AFC Asian Cup 2011: Are the Young Roo Boys Ready for the Big Time?

Thursday had to be a humbling day for Socceroos manager Pim Verbeek.

Fielding a side of A-League players who have just dipped their feet into the cold waters of international play, Kuwait scored a 1-0 upset, sitting at the top of Group B in AFC Asian Cup qualifcation.

With the next set of matches scheduled for November, the question is put on the table: Are these up-and-comers really ready to come out and compete for the Green and Gold?

It's a rhetorical inquiry that must be on the minds of Daniel Mullen, Archie Thompson, and Craig Moore among others, as their focus returns to qualifying for South Africa.

Verbeek had strong reservations about the quality of play in the Hyundai A-League (which concluded last Saturday with Melbourne completing the domestic treble), and he reiterated them after the match.

"It would be too easy for me to say that I was right," Verbeek said. "I think the players can do much better and they showed me on the training sessions and during the A-League that they are much better.

"We have good and talented players that need experience, that need a bigger league and they need more international experience. They still have to improve and that's the same with the A-League players and our big players, they want to improve every day...that's the right mentality."

Improve?

Well, improving in leaps and bounds would be a blessing for a team that produced a performance that eclipsed the 0-0 draw against Indonesia in terms of ignominy, Mr. Verbeek.

Passes missing the marks. Shots sailing wide.

A congregation of no-Name Kuwaitis dancing on the pitch, reminiscent of the Solomon Islands' 2-2 draw with Australia in the FIFA World Cup OFC qualifiers in 2004.

And crowd of 20,000 plus at Canberra Stadium lulled to a peaceful slumber of boos.

They sure need to improve, Mr. Verbeek.

But then again, there has to be hope for them to get back on their feet, right?

Yes, indeed. There is hope.

Four games are left on the schedule. 12 points.

Equating to the possibility of finishing in top of the table or top two by March 2010.

And with the next qualifier set for November 14—eight months and eight days away, there is reason to believe that Australia, who took their lumps against Kuwait will be more than ready to take on Oman, and take three points instead of zero.

All that's needed is for the big-timers up there to give the young Roo boys down here a helping hand.