Players defying coaches?

Just thought this would be an interesting thread since in Australia it has just been said that before Australia went out in our opening group game against Germany at the World Cup, this happened:

The prelude to the game, not revealed until now in Murray's book, The World Game, implied imminent disaster.

The coach, Dutchman Pim Verbeek, had addressed the players, naming his line-up and the strategy. But then soon after, the team captain, Lucas Neill, asked the coach to leave the change room while he addressed his colleagues.

Verbeek consented.

Upon closing the door behind the coach, Neill erased Verbeek's scribbles on the whiteboard and told the players to ignore "this bullshit" and play like we normally play.

"That meant defying Verbeek's utterly defensive strategy and going for a win," Murray writes.

"The problem was that the team had already been named, and it contained not a solitary forward with Harry Kewell, Mark Bresciano, Josh Kennedy and Brett Holman, accomplished attacking players, all omitted in favor of a 6 man midfield."

"In the confusion there was so much delay that the point was reached when a FIFA match official knocked on the Australian change-room door and, pointing to his watch, warned the Australians that if they didn't take to the field immediately they would have to forfeit the match.

"The Aussies went out a mess and were slaughtered," says Murray.

The Socceroos went on to lose the match 4-0 and were bundled out of the competition in the group stage.

It would explain why we the team suddenly played a high defensive line, something they had never done for 3 or more years, Verbeek must of been frustrated as fuck and told Dutch media after the game that the team was "pathetic", and now we know why he said that.

What other instances have happened that have been like this where coach communication with players have broken down like this or even fights? The France debacle at the World Cup was even worse, got any others you care to share?

Christ, that's mad.

When Lucas Neill asked him to leave the room he should have said "No", and carried on with his job.

He should have smashed Lucas Neill's face in tbh.

Totti refused to come off as a sub one time.

Yeah that would of been a hella awkward situation for a manager to be in when he was asked to leave, but maybe Verbeek thought "oh maybe this is one of those aussie team talk things they do in private" lol, who knows.

But it would be interesting to know what would of happened after the match. I remeber watching the Germany match live and after the first goal, it looked like Verbeek was about to cry and really, Neill's actions were really unprofessional but at the same time at least he stuck up for himself and the rest of the players who absolutely hated that Dutch bastard and his staff.

Like this for example:

Players that do that are right cunts, hope that guy has a heart attack.

In handball, the Danish playmaker Claus Møller Jacobsen tried to defy the legendary coach Ulrik Wilbek during a world cup match against Iceland. He got subbed off, told to "sit down and shut up" and didn't get to play another second in the tournament. Denmark went to win the match against Iceland.

Different sport, I know, but it still happened.

kyro7 wrote:Players that do that are right cunts, hope that guy has a heart attack.

Ronaldo.

James wrote:

kyro7 wrote:Players that do that are right cunts, hope that guy has a heart attack.

Ronaldo.

I don't mean having a hissy fit, I mean team up against a manager and show no respect.

Half of the French national team and Domenech?

EDIT: Just seen the last sentence.

No, just that Australian guy.

What I will say which is in no way an excuse for Neill, but over the last 5 or 6 years soccer in Australia has come under a lot more media attention and what not, more fans are in to it now than ever before, and with that, comes more critics. Australia in the past was used to watching an OK team get a nice result every now and then but generally being a very mediocre, heck, call it borderline rubbish team, that no one other than immigrants cared about in this country. So the players were never criticized by mainstream fans or media because everyone loved soccer for what it was.

But since qualifying for 2 straight world cups, the fans and the media have expectations now, probably too high, but as Australian's, we generally expect the very best from everything and throughout the qualifying campaign, Australia was criticized for it's ugly long ball, defensive football, likened to the Inter Milan catenaccio sides of the 60's.....So maybe upon hearing of the "6 man midfield, park the bus" formation and strategy we had lined up, maybe Lucas snapped and didn't want the country to embarrass itself even more than it already has, infront of the entire world no less.

It probably seems so trivial, but Lucas had to front media after every match for the last 4 years as Australia captain having to answer for the shocking negative football we kept playing while our manager just kept dodging the questions. Maybe he was just sick of it? Iunno, but obviously the players agreed with his views.

Kris wrote:In handball, the Danish playmaker Claus Møller Jacobsen tried to defy the legendary coach Ulrik Wilbek during a world cup match against Iceland. He got subbed off, told to "shit down and shut up" and didn't get to play another second in the tournament. Denmark went to win the match against Iceland.

Different sport, I know, but it still happened.

Neill money grabbing cunt.

chemicalrubber wrote:

Kris wrote:In handball, the Danish playmaker Claus Møller Jacobsen tried to defy the legendary coach Ulrik Wilbek during a world cup match against Iceland. He got subbed off, told to "shit down and shut up" and didn't get to play another second in the tournament. Denmark went to win the match against Iceland.

Different sport, I know, but it still happened.

Well, you can't really be expected to shit up, can you? Unless you have some sort of springloaded sphincter

Lucas

I want someone like Vidic to tell SAF to leave the room while they talk and SAF to tell him to shut the fuck up and sit down.

Adz wrote:I want someone like Vidic to tell SAF to leave the room while they talk and SAF to tell him to shut the fuck up and sit down.

Fegie would probably hit him with a boot.

To be fair, Lucas Neill was right in what he did. Verbeek underestimated the players and gave them no chance. The only problem that night was a defensive team was put out when we wanted to attack. Neill has since been proven right when we beat Germany on their turf a few months ago under Hosieck

Sheppy wrote:To be fair, Lucas Neill was right in what he did. Verbeek underestimated the players and gave them no chance. The only problem that night was a defensive team was put out when we wanted to attack. Neill has since been proven right when we beat Germany on their turf a few months ago under Hosieck

I agree Neill has put it all on the line for Australia over the years he knows the team better then anybody else.