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Monday 14 June 2010

Australia: Officially in transition..we have been for four years!

Well we've seen it coming for a long time really and this morning revealed what we all know. We're too slow, too old and have few new players from 2006 other than Brett Holman playing at a level worthy of making an impact in the World Cup

Our top players our top team is just not where they were four years ago either individually or collectively. Today we found out what we kew already.

You don't struggle against New Zealand, an aging Denmark or outclassed by the USA if you are going to make an impact.

We were hammered by Germany, much as Holland did the same to us in a recent friendly although that night in Sydney we scraped away with a 0-0, that didn't matter this did.

We had a chance if Richard Garcia had scored after 2 minutes, might have kept the score to 4-1 or a penalty decision should have gone our way early in the second half, but we were mesmerised by a fit German side.

You need to be fit to compete at the World Cup, super fit. And this Aussie team isn't. Hiddink had them fit, Pim and Arnie (shades of Asia Cup) clearly doesn't. Haven't heard the team complaining about the training regime either.

Without fitness how can you compete against a German team all playing in the Bundesliga. Where do our guys play?

Brett Emerton was the pick of the bunch, Mark Schwarzer made some strong saves, he had to, but he was badly at fault for the second but somehow you knew it didn't matter.

In the end Brett Holman showed the tempo required to play at this level. Few could match his energy.

Vince Grella, Emerton, Craig Moore, Scott Chipperfield, Lucas Neill and co were hardly able to match their opponents today.

But there's always another game. So bring it on and here's hoping we can improve.

Up to you Pim!

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