Compare the pair…
Meet Shane:
Shane is 24 years old, and cruising towards the prime of his career. He can play at left back, or centre back, depending on where his team needs him. In his last six games, he has played both positions three times. Not only is he a versatile man, but also a hard-worker. In the last two seasons, for English club Millwall, the industrious Australian has appeared over seventy times, establishing himself as one of the best defenders in England’s second tier. In that period he has graced the field for almost 6500 minutes, having been substituted off only twice. Some might call him a work-horse. Others call him a really decent footballer.
Oh, he’s also very, very good at taking freekicks:
There’s a lot more to like about Shane. Although playing at youth level for the Republic of Ireland (a team that wanted him for their senior squad, and would be playing him now) the Perth born 24-year-old decided that he was proud of being an Australian. Mr. Lowry made a commitment to the Socceroos, one that was rejoiced by many of us who were following his career. What a champion.
…right?
Unfortunately, since making that undoubtedly huge decision in 2009, and having seen his form and ability develop significantly over the last three seasons, Shane is yet to be picked for a Socceroos side. Holger, you could say, has left our man high and dry.
Meet David:
David is a very happy bloke. Today, he was picked once again to represent Australia internationally. This will be the 46th time in his career, one that is reaching its twilight as he crawls towards 30 years old. Mr. Carney, too, can play at left back, and he is sometimes more adventurous than that, roaming forward into the murky world of left midfield.
In the last two or so years, David has graced three football clubs; sometimes appearing for them three, even four times. In fact, Mr. Carney has played just under 5000 minutes of football in his entire career. Around 500 of those in the last two years. He’s a relaxed man, David, and that’s why we like him so much. One constant throughout his career is a desire to play at quality clubs in quality leagues; the New York Redbulls where he currently earns a living is only testament to this.
Look to your left, look to your right, now look at David Carney’s gymnastic potency:
But perhaps David’s most desirable feature, is his unique ability to personify the four-leaf clover. The Australian stalwart, as he is known in some circles, has defied all odds to consistently earn selection for the Socceroos and a pay check. Is it his blonde hair, blue eyes and irresistible charm? Or is he some sort of superhuman? Nobody knows.
Now, compare the pair.
In a team that has been calling out for a left-back desperately; in a team that has been forced to play central midfielders in the full back position due to an apparent lack of options, it is clear which of the above gentlemen deserves to be in the Socceroos side, and who doesn’t. But this is the world we’ve grown so accustomed to living in; where jokes become reality, and reality becomes a joke.
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As a Socceroo and Millwall supporter I am a big fan of Shane Lowry. However, he has been out for the last two matches as part of a three match ban.
Still better a better option than Carney? Probably.
Very superficial analysis by someone with a limited understand of the game.
Lowry does not have the ability to support Tommy Oar down the left like Carney does. Tommy would suffer from Lowry at fullback.
That would be understandable if Lowry made up for it with excellent ball winning (very important at fullback). But he is a very average ball winner (so is Carney).
Most of the criticisms aimed at Carneys game time can be explained by his chronic shoulder injury. The age argument fails since at 29 most footballers are in the prime of their career (often regarded as around 26-30 in association football).
The clear answer is neither of these. Jason Davidson meets all of the above criteria aside from age/experience.
Jason Davidson has been selected, so my ability to whine about his lack of apparent existence was stifled by Holger in bitter-sweet fashion. While I would certainly have him starting over Lowry, let us not forget that Davidson is not an overly attacking fullback either.
The fact is, Lowry has not been selected in a world where Carney has. The reason I bring up age is due to the fact that the upcoming games are friendlies, and thus a perfect opportunity to test out players in their early-mid twenties as opposed to those who have had many appearances for the side and are in the final years of their “association football prime”.
Lowry (like Davidson, and unlike Carney) provides great versatility, able to play across the back four. He is performing regularly for Millwall and should be selected, unlike Carney who has struggled for any playing time over the last 3/4 years and has only recently secured a somewhat stable position.
No where do I say Lowry is the shining solution to the left-back problem, but Holger’s selection of Carney in his place is unexplainable given both player’s comparative records.
I think the fact that our last game against brazil, defensively we were too slow and old to close down the space and stop the balls in behind us.
Lets look at how holger has addressed this? He hasn’t instead he’s brought in more central midfielders.. now we already have an abundance of CM’s in the team why do we need more?
11 of the 24 players selected naturally play in the CM role… we should have selected 10 defenders and looked at them to see if they could potentially replace our aging backline.. of course holgers logic isn’t that of a quality tactician he kind of just picks his mates in his teams and hopes for the best.