Beauchamp's whirlwind five days

It has been a whirlwind five days for former Central Coast Mariners defender Michael Beauchamp, as he not only helped the Socceroos take another step forward in their quest for the 2010 World Cup finals, but signed a deal that will see his club football now played in Denmark with Aalborg BK.

It has been a whirlwind five days for former Central Coast Mariners defender Michael Beauchamp, as he not only helped the Socceroos take another step forward in their quest for the 2010 World Cup finals, but signed a deal that will see his club football now played in Denmark with Aalborg BK.

But unlike many of his other Qantas Socceroo teammates, who have been given the China game off, Beauchamp then flew back to Australia today to take his place once again at the heart of the Australian defence for Sunday-s game.

The 27-year-old partnered with Newcastle Jets captain Jade North, in the three World Cup qualifying matches and coach Pim Verbeek is keen for them to keep getting match time together with the next phase of qualifiers to start in several months time.

Beauchamp was in good spirits at the team-s hotel in Parramatta, especially relieved he knows where he is playing next season.

“Yeah definitely,” when asked whether he was happy and relieved to have sorted out his club future. “After the season at Nuremburg, I was wondering where I was going to head and Aalborg came up and seeing as they were Champions last season, with the chance to play Champions League and UEFA Cup, it-s a great opportunity for me.

“It happened very quickly, once I found out about it and that were looking at me; so it was only about a week or so. I went across there for a physical after the Qatar game on Saturday and everything happened from there.

“Obviously the opportunity to go to a Champion team and the feedback I-d had from the sporting director there that I would part of the plans to play regularly, so for me that was another cherry,” he said.

The first months of 2008 proved very frustrating for the tall defender at Nuremburg, seemingly frozen out when the team came under new management.

“Definitely, once the new trainer came in at Nuremburg, he sort of binned me straight away, which was unfortunate. “Without getting a reason behind it, was a bit disappointing as well. As a footballer you want to know what you are doing wrong, but he didn-t give me a reason; sometimes that-s football.

With Lucas Neill absent for the qualifiers because of family reasons (his wife gave birth to twins two weeks ago), Beauchamp and North found themselves paired together for the first qualifier against Iraq in Brisbane.

Given they had barely played any football together and Beauchamp not playing regular first team football for nearly four months, it-s probably no wonder they had a few nervous moments against the Iraqi attack.

But to their credit Australia kept a clean sheet in the 1-0 win, although it didn-t stop the critics panning the Australian defence. And after a hiccup against Iraq in the return leg, Australia crushed Qatar in Doha to make sure of qualification to the next phase, much to the relief of the players after two weeks in the hot Middle East.

“I copped a bit of stick after the first game, for unknown reasons as well,” he said. “The team we were playing against (Iraq) was very unpredictable and it was the first game for me since the last China game.

“I think since then, my games have got better and better and as a whole we did as well, so we are through to the next round now and just concentrating on the game this weekend as well.

“It was a weight off the shoulders of the players and coaching staff, but we are still concentrating on this game and wanting to go out winners and put on a show for the fans that coming out.

“I think its coming together okay,” he said of his partnership with North at the back. “We-ve pretty much only played together pretty much the three games now, other than the first China game; it-s a new partnership; we speak a lot on the field and off the field and we get along well, so it-s something that can still get better, but we are doing well so far.”

Despite the match being affectively a dead rubber, Beauchamp still believes that both sides have a lot to play for, with China looking to regain some lost pride and Australia-s Olympic Games hopefuls out to impress and put on a good show for the large crowd that will be in attendance at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.

“They (China) still have something to play for; they-ve got pride; they are country built on pride, so for us we are not going to go out there half-heartedly at all. There is 70,000-odd tickets sold and we have got the green and gold jersey and you don-t take that lightly.

“We are going to go out and put a show on for the Australian people and hopefully come away with a win.

“Pim-s given a few of the older boys the game off after their long seasons, so it-s a great opportunity for the young boys to come in and put their hands up. That-s what it-s all about; international stage; no pressure on them at all, because we are already through, so it-s a chance for them to put their hand and show what they can do.

“These guys are the future for Australia and is a good chance for the Australian public to see the players coming through. We-ve still got a very competitive team and a lot of these young boys play regularly in the A-League or overseas so you want these young boys to come through and get the confidence and show what they-ve got.”