New Heart Coach Rates A-League At...

Van't Schip's A-League verdict
5 November 2009 | 12:02 - SBS EXCLUSIVE

Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek notoriously likened the A-League to a Bundesliga training session � and now his countryman John van�t Schip has weighed into the debate, placing the national competition on a par with the Dutch second division.

After traversing the country taking in nine games in person, and watching scores of others on TV and DVD, the recently appointed coach of A-League outfit-in-waiting Melbourne Heart feels a shortfall in technical players places the local product at the level of Eerste Divisie.

"From what I have seen in my six weeks here the level is quite up and down. Teams look good for periods of a match but then it can fall away a bit," Van't Schip told The World Game.

"They find it hard to sustain their best play for long periods, so I would say the competition is pretty much on a par with the Dutch second division.

"The level can�t rise so quickly until there�s a new TV deal and maybe the salary cap is raised. Those are the difficulties we all have to face.

"I understand what Pim has said about the A-League and we all know we have to work on bringing the level up by bringing in high technical players. But this will take time."

The 45-year-old former Ajax star and assistant coach has so far identified six local targets for the new blue collar alternative to the status quo of Melbourne Victory, and he is placing a high premium on technique and touch and tactical acumen.

He will also invest heavily in youth in the realisation that until there is more money injected into a league already experiencing severe growing pains, there will be limitations on the calibre of experienced professionals he can lure to Australia.

"In my team there will be a lot of opportunities for young players because we won�t be able to attract the quality older players in all positions," he explained.

"I have been watching a lot of Youth League games and I�m dedicated to picking up some of the most promising youngsters."

The club, whose Australian-based targets include Adelaide�s Scott Jamieson and Sydney FC's Simon Colosimo, is committed to a landing marquee player.

A holidaying and clubless Mark Viduka is, according to Van�t Schip, very much in that category, with the coach adding: "If he becomes available, and we don�t know if he will, then we would be stupid not to talk to him."

Van�t Schip�s ideal player would be a striker who brings with him the drive and desire displayed by Robbie Fowler.

"We have the funds for it. It must be somebody who sets a good example, somebody like Robbie Fowler who has scored eight goals so far and has stood out from the crowd," he explained.

"In looking for a marquee, we think a striker would be a priority but nothing has been fully decided yet."

Though Van�t Schip is promising an open brand of football, he gave his backing to Verbeek over the dour approach which has brought Australia qualification for South Africa 2010, and sent many to sleep in the process.

"With the national team the level is far higher and results are much more important, so he has found a tactic which works for him and the team," he said.

"There is no point in Pim playing an attacking game and losing matches. He�s doing a good job. He wants to play a style that is easy on the eye but for example when Australia played Holland they had to tailor the way they played because they were up against an excellent side."

Van�t Schip returns to Holland next week to begin filling his visa allocations players with several fellow Dutchman on his radar.

Hadjuk Split-based former Socceroos midfielder Josip Skoko, who last week told The World Game he had opened discussions with the club, is also on his to-meet list.

Another who has emerged as a possibility is fringe Socceroos centre-back Michael Beauchamp, who is struggling for game time with United Arab Emirates outfit Al-Jazira after his switch on a one-year deal from Danish side Aalborg BK back in September.