Overall, given we were so poor a year ago at the Asian Cup, given we didn’t get our first choice manager, given Pim Verbeek came via lastminute.com and given he rarely had access to his first choice players due to babies, injuries and some players needing R&R, it was great to see the Socceroos navigate through their first phase of qualifiers.

Okay, it wasn’t always pretty, and got a little scary in the week between Matchday 4 in Dubai and Matchday 5 in Doha, but the fact we survived a tough group, which put paid to the Asian Champions and the populous China, was good news.

Ultimately, we did enough in the early going, with a comprehensive Matchday 1 win in Melbourne against Qatar and a slightly fortunate away draw in Kunming, in which Mark Schwarzer got himself out of jail by saving the spot-kick he’d just given away, to provide a bit of a buffer for the odd Super June slip-up, which eventually came.

The opener was really the only time Verbeek had anything resembling a full-strength front-line, with Josh Kennedy and Scott McDonald supported by the Second-Ball-King Tim Cahill, who was very much missed for the remainder of the phase. It was also an opportunity to bid farewell to defensive stalwart Craig Moore, and his calming presence was soon missed. Fair enough, the victory was achieved against a team missing Sebastian Quintana, but it was a great start, even if it disguised the difficulty that was to come.

Fast forward to March and all the talk was about how the Socceroos would cope with the altitude in Kunming. The negative though-process had been sown, and became very hard to shake. The fact the Socceroos were also missing a truckload of strikers, compounded by Archie Thompson’s early injury, meant Verbeek was happy to escape with a point, but it was a lucky one. There were a number of positives though, including the man of the match form of Jade North at the back, the wonderful combination and intricate keep-ball play of the two screening midfielders, Carl Valeri and Vince Grella, and the counter attacking work of Brett Holman off the bench.

By the time Super June arrived, Verbeek knew he needed two wins from the four games to get through, but he, and the nation, wanted to avoiding going to matchday 6 needing something to confirm passage.

Next up was the much-awaited double against the Asian champs, the first being the on-again, off-again match in Brisbane, which only went ahead after a bit of attention-seeking work from the FIFA president. In the end the Socceroos performance matched the build-up; all over the place.

Yes, Verbeek had his victory and maintained his ‘win at home, draw on the road’ ideal, but the patchy work, especially in defence, was worrying

By the time the Roos touched down in the Middle East, with expectant father Lucas Neill still unavailable, a mini-crisis was developing. As Aussie fans were being charged ridiculous mark-ups to get in, little-known Chris Coyne was lacing up for his debut in a re-shaped back three, while Kewell foraged alone up front. The defence improved, but when Emad Mohammed caught Schwarzer day-dreaming, the defensive mind-frame proved too difficult too shake. On came the cavalry, Holman, Kennedy and McDonald, but the tactics were archaic, with crosses coming in from far too deep.

Verbeek had gambled on a 0-0 and lost. The criticism of his negative tactics came flooding in, the honeymoon well and truly over.

A week later, against a resurgent Qatar, Verbeek and his men responded. Emerton was pushed forward, Mark Bresciano was back in, Holman started behind Kewell and Australia pressed high.

Suddenly, the excuses stopped and the action began. The positive energy was obvious, and the result followed. Quintana was still giving Beauchamp the run-around, but Emerton, Holman and Bresciano were having a day-out, and the heat appeared to have little impact. Relief was the overwhelming emotion, the ten points guaranteeing safe passage, but only after a bout or two of drama.

All that was left was the matter of a home qualifier in front of 70,000 fans, this correspondent among them, against still-winless China. The European regulars were finally afforded an abbreviated off-season and the Euro-kids and A-League second-stringers came in for an opportunity of a life-time. Very few, if any, took it, and Verbeek suffered not only his second loss but a fresh dose of criticism. Such are the vagaries of managing a national side, as Verbeek knows from his time in Seoul.

Ultimately, he had his points and progress, and can now plan around the likes of Japan, Uzbekistan, Bahrain and Qatar again, but you sense he will need more of the big-names on deck to get anywhere near South Africa.

Verbeek was pilloried when he criticised the standard of the A-league and questioned the depth at his disposal, but on the evidence of our first six world cup qualifiers in Asia, he had a point, or two.

Certainly he will be hoping for few more points than that in the next phase, and with a number of tough road trips early, he would do well not to be chasing too many points half-way through phase four.

Having the likes of Neill, Mark Viduka, Kennedy and Cahill available sure would help, but on the evidence of what we’ve seen to date, others will need to step up to the plate, and soon.

As we look ahead, here are the winners, losers and those with question marks from Phase Three;

Winners

Carl Valeri; really grabbing ever opportunity. Excellent in Kunming and one of the only bright spots in Sydney.

Jade North; carried on his brilliant domestic form with some assured performances, moving to the head of the pecking order to sit alongside Neill.

Brett Holman; a player that divides opinion, and can be a little up and down, but he is certainly a favourite of the decision-makers. Got plenty of game time and had two influential performances on the road, in Kunming and Doha.

Brett Emerton; after a great start, went a little quiet against Iraq, but bounced back when he was moved higher up the pitch in Doha, bagging a brace.

Harry Kewell; his body held up, and that was a victory in itself, but the fact he managed to lead the line, often on his own, was a credit to his versatility. Was excellent in Brisbane, but disappointed with his post-match sentiments in Sydney.

Matthew Spiranovic; locked in, he had a comfortable half-hour in the Ghana friendly, and then did well in his starting debut in Sydney.

Mark Schwarzer; did well in Brisbane, rescuing some points, but he also did some daft things. Pity no-one is putting pressure on him.

Losers

Michael Beauchamp; right at the head of the pecking order to replace Craig Moore at the start of the campaign, he has slipped back to third or fourth choice central stopper. Good at shadowing a striker, he is less comfortable reading the game and then using the ball.

Scott McDonald; goals galore for his club, but most of them were scraps inside the box. International football is completely different and, these days, requires the front-man to sacrifice himself for the team. Still feeling his way in.

Mile Jedinak; can win a ball, but showed his limitations at this level through an ability to use it well and dictate the shape and tempo of a side.

Ruben Zadkovich; caught out technically and mentally in the heat of Sydney, will be interesting to see how he responds.

Nick Carle; warmed the bench, warmed the bench, and then disappeared. We’ve long known Graham Arnold doesn’t rate him. Now it seems Verbeek has joined the queue.

Jury still out

Pim Verbeek; started well, but soon a defensive mind-frame emerged, and he even showed some sensitivity towards the criticism he received. Some of his selections have been a little puzzling to say the least, but ultimately his job is to get results and get us through to South Africa, so he deserves full-support.

Bruce Djite; many are hoping he is the next Viduka, but the comparison is a little unfair. Viduka is technically among the best players we’ve ever produced. Djite is, at this stage, a battering ram.

James Troisi; done a couple of good things for the Olyroos, but really needs to find a club, and fast.

James Holland; being played out of position out wide. Looks a central player to me

Tony Tannous is a Sydney-based football writer and has been an advocate the game down-under since the early 1990s. For the past three years he’s been keeping on top of all A-League and national team matters via his comprehensive site, The Round Ball Analyst, which has built quite a following. Tony’s been following the Socceroos around since the 1994 campaign and fulfilled a life-long dream of travelling to see his beloved Socceroos on the world stage in 2006. Now he’s hoping we don’t have to wait another 32 years. Four will suffice.

Photo credits: JAMedia.com on Flickr (top), micamera on Flickr (bottom) and El Fotopakismo on Flickr (front page) via the84thminute photo pool.