Divided ...Lucas Neill and Pim Verbeek in front the media in South Africa last year. Source: Stan Honda/AFPAZ. Captain Lucas Neill discarded controversial coach Pim Verbeek strategies behind his back at the World Cup in South Africa last year with disastrous results, according to an explosive claim in a new book.
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Neill haughtily told the team to ignore "these Bulls---" in the dressing room just before the 4-0 thrashing by Germany that derailed the Australian campaign from the beginning, says prominent commentator Les Murray.
The team was so confused, Murray says, that an official game had to knock on the door and to warn the players that they are the game if they didn't take the field immediately would lose.
"The Aussies went out of a mess and massacred," writes veteran SBS TV reporter in The Game of the world, a history of football in Australia and around the world.
Murray, who clearly believes Verbeek and not Neill was responsible for the debacle, describes the story as "not revealed until now" and on Wednesday to guarantee its accuracy.
"It has been confirmed by very good sources. I am certain, that it happened, "he said.
Are you surprised by Murray's revelation? Lucas Neill must accept some responsibility for the AZ. loss to Germany? Have your say by leaving a comment below.
Neill nor his management could be reached for comment on Wednesday and a Football Federation Australia spokesman said: "We don't comment on matters that arise in the changing rooms before a game."
A source close to the team said: "that's news to me."
Although the AZ. recovered to draw with Ghana and defeat of Serbia, they were eliminated on goal difference.
"It was a black day in the history of Australian Football, the team beaten by a lively and ruthlessly efficient not only Germany but by own confused, negative tactics imposed by a coach who does not believe in his players," writes Murray.
He says that after the Dutch coach players focused, naming his lineup and strategy, Neill asked him to leave the room, which he did.
Neill then wiper "Verbeek of scribble" from the Whiteboard and issued his own contradictory instructions, saying: "we will play as we normally play."
Murray writes: "that meant defying Verbeek of completely defensive strategy and go for a victory. The problem was the team had already been mentioned and not a lone forward, with Harry Kewell, Mark Bresciano, Josh Kennedy and Brett Holman all omitted contained. "
Elaborating on Wednesday, Murray said Verbeek had "stubbornly" sticking to a system of choice, 4-2-3-1, by the Asian zone qualification campaign "and then changed everything in a single game--it was a disaster".
Murray says that Verbeek failed to understand the mentality of Australian players.
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