Verbeek pleased with performance says Reid

Adelaide United midfielder Paul Reid revealed that Pim Verbeek and his coaching staff were pleased with the performance against Indonesia and was a good point earned in the opening 2011 Asian Cup qualifying tournament.

Adelaide United midfielder Paul Reid revealed that Pim Verbeek and his coaching staff were pleased with the performance against Indonesia and was a good point earned in the opening 2011 Asian Cup qualifying tournament.

Reid, one of six players making his debut in the match for the Socceroos, was happy with his own performance and almost secured the three points for Australia, but had to watch his free kick sail agonisingly just wide of the post late in the second half.

“Really enjoyable,” was how Reid described when asked how his first cap was. “Obviously would have been a much sweeter experience if we had got the three points, but considering all the circumstances, we-re quite happy with the point.

“Pim said to us after the game that he was pleased with the point being away from home and considering that we only had a one hour training session together and that the conditions were very difficult with not only the pitch, but the heat and humidity over here.

“They (coaching staff) seemed quite happy with a point and if we can win our next home game, they-re led to believe that we should qualify still.

“So overall, I think they are quite pleased.”

Reid was happy with his own performance, especially when he had to play a different role to what he does with Adelaide.

“Pim spoke to me before the game actually and told me my role would be totally different from how I play at Adelaide.

“Matt McKay and I, plus Craig Moore and Rody Vargas were to be compact unit in the middle; we need to control the middle and that-s exactly what they wanted us to do.

“So I was quite pleased with my performance.”

As for his near miss from a 20 metre free kick, which looked it might curl into the top corner but stayed just wide of the post, he admitted that he thought it was in.

“I must admit I did (think it was going in); a few of the boys said it as well and they were just about to celebrate. I think their keeper was stranded and wouldn-t have got to it, if it was on target. It would have been a nice way to cap it all off, but it wasn-t to be.”

Reid was critical of the pitch, which made it hard to play attacking football, but was not about to make that an excuse for not winning the game.

“There was a cover of grass on it but there were potholes everywhere and made it very tough for us. But both teams have to play on it, so you can-t make excuses for the pitch. “It was quite difficult (attacking wise). We tried to keep it as tight as possible with the distance between the strikers and the defence and obviously we need to keep playing the ball wide, but also obviously try and penetrate through the middle at times, to change it up.

“As you could see with Danny and Archie, they found it difficult to get the ball at times; it would bounce over their foot once and then under their foot the next time, so it did make it difficult and definitely the pitch didn-t help that.

Reid was also quick to praise captain Craig Moore and his experience in big games over the many years he has played for the Socceroos proved invaluable to not himself, but all the other debutants.

“It was very good actually. Pim said before the game that we needed a lot of communication between the back two and between Matt McKay and I, to basically get Archie and Danny into good positions offensively.

“To have an experienced campaigner like Craig Moore behind you, he definitely showed his value last night.”