handful of big name players to advance their international cause. Viduka's greatest concern is a long-standing Achilles tendon injury. He surprised many by meeting up with the Australia squad in Brisbane ahead of their 4-0 cakewalk against Qatar, but Viduka's long-term Socceroos future wasn't on the agenda according Verbeek. The Dutchman still takes Viduka's word of last April when, on a whistlestop trip around Europe, Viduka promised he'd play a part in South Africa. Verbeek added that the fact Viduka simply turned up in Brisbane - despite not being named in a 35-man extended training party - was proof enough of his national team commitment. However, Viduka was primarily back home to gauge a second opinion on his troublesome injury from Socceroos medical staff, a problem which reportedly will not require surgery and might see him playing again in the English Premier League this season. “It’s a step-by-step process to play for Australia and the first stage is to get back playing for my club again,” Viduka told the Australian press. “I don’t want to rush anything. “I’ve got to be 100 per cent fit and sure in my mind that my heel is strong enough. When that happens I’ll be back for Australia. I’ve always loved playing for my country." Moore, meanwhile, made a comfortable return to international action after a self-imposed eight-month exile but after the match again refused to be drawn on committing to a second World Cup finals. Injury is not the major concern for Moore, who's in his best shape for some seasons and is enjoying the slower pace of life playing for Queensland Roar and living on the sun-kissed Gold Coast. It has more to do with the scheduling of the Australia domestic season for the former national team skipper. Moore, whose European club career appears closed, doesn't believe he'll necessarily be in the right shape come June 2010 and South Africa. The A-League season finishes in February, meaning a significant break from competitive action and that's a worry for central defender. Before the 2006 World Cup, uncertainty over Viduka and Moore's national team future would have caused waves to crash through the Socceroos camp. Not these days. The fact that the biggest question in the build-up to the Qatar qualifier was whether Moore would even win his place back from Chris Coyne speaks for itself. Moore's experience and better use of the ball from defence saw him replace the Colchester United captain. He'd had little to do but slotted back into the green and gold as if he'd never been away. Viduka, however, might not return with such ease. There might have been a glimmer of envy as he watched German-based striker Josh Kennedy put in a man-of-the-match display in Brisbane, scoring once and beautifully setting up another for Brett Emerton. Scott McDonald, Kennedy's strike partner, looked less at home, but Verbeek is unlikely to want to play Kennedy and Viduka together upfront in any case. There's Harry Kewell to come back from a groin strain too. While competition for outfield places has heated up, Verbeek's dilemma over his goalkeepers for the World Cup refuses to simplify. Mark Schwarzer has committed to playing through to 2010, setting himself the private aim of 75 national team caps before he hangs up his gloves. But Schwarzer will be 37 by the time the tournament rolls around and there is precious little pressure on the incumbent goalkeeper. "Obviously it's been a little bit of a concern. The major issues are players are not playing regular football," said Schwarzer. "There are talented goalkeepers out there but if you're not playing week-in week-out football it's very difficult to be chosen for your national team. That's probably the biggest concern for the national team." Whereas at the 2006 World Cup under Guus Hiddink there was no clear No.1 (Hiddink turned to Schwarzer's deputy Zeljko Kalac for the crucial group decider against Croatia), there's now no obvious No.2 to the Fulham custodian. Since taking charge of Australia at the start of the year, Verbeek has selected a remarkable nine goalkeepers for either training camps or matches And that doesn’t even include Jess van Strattan, the former Juventus goalkeeper who recently agreed terms with incoming franchise Gold Coast United. Van Strattan will be first choice for the newcomers when they enter the league next August and might just have left himself enough time to push for a spot in South Africa. Copyright © Marc Fox and Soccerphile.com Australian Soccer News Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

The entire A-League has been handed a weekend's recess to allow the national team to concentrate on their World Cup qualifying visit to Uzbekistan on September 10, but it turns out only one side will actually be affected by national team coach Pim Verbeek's call-ups. After finally being convinced to elongate the regular season to allow byes over FIFA-recognised match dates, Australian football authorities must now wonder why they bothered. Indeed Gary van Egmond of the Newcastle Jets, the reigning A-League champions, will be the only coach pleased with how the build-up to the Socceroos' qualifier in Tashkent has played out. In goalkeeper Ante Covic and defender Jade North, Newcastle provided the only two local league representatives in Verbeek's extended 27-man squad. The seven remaining sides were unaffected. North, Newcastle's championship-winning captain, missed the recent friendly against South Africa in London because he was on duty as one of Graham Arnold's three overage players at the Olympics. Covic, meanwhile, has been a regular backup for first choice No.1 Mark Schwarzer under Verbeek, although also missed the South African clash at Loftus Road. Verbeek overlooked Melbourne's Archie Thompson, most probably because of the ankle injury he returned from the Olympic Games carrying. Thompson hasn't played in either one of the A-League's opening rounds during August. Norway-based left-sided defender Shane Stefanutto won a recall but there was no place for Nicky Carle, the former Newcastle attacking midfielder who joined Crystal Palace from Bristol City during the northern summer. Uncontracted Mark Milligan, the former Sydney FC midfielder, was also included. Verbeek made it clear in a teleconference to Australian reporters on Wednesday night that he was preparing for the Tashkent tussle with his eyes wide open. "Everyone is focusing on Japan as the big team in the group but I know Uzbekistan from before [when he was the South Korea national coach]. They were the first team to qualify for this round, so there is no reason to underestimate them," said the Dutchman. Australia have scheduled a warm-up game against Holland after receiving a bye on match day one. Uzbekistan, meanwhile, face Qatar in Doha first up. Verbeek feels the Uzbek challenge will be as close to playing a European side as Australia will find in the AFC. Despite earlier comments from senior players about their worrying lack of knowledge about the central Asians, the Socceroos coach calmed nerves by assuring he'd watched DVDs of their opponents on a number of occasions. "For me there is not a big surprise," he said. "They play a Russian style of football - physically strong, skilful with good organisation and the fans will be very fanatic. "It is an interesting challenge. It can help qualification if we can get a good result over there (but) it won't be easy." In local news, Football Federation Australia have confirmed two new sides will expand the league to 10 teams from the 2009/10 season. Gold Coast United and North Queensland FC will now have a year to ensure they've the resources to compete with the eight established clubs. "Expansion of the A-League is a critical issue to the continuing evolution and growth of football and this is a very exciting day for the FFA, everyone involved in the A-League, Gold Coast United and North Queensland,” said FFA boss Ben Buckley The A-League will continue plans to grow the competition to a 12-team competition in 2010/11. Fourteen teams is considered the saturation point. Australia's 27-man squad Michael Beauchamp (Aalborg), Mark Bresciano (Palermo), Jacob Burns (Unirea Valahorum), David Carney (Sheffield United), Scott Chipperfield (FC Basel), Chris Coyne (Colchester United), Ante Covic (Newcastle Jets), Jason Culina (PSV Eindhoven), Bruce Djite (Genclerbirligi), Brett Emerton (Blackburn Rovers), Richard Garcia (Hull City), Vince Grella (Blackburn Rovers), Brett Holman (AZ Alkmaar), Brad Jones (Middlesbrough), Josh Kennedy (Karlsruher), Harry Kewell (Galatasaray), Scott McDonald (Celtic), Mark Milligan (uncontracted), Lucas Neill (West Ham), Jade North (Newcastle Jets) Michael Petkovic (Sivasspor), Mark Schwarzer (Fulham), Matthew Spiranovic (FC Nurnberg), Shane Stefanutto (Lyn Oslo), Mile Sterjovski (Derby County), Carl Valeri (Grosseto), Luke Wilkshire (Dynamo Moscow) Copyright © Marc Fox and Soccerphile.com Australian Soccer News Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

Pim Verbeek's Australia have made it through to their toughest qualifying campaign since joining the Asian confederation - and with a match to spare at that. But a flattering points total wasn’t enough to paper over the cracks of some suspect selections by the new national coach. It's perhaps not so much Verbeek's first choice side which is suspect. When the canny Dutchman has Australia's full armoury at his disposal you would tip the Socceroos to be among the World Cup qualifying places at the end of a marathon AFC campaign. It's more the ongoing and lingering doubts over the identity of the country's best backup XI. Mind you, Verbeek's defensive tactics have taken a bit of a bashing too in Australia (he tended to use a pair of holding midfielders in the away games against Iraq and Qatar with just a lone striker upfront), a ploy which stifled any creativity fostered from Harry Kewell's busy performances. But considering the Socceroos booked their passage into the final 10 with a 3-1 win in Doha - albeit from a Brett Emerton brace from right wing-back - few are bothering to overly quibble. Mark Viduka, Tim Cahill and Lucas Neill were also standout absentees from Verbeek's strongest side while Josh Kennedy was also missing. It would be grossly unfair for any debate on the merits of Verbeek's management to skate over those high profile losses. They should all return for when the qualifiers restart in September - but as always there aren’t any guarantees, particularly in the case of Viduka. It's not, however, in attack where Verbeek's biggest headache thumps. Consider that after an inglorious defensive display in the first of four June qualifiers, Verbeek dragged virtual unknown Chris Coyne into the team and you start to get a snapshot of the coach's concerns. Neill was missing, certainly, and his absence internationally, despite not even being the best centre-half at club side West Ham United, causes a degree of havoc at the back. But the backup partnership of Michael Beauchamp and Jade North was so all at sea against Iraq in Brisbane, Mark Schwarzer spent the entire game bailing them out of trouble. Coyne, from England League One side Colchester United, received deserved plaudits for his stabilising influence when he debuted in the Middle East and could make a name for himself if he kicks on with similar performances later in the year. Meanwhile, teenager Matthew Spiranovic is generally accepted to be the next in line for a regular call-up after making his Socceroos bow in the dead rubber against the Chinese. But there's not a great deal of depth below him. Question marks have also been raised about the full-backs. Emerton and David Carney are politely termed attack-minded. They basically cannot defend. Recent Derby County signing Ruben Zadkovich replaced Emerton against China and froze. Nikolai Topor-Stanley looks to have a Socceroos future on the left and is surely the next A-League star to follow Adelaide pair Nathan Burns and Bruce Djite to Europe. Topor-Stanley - nicknamed Hyphen by the Perth Glory faithful - looks to have all the makings of a long-term national team player. But again - considering Zadkovich and Topor-Stanley are Graham Arnold's full-backs at the under-23s level - who else is coming through? Melbourne's Rodrigo Vargas is overrated while new team-mate Michael Thwaite will this season attempt to reawaken his own Socceroos aspirations after floating around the third tier of European leagues without success. Patrick Kisnorbo, like Coyne, will play League One football in the forthcoming English season after suffering relegation with Leicester City. Scott Chipperfield's international days look numbered while World Cup 2006 defender Mark Milligan is still on the lookout for a club after thumbing his nose at the offer of an extension with Sydney FC. Trials with Arsenal and Manchester City have so far yielded no permanent deal. Verbeek accepted after Super June he rode his luck and knew it would come to an end soon. Friday he will discover if a top heavy squad are talented enough to squeeze past the cream of the AFC. South Korea, Japan, Bahrain, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates will all join Australia in Friday's draw in Kuala Lumpur. Copyright © Marc Fox and Soccerphile.com Australian Soccer News Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs

It might be the worry of becoming a dad for the first time, but West Ham and Australia captain Lucas Neill didn't look quite himself against Manchester United over the weekend. Neill, who became public enemy number one at Old Trafford after his involvement in the first-half dismissal of United's Portuguese winger Nani, gifted the English champions their opener in a 4-1 romp Saturday lunchtime. He slipped over to hand Cristiano Ronaldo his first, then was nowhere near when the recently-crowned player-of-the-year glanced home his second. In the second-half, Neill deflected Michael Carrick's effort past goalkeeper Robert Green. Not a good afternoon's work for the man who probably has plenty of non-football related thoughts circling his mind at the moment. Neill's long-term partner Lindsey Morris is expecting twins next month, an arrival which has already played a part in throwing into chaos Pim Verbeek's Socceroos preparations for a quartet of testing June World Cup qualifiers. Verbeek revealed last week that he remains unsure of his skipper's availability for the home clashes with Iraq, in Brisbane, and China, in Sydney, plus the trips to Doha and Dubai, where the team will play the defending Asian Cup champions. It is expected Neill will demand a release from Australia's squad to return to the UK at some point during June. Making matters worse for Verbeek, who's steadily coming accept the Socceroos job for the challenging position it's become, is that incredibly Neill is one of four players with babies imminent. Derby County recruit Mile Sterjovski, Bundesliga-based striker Josh Kennedy and fringe midfielder Jacob Burns also all have partners due to give birth next month. Kennedy's absence would be another hammer blow for the diplomatic Verbeek. With Mark Viduka ruling himself out of international action this summer because of an Achilles niggle which may need an operation at the season's end, the little and large paring of Kennedy and Scott McDonald is the Dutchman's first choice striking partnership. A-League possibles John Aloisi, Archie Thompson and the rapidly-improving Bruce Djite are all under an injury cloud with Everton's attack-minded midfielder Tim Cahill another definitely sidelined after foot surgery. That leaves Verbeek staring down the most important month for the Socceroos since the World Cup two years ago without anything close to his preferred front two in place. McDonald, who wasn't even a part of Graham Arnold's Asian Cup odyssey this time last year, has suddenly found himself catapulted into the nation's consciousness because of a prolific season with Celtic. The Scottish Premier League player-of-the-year nominee has exceeded all expectations since his summer move from Motherwell and scored his 30th goal of the season against his former club over the weekend. However, with the Scottish champions-elect not finishing their campaign until May 18, McDonald looks like being precluded from Australia's May 23 warm-up match against Ghana in Sydney. Kennedy, of Karlsruher, is also still in domestic action the same day to Verbeek's dismay. Who benefits from all this toing and froing is anyone's guess. Verbeek hinted at a reprieve for Joel Griffiths after the outspoken striker peeved Socceroos coaching staff with a swipe at February opponent Qatar and was subsequently axed for the March qualifier in China. Griffiths, the reigning A-League player-of-the-year, is keeping his match sharpness through a loan spell at J-League side Avispa Fukuoka and Verbeek made a point of flying to watch him in action against Shonan Bellmare on Saturday. But it proved to be a wasted trip as the 28-year-old didn't feature - he wasn't even named on the bench - as his side slipped to a 4-0 defeat. Nimble-footed Nathan Burns is another candidate, albeit an entirely different proposition from either Viduka or Kennedy. Burns, 19, has been courting a great deal of attention from European clubs and has the added bonus of being match fit from playing fortnightly in the AFC Champions League for Adelaide United. He is considered the player most likely to be next exported to Europe, particularly with an Olympics to compete in, but might get his chance earlier than anticipated. Copyright © Marc Fox and Soccerphile.com Australian Soccer News

Australia coach Pim Verbeek will have received cold comfort from watching his hotchpotch Socceroos flail and flounder in Singapore. In a night of numbers in the humid and damp island nation, two would have jumped out at Verbeek: 0-0. Not exactly what the doctor ordered for a match primarily designed to prepare the national side for the gruelling World Cup qualifying clash with China at 1900m Kunming in thee days time. There's been much conjecture over why lowly Singapore was picked as the venue and opponent for this crucial warm-up. But one thought must have been the sterility of resistance the 131st-ranked FIFA nation might present. As it turned out, the Socceroos were befuddled as much by the awful conditions and their own naivety as the collection of naturalised foreigners fielded by Raddy Avramovic in a drab goalless draw. Confusion abounds for those tracing the comings and goings of Australia these days. Last week Verbeek selected two national team squads. The squad to face Singapore was drip fed into the media in small chunks. First the main party, drawn entirely from the A-League. Then the A-League additions and withdrawals. Then the overseas-based call-ups. Fine Over the same period, the squad to face the sterner test in China was released. Only three players from the Singapore 'warm-up' squad were included. FFA officials noted that more players could be added depending on which of the Euroroos withdrew in the meantime. Following? Probably not. But the bottom line is that virtually none of the squad which traipsed around Singapore's national stadium against a low class opponent on a park pitch full of puddles will be involved in Kunming. And even if they were what bearing does playing at sea level in 30C heat have on playing at altitude later the same week? One of those that might get a look in Harry Kewell. The soon-to-depart Liverpool winger wasn't needed for February's home win over Qatar but might get the nod on Wednesday. In Singapore, Kewell was the prefect in Verbeek's team of Year 7s. He was named captain of a starting Socceroos side which welcomed six debutants, the biggest influx of national team newcomers for almost two decades. Incredibly, Verbeek blooded nine rookies during the match while Adelaide's Nathan Burns won just his second cap as a half-time substitute. James Troisi, of Newcastle United, played despite not yet making his English Premier League bow, Mark Bridge, who'll line up for Sydney FC next season, started upfront while Nikolai Topor-Stanley backed up his claims with a polished performance at left-back. James Holland capped a frankly ridiculous rise with a start in right midfield. The highly-motivated teen has made just 10 A-League appearances for Newcastle, the recently crowned Australian champions, and was earlier this month only called up by the under-23s for the first time. Former under-20 international Mile Jedinak, a slender midfielder in the Michael Carrick mould and the Central Coast Mariners player-of-the-year, also played. Despite becoming a regular for his club over the past 12 months, the 23-year-old wasn't even involved in Verbeek's round of local training camps in January. Finally, there's the curious affair of the Griffiths brothers. Verbeek could find no place in either squad for the league's best player Joel, simply claiming he had better options in that position. But the Dutchman did hand a first Socceroos start to twin Adam at right-back. Younger brother Ryan was also surprisingly recalled despite a lengthy period out of the game because of a heart condition. Copyright © Marc Fox and Soccerphile.com Australian Soccer News Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

It was a satisfactory six days for new South Korean coach Huh Jung-moo in the sprawling city of Chongqing. South Korea lifted the East Asian Championship trophy for the second time in three occasions. The opening day dramatic 3-2 victory over China was followed by 1-1 draws with North Korea on Wednesday and then Japan on Saturday. The trophy is not a big deal but the performances of a young and inexperienced team have been encouraging. There is still much work to do but a number of players have emerged from the haze of the polluted megapolis with reputations and confidence enhanced. Former Korea, and current Australia, coach Pim Verbeek was at the tournament to check out China. The Socceroos will be in the Middle Kingdom in March for a 2010 World Cup qualifier. The Dutchman was keeping quiet on the Chinese but was happy to see some familiar, and some not so familiar, Korean faces in action. "It was good to watch Korea again and it was good to see them win,” he told me. "I was quite impressed against China - I thought that they did a good job and played well." "There were lots of young players in the team. I am happy that Park Chu-young is fit and he scored two great goals. The first goal, he showed fantastic timing to head the ball into the net...hopefully he will be fit now for a whole season." That is unlikely. The striker has already been ruled out of FC Seoul's season opener on March 9 and will play no part in the game with LA Galaxy and David Beckham on March 1. As well as Park, Yeom Ki-hoon, who was handed his national team debut by Verbeek, showed his versatility in attack. The Ulsan forward scored the goals against North Korea and Japan and is starting to look like he may fulfill his undoubted potential. There is potential in the team that lifted the oversize trophy last Saturday but some of them are not yet, and perhaps never will be, good enough for international football. That is the whole point of these kinds of games however; it’s a time for testing and trying. March’s World Cup qualification game in Pyongyang will feature a very different line-up. There is virtually a completely new starting eleven that Huh could call on. English-based stars such as Park Ji-sung, Lee Young-pyo and Seol Ki-hyeon will be certainties for the game. With that match due to played out in front of over 100,000 fans in the North Korean capital, Huh may go for experience. Other 2006 World Cup stars are also likely to be recalled - Lee Chun-soo of Dutch giants Feyenoord, Kim Dong-jin and Lee Ho of Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg and Kim Do-heon of West Bromich Albion. Cho Jae-jin is another likely recall. The powerful striker ended his three-year stint in Japan last December and since then has spent much time in England trying to do deals with three English Premier League clubs, in order, Newcastle United, Portsmouth and Fulham. All came to naught and last week the powerful striker joined Jeonju team Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors ahead of the new season that kicks off on March 8. After three seasons and dozens of goals in Japan, Cho needs to show that he can score goals on the Korean peninsula. He struggled to do so in his first spell in the K-League prior to 2004 but a goal or two in Pyongyang at the end of March, wouldn’t go amiss. Copyright: John Duerden & Soccerphile Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting