Craig Foster & the Socceroos

[Men At Work]

Taken from the Sydney Morning Herald which has a picture caption of "Crystal Palace star Craig Foster..."


Forthright midfielder Craig Foster says the Socceroos must have a clear objective in the three-match series against Paraguay, which kicks off at Sydney Football Stadium on Friday night, to start winning consistently.

Foster, 31, believes that is only way for the Socceroos to stop the debate about the composition of the squad.

The Crystal Palace club captain does not want the ongoing absence of Harry Kewell, or any other major player, to be used as an excuse.

"The Australian public see that the Socceroos have played and we've lost, and they judge us on that," he said. "The only way to win them over is to start winning consistently, regardless of who shows up.

"The players who do come in have to understand it's not acceptable to be satisfied with losing any game. It doesn't matter whether we're playing the Czech Republic, who are No2 in the world, or Tahiti. There's been a lot of talk about how good this side could be. Well, the time is now to start proving it. We need to go into the Paraguay [game] expecting to get results on home soil. We have to believe we can win every game."

Foster, a late bloomer at international level, has savoured every one of his 24 outings with the Socceroos, and believes most other Australian players feel the same way.

"Maybe because it took me so long to get there, but playing for Australia is very special for me," he said.

"I appreciate what it means to me, to my family and to where I come from [Lismore]. It's a passion, and when a game is coming up I don't like to see anyone pull out. I think most of the boys feel the same way."

After an injury-plagued season in the English first division, Foster is hoping the international commitments this month will help him regain match fitness as he recovers from a nagging knee injury. He also hopes to convince coach Frank Farina that he deserves the starting spot he regularly enjoyed under former national boss Terry Venables.

"I was a first-XI player before but I've started the last two games [against Hungary and the Czech Republic] on the bench," he said.

"Frank has said I don't need to prove myself all over again, but I guess I feel I do. It appears at the moment that I'm a bench player, but if that's the case it doesn't concern me. I think I've done well when I've come on, and my job is to give Frank something to think about. Simple as that."

The Socceroos trained twice yesterday to begin their build-up for the Paraguay series, with skipper Paul Okon - who has agreed terms with Middlesbrough - joining the squad after the morning session at Sydney University.

Carlton skipper Andrew Marth has been included as a late replacement, while goalkeeper Mark Bosnich has also arrived in camp but remains an unlikely starter for the match on Friday because of hamstring and pelvic problems.

Striker Mark Viduka, also recovering from injury, is not expected to join the squad until it arrives in Melbourne next week.

Paraguay, ranked 17th in the world, are due in Sydney this morning and will be led by flamboyant goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert.

The second game will be held at the Gabba in Brisbane on Monday, with the final match at Colonial Stadium in Melbourne on Thursday week.

The Socceroos depart for Tahiti the day after the Melbourne game to attempt to wrest the Oceania Nations Cup title off arch-rivals New Zealand.

But Australia's opening game of the Oceania tournament - against the Solomon Islands - is already in doubt after a coup in Honiara yesterday.

[Benny B Block]

Originally posted by Men At Work on 06-06-2000 02:57 PM

"Maybe because it took me so long to get there, but playing for Australia is very special for me," he said.

Craig, this isn't shallow club player talk, Australia is your country, damn right you should feel it as being special.
Its more like a miracle!

[Chocky]

Originally posted by Men At Work on 06-06-2000 02:57 PM
But Australia's opening game of the Oceania tournament - against the Solomon Islands -

John Solomons Islands.

(Jimmy Sutton)