SYDNEY, Dec 5 - The lure of a possible second
round showdown with England will provide Australia with added
motivation to advance past the opening round of next year's
World Cup in South Africa, coach Pim Verbeek said.
The Australians have been drawn in a difficult Group D with
Germany, Ghana and Serbia, but if they progress they could face
England from Group C in the knockout stage.
"It can be a bonus for the players for the last two percent
of motivation they can hopefully play England in the next
round," Verbeek told Australian television.
"It's difficult enough but I think it's a great challenge
and it's exactly what my players like."
Australia and England have a long, colourful rivalry in
sport. They have played each other in two Rugby World Cup
finals and a Cricket World Cup final but have never met at
soccer's showpiece tournament.
The players are familiar with each other though as most of
the top Australians play in Britain. The last time the two
teams met, in a friendly in London six years ago, the Socceroos
upset the English 3-1.
Australia are well advanced in their planning for South
Africa. As one of the first teams to qualify for the World Cup
they were able to steal a march on their opponents by booking
some of the best accommodation.
They chose a secluded wildlife and fishing lodge in the
foothills of the Zwartkops Mountains, about 45 minutes from
Johannesburg, snapping up all 42 cabins.
The five-star lodge, which boasts six fly fishing dams and
an array of native animals including wildebeest, springbuck,
zebra an giraffe, is just 15 minutes away from their training
ground.
It is also close to Johannesburg's second airport, which
players and team officials will use during the tournament to
avoid the crowds at the city's main terminal.
'AHEAD OF THE GAME'
The Australians will remain at their high-altitude camp to
prepare for their matches and will only travel to cities at
sea-level a day in advance of those games.
"Being last to qualify in 2006 meant we had a very short
time to get organised but this time we have been ahead of the
game and worked on our base camp since last year," Australia's
head of national teams and development John Boultbee said in a
statement.
"Detailed research shows we need to be well acclimatised to
play at altitude both in physiological terms and the way the
ball travels in the air.
"Quality venues in the Johannesburg area are at a premium
for these reasons and we are very happy to have secured one of
the very best, which was in fact our first choice venue."
The Socceroos are also planning to arrive in South Africa
earlier than most teams to finish off their preparations,
chartering a Qantas jumbo jet that will be painted in the
team's green and gold colours.
They have two Asian Cup qualifiers in the new year then
will play a warm-up game against an opponent, yet to be
decided, in Melbourne on May 25 before heading straight to
Johannesburg, where they plan to play possibly two more
practice matches before their opening game with Germany in
Durban on June 13.
Australia's second game is against Ghana at Rustenburg on
June 19 and their final group match is with Serbia at Nelspruit
on June 23.
(Reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by Peter Rutherford. To
query or comment on this story email
sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
((julian.linden@thomsonreuters.com; +61409121090; Reuters
Messaging: julian.linden.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net.; For
Reuters sports blog Left Field go to:
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