Luca$h

[Big Sam]

Lucas Neill should be stood down as Socceroos captain: Robbie Slater

October 15, 2013 - 2:59PM

Former Socceroo Robbie Slater says Lucas Neill should immediately be stood down as Australian captain, claiming he has torn apart an already broken squad with his response to coach Holger Osieck's sacking.

Slater on Tuesday slammed as "disgraceful" Neill's attempt to defend his position within the squad in his first media appearance since Osieck was axed following the 6-0 loss to France.

"It's quite possibly the worst captain's interview, certainly in a football sense, I've ever seen," Slater told Fox Sports.

"Lucas is in survival mode. He's got that siege mentality and you can see that in the interview - it's very defensive.

"He's living in a cocoon. He's not seeing things clear and he's not seeing the reality.

"There is a case to be stood down as Australian captain straight away by (Football Federation Australia CEO) David Gallop.

"It shows the need of how quick we need to get somebody in place because he shouldn't have been allowed to do that interview."

Neill dismissed a call by former goalkeeper Mark Bosnich to quit the team, and instead questioned the passion of the next generation of Socceroos.

"My question to the younger guys who want to play for Australia is: do you dream of playing for Australia and if you do show me the hunger and the desire," Neill told reporters.

"I think that's where we are lacking now - our attitude towards our national team."

Slater, who played 44 matches for Australia during the 1980s and 1990s, said the FFA needed to appoint a local coach as soon as possible to bring the Socceroos back together as a team.

"That squad is now torn apart. If it wasn't already before because of the results, it is certainly now because of what the captain has said," the 48-year-old added.

"I cannot believe how many times I heard the word `I' in that interview.

"And for him to have a go at the younger players, our captain, that is exactly the opposite of what a captain should be doing. He should be pulling those players together.

"He has now clearly driven a wedge between the older generation and the younger generation."

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/...oos-captain-robbie-slater-20131015-2vk7f.html

I've just about had it with this bloke. I've never known a more out of touch footballer, if not athlete in Australian sport.

Ludicrously questioning the desire of younger players is an apt end to an abysmal reign as Australian captain which included his farcical pre-Durban press conference, and the threats to take the NT with him on strike all because he wanted more $$$.

As I said in the other thread, he's always been mercenary who's put personal ambition ahead of team success (which ultimately cost him a UCL final appearance). The quicker the new coach gets rid of this geriatric cancer, the better.

/Rant

 

[Sir Biffo]

Instead of being a good boy and realising his time was over once he'd helped qualify on home soil (well it was over long ago, but he could have at least bowed out with some grace), his last match will be a friendly against Canada in front of 7,000 drunk bogans.

 

[whall15]

I do hope (and I think it will, unless he gets some kind of testimonial and considering we're so close to a World Cup, I don't he will) that Canada is his last game.

If anything these comments are doing him a pretty massive disservice. He would be much better off going out with dignity than getting embarrassed but not getting selected by the next manager, whoever he is.

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

Big Sam is still mad that Lucas Neill chose the money at West Ham over the bench at Liverpool :lol:

I wish both Lucas Neill and Robbie Slater would f**k off for good though both of them are merkins of the highest order

 

[aqua_duck]

Funny him criticising anyone after his last 2 performances

 

[Twizzle]

He talks as if passion is the only prerequisite for playing for the Socceroos. Some ability wouldn't hurt.

I had the Fox replays of both Brazil and France on while I was working this afternoon, he should watch the replays.

 

[BunniesMan]

If he was actually leading us and running through bricks walls for us he might be in a position to have a go at people. But you do not get on your high horse and start calling people out from such a position of weakness.

An incredibly poor error in judgement. He's not playing well enough to be in the team and he's not carrying himself well enough to be captaining the team.

Has really f**ked up his legacy in recent times.

 

[aqua_duck]

They just highlighted Neill's defending against France on Fox Sports, the common theme for all the goals was Lucas was marking no one and out of position

 

[Big Sam]

Big Sam is still mad that Lucas Neill chose the money at West Ham over the bench at Liverpool :lol:

I wish both Lucas Neill and Robbie Slater would f**k off for good though both of them are merkins of the highest order

Had nothing to do with LFC Tonearm (he wouldn't have been on the bench btw). The fact is we installed as captain someone who chose the cash and adulation of captaincy at a shit club (which was almost relegated) over one of the biggest clubs in the world to the detriment of his career. It summed up his character perfectly.

They just highlighted Neill's defending against France on Fox Sports, the common theme for all the goals was Lucas was marking no one and out of position

Change France to Germany and you just described the 2010 WC opener i.e. nothing's changed in 3.5 years...

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

He went to West Ham at 30 after he'd been at Millwall and Blackburn for what, 13, 14 years between them. Stop being bitter.

Get rid of him and put somebody who has actually been playing for the last year or two. He was dog shit in the A-League in 3 games how bad must the Middle East leagues be then??

 

[Big Sam]

I would find it deliciously ironic if it is Arnie who gets the gig and turfs Luca$h out after the way he undermined him in Thailand in 2007.

(And FTR he was 28 at the time, TT)

 

[Helmet Man]

he is a f**king joke

 

[Haffa]

What UCL Final did he miss out on?

He's always been a joke. He's only ever been just another thug who played for Blackburn. He played a couple of good games in the '06 World Cup and since then he's been living off that glory.

 

[Haffa]

He talks as if passion is the only prerequisite for playing for the Socceroos. Some ability wouldn't hurt.

I had the Fox replays of both Brazil and France on while I was working this afternoon, he should watch the replays.

I watched those on Tuesday also the way he drifted off Neymar and Pato was comical.

 

[Big Sam]

What UCL Final did he miss out on?

He's always been a joke. He's only ever been just another thug who played for Blackburn. He played a couple of good games in the '06 World Cup and since then he's been living off that glory.

2007. We (LFC) made him very good offers both after the WC and during the January window but he chose West Ham all because they offered him £10k more a week.

We played Milan in the final that season (he certainly would've started ahead of Finnan) but instead he ended up in a relegation shitfight with WHU. If it wasn't for Tevez, Luca$h would have finished his England career in the Championship.

 

[Tweek]

wow are you seriously holding a grudge because he didnt transfer to your team?

 

[Big Sam]

wow are you seriously holding a grudge because he didnt transfer to your team?

No. As I said before, that saga showed why he shouldn't be leading the national team.

 

[Tommy Smith]

Their are Sunday League central defenders playing at a higher level than Lucas Neill right now.

He's f**king awful.

And I hope Ange punts him with his first move. That'd show tremendous strength as the new manager.

 

[Haffa]

Can't believe this mug retained the Captaincy.

 

[Moffo]

Joke