French ‘rock stars’ can expect a scrap
“THE collective effort is installed ahead of the individual.”
This Diego Simeone quote epitomises the ethos of Spanish overachievers and Europa League winners Atletico Madrid, who regularly upset Barcelona and Real Madrid despite their inferior budget.
It’s this spirit that Socceroos boss Bert van Marwijk is attempting to instil in his players as they attempt to produce the first great boilover of Russia 2018 against a France team Football Observatory report rated as the most expensive at the World Cup at $2.19 billion, ahead of England ($2.15 billion) and Brazil ($1.98 billion). The Socceroos’ 23-man squad was ranked at 27 with a combined value of $90 million, ahead of Tunisia, Costa Rica, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Panama.
Van Marwijk, who was maligned by some Dutch purists in 2010 for an overly physical approach, has shown the Socceroos clips of Atletico’s famed compact, highoctane style, which he hopes they will impose on Dider Deschamps’ rock-star side at Kazan Arena.
Socceroos veteran Tim Cahill captained the team against Chile at last year’s Confederations Cup in a game that most closely resembled Atletico’s street-scrappers style.
“When he showed it to us, I thought we’ve done it, we can do it. I feel now the element he’s bought is the defensive element and also thinking about when and how to do it,’’ Cahill said.
“I think it’s going to come down to composure and mentality more than physical.
“There’s no shadow of a doubt we can mix it with the best physically, but tactically and mentally it’s about being switched on, not making mistakes for 95 minutes.
“I like his (van Marwijk’s) style.”