Hiddink to play best team

Socceroos coach Guus Hiddink all but poured cold water on the idea of saving those players on a yellow card for the Croatia game and they will be included for selection in the match against Brazil tomorrow at Munich’s World Cup Stadium.

Socceroos coach Guus Hiddink all but poured cold water on the idea of saving those players on a yellow card for the Croatia game and they will be included for selection in the match against Brazil tomorrow at Munich-s World Cup Stadium.

While Hiddink did consider, resting them from this game, and saving them for the crunch match against Croatia four days later, the wily Dutchmen believes getting a result and further developing Australia-s reputation is of far more benefit.

“I think this game deserves a team, we think will make good opposition (for Brazil),” said Hiddink, at a packed official press conference in Munich. “So I-m not considering letting out all the players that are on one yellow card.”

“I think we like to make a result and a good impression worldwide and I don-t have to think a lot about the third game and what will happen then.”

Most pundits believe that there is a huge difference between the two teams and that Brazil will win easily and when it was suggested that this game could prove to people that Australia could compete with the best, Hiddink was quick to point out it already had.

“I think the squad has proved already in the two games against Uruguay, which is a big country in football,” said Hiddink. “They have proven already to be taking steps ahead in world football.”

“I think this team has now confirmed it can be of value in this world cup, also the way of playing, not just getting the results, which are very important, but we have saw in the first half (against Japan) taking initiative and I like very much when teams are taking the attack where possible.”

“I think Australia deserves to be here.”

“Of course tomorrow can be a good result for us, we could make a good image, but on the other hand we can be beaten and that is normal.”

“Everyone expects a big victory of the Brazilian team. It-s up to us to make the opposition and I am sure we-ll do that and at the end we will see where we are.”

Hiddink, who took his home country Holland and South Korea to the semi-finals of the 1998 and 2002 World Cups respectively, also has no doubts that his players are mentally prepared for what is one of the biggest games of their lives.

“One of the things for me was to see this team adapt themselves to new circumstances very easily,” he said with a good degree of satisfaction. “The team adapted very quickly to the needs and demands of new situations and this (the World Cup) is new for everyone.”

“They don-t have a lot of fear when they go into games, because it-s their mentality to be open and to go for it. It doesn-t mean they are cocky or arrogant, but they are open to small games as well as big games.”

He almost bristled when asked if he would adopt the long ball tactics, used in the latter stages of the game, where Australia scored its three late goals against Japan, with the insinuation this suited our game better.

“I disagree,” he said emphatically. “Especially when you see the way the boys play in the first period against Japan, where we should have scored at least one goal in that period.”

“When needed to implement the plan for the last 15 minutes, the execution was almost perfect, but I think we played part of the first half the way football should be played.”

There is no doubt the bench will again play a big role for Australia against Brazil, but he was giving nothing away.

“The bench is part of the planning, because as a coach a game is very complicated. As a coach you always try to play the game beforehand at least three times and what can happen.”

“Having the details of our players, also from the opponent what their strengths and weaknesses are. Part of that is the bench and how you are going to use under the circumstances.”

“That-s why I am proud of the boys because we practiced that.”