Qantas Socceroo striker Alex Brosque has been earning rave reviews in Japan but believes another Australian J.League star will be the one to watch in Brisbane next month.
Qantas Socceroo striker Alex Brosque has been earning rave reviews in Japan but believes another Australian J.League star will be the one to watch in Brisbane next month.
While Brosque has found the back of the net with frequency for his club, Shimizu S-Pulse, Nagoya Grampus marksman Josh Kennedy has been among the J-League-s most prolific for the past three seasons.
Between them, Brosque and Kennedy have scored seven times in J-League competition so far this campaign - form that augurs well for a Qantas Socceroo side desperate to get the better of Japan in the coming weeks.
“I think Josh, he-s someone who has done well in the J.League for many seasons now and someone that the Japanese defenders struggle to contain in the games just in the J-League,” said Brosque.
“He just steps it up another gear when he plays for the national team, he-s so lethal and dangerous and he-s definitely the one that they-ll be most cautious of.
“Even though they know him inside out, they still can-t stop him in the J.League and I think in that game (in Brisbane) he-s definitely going to cause a lot of threats as well.”
Brosque is a relative newcomer to the Qantas Socceroos set up, but has been in irresistible form in green and gold since coach Holger Osieck handed the 28-year-old a chance against Thailand in Brisbane last September.
Since then, Brosque has netted five times for his country and looks set to play a key part in Australia-s march towards the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Though uncapped against Japan, Brosque was a keen observer when Australia enjoyed arguably their greatest moment against their traditional rivals in 2006.
“I went to Star City to watch the game and just, I mean, everyone remembers that World Cup and the amount of excitement it generated throughout the whole country,” said Brosque.
“It just looked like it was going to be one of those games where Australia played well, really fought, they way they typically do but in the end it probably wasn-t enough.
“Then Tim Cahill popped up out of nowhere and scored the first one, just sent the whole place going mental and then he scored the second and Aloisi capped it off.
“I just remember walking around the streets, walking around the city and what that did to everyone in the country was great and it still sort of gives me goose bumps thinking about that today.”
The Qantas Socceroos begin their final phase of qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup with a clash against Oman in Muscat on Friday, 8 June.
Soon after, the Qantas Socceroos will host Japan in their first home fixture of the fourth stage of Asia-s FIFA World Cup qualification process on Tuesday, 12 June at Brisbane-s Suncorp Stadium. Kick off is at 8pm.
Tickets are on sale now, click here or call 132 849.