Brisbane, Australia, Sept 1 : A pair of German-born football coaches feature in a World Cup qualifier half a world away from their homeland when Australia hosts Thailand on Friday.
Holger Osieck, an assistant to Franz Beckenbauer when West Germany won the 1990 World Cup, leads Australia into its first match of Asian qualifying. The Socceroos were one of five countries to get a bye into the third round of continental qualifying.
Winfried Schaefer, who led Cameroon to the African Nations Cup title in 2002, will be taking charge of his first major game as Thailand coach, since replacing former Manchester United and England star Bryan Robson.
In another Group D match Friday, former Barcelona and Netherlands coach Frank Rijkaard leads Saudi Arabia in an away match against Oman.
Osieck and Schaefer remain friendly enemies, of a sort. Thailand played recently to a scoreless draw against Singapore and Osieck, who has long been an acquaintance of Schaefer's, was in Bangkok for the match.
Australia won 4-0 the last time the Socceroos played Thailand in a 2007 Asian Cup match in Bangkok.
“Australia plays very good football ... I watched the Australia team matches against Germany and also Wales .. they are a very good team with good discipline,” Schaefer said. “You must fight, you must run and you must play with courage against Australia.”
Osieck replaced Dutchman Pim Verbeek, who quit after taking Australia to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where the Socceroos were eliminated in the group stage following a win, a draw and a loss.
Now the new coach takes the No. 2-ranked team in Asia (Japan is No. 1) in qualifying to see if the Socceroos can make it three World Cup finals in a row.
“We need to be very strong in this campaign and have a great start,” Osieck told Australian Associated Press last week. “People normally would expect us to beat Thailand with a great score but the danger of underrating a team is always there.”
The top two teams in each group will progress to a fourth round, where there will be two five-team round-robin groups. The top two from those groups will qualify directly for the World Cup.
Lucas Neill, who recently signed with United Arab Emirates champions Al Jazira, will captain the Socceroos on Friday. He'll be joined by Everton star Tim Cahill and Brett Emerton, who was released from his contract with Premier League club Blackburn to sign a three-year deal last week with Sydney in Australia's A-League.
Harry Kewell, who signed with the A-League's Melbourne Victory a few days before Emerton did with Sydney, was overlooked for the Thail match due to his lack of match fitness while looking for a new team.
Alex Brosque was called into the squad last week to replace Scott McDonald, who has a hamstring strain, for the Thailand match and Australia's Sept. 6 encounter against Saudi Arabia in Dammam.
Thailand will be without a trio of defenders for Friday's match, including captain Nattaporn Phanrit, who was not permitted by doctors to make the flight to Australia after collapsing in a domestic match two weeks ago.
Defenders Panupong Wongsa and Natthaphong Samana are also out injured. Midfielder Datsakorn Thonglao, who scored two goals when Thailand had a 3-2 aggregate World Cup qualifying victory against Palestine last month, will be captain in Nattaporn's place.
Squads:
Australia: Mark Schwarzer, Adam Federici, Nathan Coe, Lucas Neill (captain), Mark Milligan, Luke DeVere, Sasa Ognenovski, Matthew Spiranovic, Luke Wilkshire, Rhys Williams, Michael Zullo, Mile Jedinak, Neil Kilenny, Matt McKay, Adam Sarota, James Troisi, Carl Valeri, Brett Holman, Josh Kennedy, Brett Emerton, Tim Cahill, Alex Brosque, Robbie Kruse.
Thailand: Sinthaweechai Hathairattanakool, Sivaruck Tedsungnoen, Chatchai Budprom, Niweat Siriwong, Chonlatit Jantakam, Suttinun Phukhom, Paitoon Tiepma, Theeraton Bunmathan, Supachai Komsilp, Pratum Chuthong, Datsakorn Thonglao (captain), Suchao Nutnum, Rangsan Viwatchaichok, Surat Sukha, Arthit Sunthornpit, Adul Lahso, Jakkraphan Kaewprom, Pokkhao Anan, Piyapol Bantao, Sarayuth Chaikamdee, Teerasil Dangda, Sompong Soleb, Chatree Chimtalay. AP
