Kiwi squad country's greatest-ever

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HEADED by superstar Sonny Bill Williams, New Zealand will start their World Cup campaign tonight with a team coach Stephen Kearney rates as arguably the country's greatest-ever.

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The defending World Cup champions face Samoa in Warrington believing they can retain their title with a squad stacked with NRL stars. 

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Williams has to be one of the favourites to pick up the Golden Boot this year as the world's best player — and there isn't a better prop in the game than Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. 

Issac Luke is as good a hooker as New Zealand has produced, while Kieran Foran captained the Kiwis in the one-off Test earlier this year and is heading towards greatness. 

And on the size front, the Kiwis are in a world of their own with probably the biggest pack of forwards in the history of the sport. 

Kearney coached the Kiwis to their shock World Cup final win over Australia in 2008 and their Four Nations triumph in 2010. 

Asked if this was the strongest squad he's coached, Kearney said: "It would be one of. I think the quality of depth in the group is certainly one we haven't had before. And when you are not taking away a Jeremy Smith or a Benji Marshall, in the past that would have been a real issue, but I think with this squad it is not such a big issue." 

Kearney knows he's got a hell of a football team on his hands.

While he was heavily criticised initially for bringing Williams into the squad at the expense of Tohu Harris, we're about to find out why the decision certainly was in the best interests of New Zealand's fortunes at this tournament. 

Kearney wouldn't go into exactly what Sonny Bill said and why he changed his mind, but he said his influence on the team since arriving in the UK has been significant. 

"I know what Sonny is about and I know him as a person and I have done for a long time," Kearney said.

"We are fortunate that he is here with us. Everyone is well aware of what he offers on a footy field, but it is also his influences away from the field and his drive, as a player, is second to none."

League historian David Middleton pulled together a list of some of the best Kiwi teams we've seen, and how this squad goes against Australia will be what determines their standing. 

The Aussies might be the top seeds and favourites, but the Kiwis are the reigning champions and Kearney said competition for a place in the top squad will a great motivation. 

"I have got no doubt we have some talent in the group. It is a matter of making sure every time we play we are performing," Kearney said. 

"We have a squad of 24 and I can only pick 17 and they all understand and realise how hard it is to make the side so they have got to be playing well."

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Socceroos can expect culture shock

ANGE Postecoglou's Melbourne Victory lieutenant Kevin Muscat says the Socceroos can expect a culture shock under their new boss and has declared him ready for his international challenge.

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Postecoglou arrives in Sydney tomorrow for day one of Socceroos duty, but his highly anticipated inaugural squad for the Costa Rica friendly next month is unlikely to be picked until tomorrow week. 

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Muscat, who won 51 Socceroos caps between 1994-2006, said parts of the past 18 months under Postecoglou at Victory had been gruelling and believed those expectations wouldn't change for the Socceroos. 

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"One thing's for sure there will be a certain shock that goes around the place. It can be taken the wrong way, but people will understand and be grateful," Muscat said. 

"The ones that are fortunate enough to hang around and work with Ange will certainly be better for the experience, no doubt about it. 

"It will be challenging, it will be gruelling, no two ways about it. The boss certainly knows what he wants and how he wants to go about it and people are going to have to ride the wave with him or else they will get left behind." 

Muscat, whose Australian coaches included Eddie Thomson, Terry Venables and Frank Farina, said Postecoglou was ready to step up. 

"I think so. It's certainly a different challenge not having the players regularly, but from what I've seen in how the boss analyses and thinks about football, the challenges will be different but they're still football challenges," he said. 

"I'm looking forward to it with a great deal of excitement to see what he does, with the way we play and how we go about it. Knowing him I've got a fair idea but I'll be watching from a distance with a fair bit of anticipation." 

Muscat said Postecoglou would already have an idea of the ideas he wants to implement and warned — expect the unexpected.

"People can second guess and try to assume what he's going to do but he's certainly his own man," Muscat said.

"Opinions will count for nothing because once he focuses on something he'll find a solution and it will certainly be an enjoyable ride for a lot of the people that jump on board."

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World Cup trip changed Hayne's life

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JARRYD Hayne went to the last World Cup thinking he would do Fiji a favour by playing for them – five years on the now Kangaroo credits that time in his life for making him the man he is today.

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The Parramatta superstar admits it is going to be one of the most emotional challenges of his career when he runs out for Australia next Saturday in his first appearance at this World Cup against Fiji. 

Prior to that 2008 tournament, Hayne was already one of the most talented young stars in the NRL, but it was issues off the field that were threatening to derail his career. 

But by the time the tournament was over he was on his way to superstardom and, more importantly, his life had finally found meaning. 

"Fiji changed my life," Hayne said. 

"This is something that I have been thinking about for a long time.

"It will be one of the toughest games I will ever play from an emotional point of view, knowing how much an experience it was last time. 

"With God and church, for me, that is how it all started.

"It was an amazing tour for me. I went away thinking I was going to help them, but the team impacted me and gave me something I will remember forever." 

Hayne's spectacular performances for Fiji made him just about the story of the last World Cup as the Fijians shocked the rugby league world on their way to a semi-final showdown against Australia. 

They ended up losing that game but the following year Hayne produced arguably the greatest individual season ever played as he carried Parramatta to the grand final and collected the Dally M Medal along the way. 

And he was preparing to play for Fiji again this year before he received a surprise call-up from the Kangaroos after a season marred by injury. 

Hayne put in a phenomenal performance for NSW this year in the State of Origin opener but days later suffered a hamstring injury against the Roosters and he never recovered, playing just three games for the rest of the season. 

He said he hardly gave himself a hope of being picked to play for Australia but now that he's here his mission is to fight his way into the Kangaroos' top team ahead of first-choice centre Brent Tait. "Obviously not playing this week is disappointing but I think personally it might help me getting another week under my belt training," Hayne said. 

Take it as read Hayne was right in contention for Australia's vacant right centre spot for last night's showdown with England but missed out to Brent Tate. 

Hayne will now get his chance to shine next Saturday and from there the race will really be on.

"It is a long tournament," he said.

And he said playing right centre would not be a new experience.

"I played Origin on the left but right centre is probably my preferred spot in the centres," he said.

"That is where I played growing up and that is where my dad played as well, he was a right centre.

"So it is something I'm familiar with.

"I think one of the things that took my focus off the injury this year was knowing there was going to be a tour at the end of the year, whether it was for Australia or Fiji, and knowing that if I could get the body right I would be on it. 

"It has definitely been something I have based my year around from Origin to this."

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Postecoglou right man for the job

CONTRARY to popular belief, Ange Postecoglou and I have a healthy respect for each other.

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I'm thrilled about his elevation to the role of Socceroos coach. 

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Changes need to be made in Australian football and Postecoglou's the man to do it. 

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It's no secret that we didn't always see eye-to-eye during the period he was Brisbane's coach and I was the Roar's captain. 

But that's in the past and we've spoken many times since.

Hopefully, in my role as an FFA elite player mentor, I can work with Postecoglou to foster our best young talent.

He knows I'm passionate and that I want to see the game improve. We'll work well with one another.

While his main focus will be the Socceroos, there's no doubt he will cast an eye over the entire national program and ensure it's in good order. 

Postecoglou is about the bigger picture in terms of having a wide-ranging impact and leaving a legacy for Australian football. 

You can already sense his passion for his new job.

And part of the reason for that is because he's an Aussie, and we're all buying into that.

For probably the first time since Frank Farina's time in charge of the Socceroos, there is a genuine feeling that the team really belongs to us. It's a team we can again take ownership of. 

We know for sure that regardless of results, the typical Australian attributes of desire, willingness, and commitment to the cause will be there in spades for all of us to see. 

Another good thing about Postecoglou is that he's always striving to improve as a coach, regardless of the success he has tasted in recent years. You can never stop learning. 

He knows that as well as anybody. 

In terms of the immediate future and next year's World Cup, we know Postecoglou is going to make changes, and players have to accept that. 

There needs to be a real understanding from players that they need to be first-team regulars wherever they are plying their trade. 

There are no longer any huge advantages or disadvantages about being in one league over another.

The fact is we now only have a few players involved the world's best leagues.

The majority of the Socceroos' 2014 World Cup squad will pick itself because its members will have played 30-plus league games going into the tournament. 

That's a must in terms of being match-hardened. 

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Bailey looks best No. 6 pick

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THE man who helped launch George Bailey's career believes he is ready for an Ashes baptism after watching the Tasmanian plunder 318 runs in 10 days.

Victorian coach Greg Shipperd says Test selectors can no longer ignore Bailey, who submitted an emphatic claim for Australia's No.6 slot with another dominant display in India.

Currently skippering Australia in the seven-match one-day series, Bailey blasted 98 from 94 balls on Wednesday, his third half-century in four matches after scores of 85, 92 not out and 43.

Bailey is averaging 106 in the series at a strike-rate of 111, figures that have seen his career one-day average rise to 53.04 after 33 matches.

Left-handed duo Shaun Marsh and Usman Khawaja are other contenders but Bailey clearly has the hot hand to clinch a baggy green debut in the first Test against England at the Gabba.

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Shipperd was calling the shots at Tasmania when he spotted a teenage Bailey at a nets session in Launceston. Some 12 years later, having watched Bailey grow into a leader of men, Shipperd urged the national panel to blood the 31-year-old at the Gabba on November 21.

"He's ready for Test cricket," said Shipperd, the former Western Australia and Tasmania batsman who scored 6806 first-class runs at 42.27 from 1977-91.

"Half the battle revolves around your decisions and how confident and comfortable you are in your game.

"At this moment, I wouldn't have thought George could be any more confident with how his game is progressing.

"It is always a challenge at the next level but he's playing as well as Khawaja and Marsh. George is certainly capable of fulfilling a role at No.6 for Australia for some time."

Shipperd says Bailey's first-class average of 38.29 from 96 games with 14 centuries does not do justice to his ability.

He is equally impressed by the qualities that can't be measured: Bailey's attitude, work ethic and temperament.

"George's temperament has always been really sound," Shipperd said. "He is an engaging team player, he understands leadership and he is someone who fits beautifully into a dressing room.

"I was George's first coach many years ago now. I remember him training in Launceston at a centre-wicket practice and as I watched you could see he had oodles of skill and talent.

"He was a bit of a tennis player at that time, his family were heavily involved in tennis, but Tasmania were on the lookout for cricket talent and George jumped out at me. I've watched his career with interest ever since and while he's had to bide his time, he wouldn't let Australia down in the Test arena."

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Scandalous England ready to implode

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ENGLAND'S disastrous build up to the World Cup opener against Australia took another bizarre twist when coach Steve McNamara threatened to walk out of a pre-match media conference over questions relating to star prop James Graham's controversial dumping.

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The Bulldogs player of the year was sensationally left out of England's 19-man squad to take on the Kangaroos but McNamara refused to clarify if that decision had anything to do with a late-night booze session that led to Gareth's Hock's dramatic sacking.

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Offered the chance to end the speculation, McNamara only made the dramas worse when he threatened to walk out on several occasions before finally cutting the media conference short.

"I'm not going to answer any more questions on it," he fired.

"If you want to continue asking the questions we'll wrap it up now, if that's what you want."

Asked if supporters deserved to know the truth, he responded: "Look if you want to carry on with that questions we'll stop now.

"Im here to talk about the game to be honest with you.

"The team that is selected.

"Our concern was our performance last week against Italy and how we rectify it this week against Australia."

He was then asked if questions about Hock's sacking were also off limits?

"Of course it is, boys I've got to go, alright."

And with that he was gone.

Hock said the players went out to drown their sorrows after their shock loss but instead of it bonding them together it appears to have sunk their World Cup dream before the tournament even starts.

All week there has been a guessing game going on here about who else was out on the town with Hock but so far England's team management have refused to reveal the other players involved, although it is understood they have been disciplined.

The decision to leave Graham out of their squad is now the talk of the other nations given he is a former England captain and rightfully rated one of the best props in the world.

Two days before McNamara even named his team there was mail going around that Graham was going to be left out of the side _ but even when it eventually did happen it still came as a massive shock.

Wigan's talented hooker Micael McIlorum was also controversially omitted and the Australians won't mind that either given Tim Sheens rates McIlorum highly.

Hock was outraged during the week that he was only player sacked and revealed several other players were also on the drink after the embarrassing one-point loss to Italy.

"I agree it was wrong and we should not have had a drink, but there were six or seven of us and we all did the same," Hock said.

"I just do not agree with the way he has gone about it, the way it has been done.

"I think it is out of order really. I am gutted because I was really looking forward to playing in the World Cup. it is a massive shock and it is embarrassing as well.

"I hold my hands up and say I had a drink _ but so did the others."

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Kent on Saturday

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HOURS after learning he had done $500,000 cold Jeff Fenech found a little sunshine in his day.

Fenech caught up with former WBC champion Samart Payakaroon in Sydney, who was WBC champion until the night Fenech knocked him out in the fourth to take his title 26 years ago.

Payakaroon famously bet his entire purse he would beat Fenech, and when he was stopped he returned to Thailand to become a monk.

"We were just taking, throwing a few punches at each other, it was great," said Fenech, who's idea of a good time differs from others.

"Let me tell you, it's a hell of a lot easier talking to them when you've knocked them out than when they've knocked you out.

"He was saying he had to lose 10kg the day of the fight and I told him I had to lose 11kg.

"It was all good fun."

Being a monk finally wore off, and the only time Fenech has seen him since their 1987 fight was at a wedding in Thailand. Payakaroon was the wedding singer.

The Thai is in Australia to promote the Real Hero Muay Thai Championships at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre tonight at Homebush, which pits an Australian team against a Thai team.

As light as it was, though, Fenech was still seething.

He took an angry call from Mundine's father Tony, asking him to lay off his boy.

Fenech argued it was an argument between him and Mundine the Younger, who he said offered not a whiff of compassion after Fenech had done his money to, essentially, help make the fight happen.

He told this was between him and Anthony, who he said didn't mind speaking to him day after day before the fight, but then shelfed him the moment the fight was cancelled and his money was gone.

"The guy is classless, he's got no class," Fenech said, in case we didn't get it the first time.

He did see some good in the loss, though, saying Mundine's callous disregard for Fenech's loss has revealed the true Mundine.

And he hopes the rest of Australia sees it.

"If I lose $500,000 and it means he will never make another dollar then I'm the happiest person in the world."

For years Mundine has traded on being the bad guy, copying Muhammad Ali's strategy of causing enough outrage that people will to see, as they say in the B-grade movies, to get his head knocked off.

"If you want to see Anthony Mundine getting beat watch Channel 9 news, it will be on there," Fenech said.

"Why give him another dollar?"

It is long odds a Mundine-Mosley fight will go ahead.

While Mundine and manager Khoder Nasser have vowed to promote the fight themselves, and have all the tools, Mosley's promoters have told sources there is no way he will come back to Australia.

And more significantly, it doesn't appear the fight has the appeal to "buy" Mosley.

Mundine the Younger might realise the tipping point was reached in the insults against Daniel Geale (married to a "white woman"), Arthur Beetson ("Uncle Tom"), Laurie Daley ("Uncle Tom"), Tasmanian Aboriginals ("I thought they were all dead") and refusing the national anthem before the fight.

Before the fight Mundine's camp took hold of $100,000 worth of tickets to sell. The day the fight was canned his camp had sold 10.

***

And another thing. Nobody has bothered to ask why Mundine, who we have been told for years has made far more from boxing than if he had stayed in the NRL, needs to borrow the money from Sonny Bill Williams.

Both Mundine and manager Khoder Nasser confirmed this week they might seek a loan from Williams, noting that it was all part of the brotherhood after Mundine once paid $700,000 to get Williams out of his Canterbury contract.

Why couldn't Mundine fund it himself, unless the money isn't there?

And if it's not, where has it gone?

***

You can't put muscles on a chin. Women weaken legs. Lead with the jab. We wuz robbed. He can run but he can't hide.

The important one, in Blake Ferguson's case, is the first.

Ferguson, an NRL star, was supposed to be the main support to the Mundine-Mosley fight. A tough gig, given the pay-per-view event was going to be his first step inside a ring.

Even tougher given Ferguson is coming off a knockout loss in his last start, an unofficial set to against a Bra Boy, whose name is withheld, while in his recent holiday to Bali.

***

Recently, friend Robyn Sayers walked into the nursing home where 92-year-old Joan is living and asked about the handsome man in the photo.

"Oh, I don't know who that is," Joan said.

Robyn looked at a picture on the wall.

"Who's that?" she asked,.

"Brad Fittler, of course," Joan said. "Oh, he's a beautiful man."

Joan met Fittler 13 years ago. Thanks to her work in the Parramatta community she was one of the last torch bearers in the Olympic relay, before the torch was finally handed to Cathy Freeman.

She passed on her flame to Fittler, although she never really let it go.

She was 79 at the time, and the way Fittler bent and spoke to her, helped her, she was taken.

Anyway, she is growing older her now and, as Tony can tell you, her memory is not always what it should be.

At times like this people start thinking of farewells, and last wishes, and when Robyn looked at the Fittler photo, well ...

"She's a person who's old and she's at the end of her life," she said.

"So I said, 'What would you do if Brad Fittler walked in'?"

Well, she didn't have to think about that.

It took only a phone call for Fittler to say yes, and last week he visited Joan at her nursing home.

Just walked in.

They sat and spoke about the torch relay, and the more they spoke the more the conversation turned into the kinds of conversation we all want to have with people who have lived a little.

"You can have some interesting conversations with people who are old," Fittler said later.

And, for different reasons, they both had a story to tell.

It was nothing more than an afternoon, a full afternoon of conversation, unscripted in the cogs of elite sport these days.

After it was over Joan walked Fittler to reception to help him sign out, then returned to her ward.

There, she leaned on Robyn and cried.

"It was lovely," she said.

***

JAMIE WHINCUP - Red Bull Racing

What's the one rule for racing in the Gold Coast 600?

The one rule is really to try and qualify well and try to stay out of trouble, that's the key.

Where do you find more trouble, the track or other drivers?

From the track generally. There's debris on the circuit, crashes around the corner, all sorts of things.

Those big cement barricades must be intimidating.

There's big tyre walls everywhere. You've got to try and get through the chicanes.

How tough is this circuit, so soon after the Bathurst 1000?

You have a couple of days to recover, but the Gold Coast is chalk and cheese compared to Bathurst. Bathurst is open and flowing, Gold Coast is a tight, rough street track.

So it's an advantage that Red Bull really does give you wings.

Yes! I certainly hope so. There's plenty of big curves so there will be plenty of opportunity to get in the air, but hopefully not too much.

***

A GOOD WEEK FOR

David Warner learned one of the realities of public life this week. In between topping his third century in eight days Warner was pictured, in a feel-good story, enjoying the surf with girlfriend Candice Falzon. Score the runs, and all the bad headlines go away ...

A ROUGH WEEK FOR

If non-racing types questions the loss of Atlantic Jewel to Australian racing, not so long ago Black Caviar was lighting up the track. Sport is increasingly personality driven, and Atlantic Jewel threatened to be all that.

DON'T MISS

Forget about the game, the action at Allianz tonight (Fox Sports 1, 7.30pm) will be in the crowd, as the RBB meet The Cove, across the pitch, head on. Hopefully, as passions rise, nothing flares up. Get it?

HERE'S HOPING

Nobody does a better job at selling their sport than V8 supercar drivers. And they know part of the appeal is that nobody does a better job at stopping a V8 super car than a concrete wall, which just happens to be in abundance at tomorrow's Gold Coast 600.

CHILL PILLS

Wisden's decision to leave Adam Gilchrist out of its 150th anniversary team is a slap for Gilchrist, but he'll handle it the way he always does. No fuss and, if ever given the chance to prove their mistake, a bludgeoning.

ANGRY PILLS

If anybody ever needed further proof that boxing in Australia is dying, and almost unrecoverably, then this week's Mundine-Mosley farce is it. Those saying this circus is good for the sport are the problem themselves.

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Postecoglou's final shot

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OUTGOING Victory coach Ange Postecoglou saved a parting shot for his Roar counterpart Mike Mulvey after the Melbourne side handed Brisbane their first defeat of the A-League season at Etihad Stadium last night.

In Postecoglou's final match in charge of the Victory before he starts his new job as Socceroos coach, the Melbourne outfit beat the Roar 1-0 courtesy of a 56th-minute goal from James Troisi.

It was the first time Postecoglou had scored a win over the Roar since leaving the Brisbane club in April last year after guiding them to successive A-League titles.

And the win was made all the more sweeter following comments Mulvey made in the build-up to the clash.

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The Roar coach had expressed his surprise that Postecoglou coached the Victory last night after being named new Socceroos boss coach on Wednesday, and also had a  dig at the way the Melbourne club had celebrated after earning a last-gasp 2-2 draw in Adelaide eight days ago.

"I was a bit disappointed with the opposition coach's remarks before the game," Postecoglou said.

"They were a little bit disrespectful and unnecessary. I think he's got a good team. I don't think he needs to talk for them.

"It just seems that every time I play Brisbane they want to try to upset me for some reason. Maybe I did something wrong, I'm not really sure.

"But there's no doubt I have a great fondness for the players and the staff who were there when I was there and contributed to the success."

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When told of Postecoglou's anger, Mulvey said he was sorry.

"If that has been taken that way, then I apologise to him. There was certainly no disrespect meant," Mulvey said.

"Overall I thought a draw might have been a fair result, but it wasn't to be. Good luck to Victory and we move on." 

But there was little doubt the Victory deserved their  win, which was secured when attacking weapon Troisi netted from a tight angle after running on to an Archie Thompson pass.

Having outpaced Brisbane skipper Matt Smith, Troisi shot through the legs of Roar goalkeeper Michael Theo - who had needlessly charged off his line – much to the delight of the crowd of 21,693.

Ex-Victory gloveman Theo did better in the ensuing 10 minutes to deny former Roar star Mitch Nichols and Thompson, but the damage had been done.

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Brisbane's loss wasn't the only concern for Mulvey, with impressive midfielder Luke Brattan forced off eight minutes into the second half after coming off second best in a nasty collision with Victory defender Adrian Leijer.

Brattan copped the full brunt of Leijer's  boot just below his knee and will have scans on Monday.

Playmaker Liam Miller is also in doubt for the Roar's clash against Melbourne Heart tomorrow week after suffering a tear to his calf.

It was the second time in two weeks that key Roar players had succumbed to injury, with star striker Besart Berisha a notable absentee in the defeat after being ruled out with the hamstring problem he picked up in Brisbane's 4-0 thrashing of Sydney FC last weekend.

Coach Mulvey sprung a surprise by naming the inexperienced Kwame Yeboah as the injured  Berisha's replacement  in the starting side rather than Brazilian speedster Henrique.

Having played for 65 minutes and scored after coming on for Berisha in the Roar's defeat of  Sydney, Henrique  had been expected to start ahead if  Yeboah, who wasn't even in the match-day squad last weekend.

Yeboah struggled early and was often left isolated in attack as a dominant Victory pinned the Roar in their own half for large periods of the first half.

But for all Victory's territorial advantage early, the had nothing to sure for it thanks to some desperate Roar defending particularly from Jade North, and some ordinary options in the final third of the park.

Former Roar star Mitch Nichols flew high in attempt to get his head to an Adama Traore cross in the 17th minute, but failed to make clean contact with the ball.

The Roar perhaps had the best chance of the opening stanza when fullback Jack Hingert burst into the penalty area in the 43rd minute.

But he directed his shot straight at grateful Melbourne Victory goalkeeper Nathan Coe.

The Victory came out the better in the second half and were rewarded 11 minutes  after the break when Troisi scored his second goal of the season and his first at home.

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Beware the GC walls

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RED Bull Racing star Craig Lowndes has warned "carnage" – the type caused by giant concrete walls – is likely to decide the 2013 V8 Supercar Championship.

As practice for the Gold Coast 600 gets underway today, Lowndes has told The Daily Telegraph he expects the notorious holiday strip to help decide a title race where only 181 points separates the top four drivers.

Currently, fellow Red Bull racer Jamie Whincup leads the championship with Lowndes and Ford Performance Racing duo Mark Winterbottom and Will Davidson right in the mix.

"Coming to the Gold Coast, you always know this is the one track where mistaking a mistake costs you – big," Lowndes said. "Everyone saw the amount of carnage up here last year, it was tough. And there's nothing to suggest it won't be happening again.

"Right now, I'm very mindful of the championship. All the top drivers are. You want to win this race but at the same time there's just no room for error. With those concrete walls going right around the track, it makes things incredibly difficult." Exactly 12 months ago, the Gold Coast track resembled a smash-up derby after not one, but two start line incidents on Saturday wreaked havoc.

In the first, American driver Ricky Taylor launched off another car and rolled along the pit wall, with his ride eventually coming to rest on its roof. All up, six V8s did not make the grid of the restarted race due to damage from the first two attempts.

Asked if the notoriously tough Gold Coast track, complete with its famous triple chicane, could determine the outcome of this year's series Lowndes continued: "Oh, for sure.

"Winning the series now is all about taking risks, calculated risks. So you want to push the car as hard as you can up here.

"But if you cross that line ... you're into a wall and the race, as well as the championship, is over. Any mistake up here can prove so costly mistake." Whincup leads the V8 supercar Championship on 2423 points. Lowndes is next, on 2309 points, followed by reigning Bathurst 1000 champion Winterbottom (2281) and FBR stablemate Davidson (2242).

Asked about Whincup's claim that he couldn't really call his advantage a lead, Lowndes smiled and said: "Any time you're ahead in a series as tough as this one you'll take it ... it makes more a fantastic weekend of races."

Elsewhere, this weekend's Gold Coast 600 will also decide the inaugural Pirtek Enduro Cup, with no less than 12 combinations still in with a mathematical chance of securing the new gong.

Whincup and Paul Dumbrell lead the Championship-within-a-Championship and, having won three of the last six Gold Coast races, the Holden driver starts as short-priced favourite to lift the Cup.

Practice begins this morning, with two 300km races taking place Saturday and Sunday.

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Ange with one last score to settle

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YET to taste a win over Brisbane Roar since deserting them last year, Ange Postecoglou has one last chance to inflict defeat on the club he coached to back-to-back A-League championships.

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The new Australian coach ends his tenure at Melbourne Victory Friday night at Etihad Stadium, and fittingly it's against the Roar, where he forged the reputation that resulted in him being this week named the new Socceroos boss.

Despite his standing, Postecoglou has been unable to get the better of the Roar since defecting to the Victory in April last year.

The Roar and the Victory have met four times since then, including a recent trial, with Brisbane winning two of the matches and the other two finishing in draws.

Of the four matches, Brisbane fans will most fondly remember the 5-0 thrashing the Victory copped at Suncorp Stadium last October.

The Roar could do no wrong that night against a woeful Victory, with Postecoglou having been angered before the match with suggestions his former assistant Rado Vidosic had been the brains behind Brisbane's successive title wins.

"There was already plenty of spice surrounding that match," Brisbane skipper Matt Smith said Thursday.

"None of us wanted him to leave us. But that was 18 months ago and we've definitely moved on."

Smith said regardless of Postecoglou's involvement, the Roar always lifted when they played the Victory, the club regarded as the A-League's biggest.

---

HAVE you checked out the Fox Football Podcast yet?

Episode one was a raging success and the latest addition to Fox Sports' football stable is back for its second edition.

Host Adam Peacock is joined this week by Simon Hill and Brenton Speed in the studio, and on the phone by Daniel Garb from London.

There's no shortage of fodder for the gang to discuss - from the incoming Socceroos' coach, to all things A-League, EPL and El Clasico - and none of our pundits are short of an opinion.

For your mid-week fix of football talk and fun - where else will you hear Simon Hill's Dutch accent - the Fox Football podcast is your place to go.

You can check it out here at the iTunes store, subscribe, and share your rating!

And if you're an Android user, you can find the pod on the iPP Podcast Player app.

---

However, the central defender said he would like nothing more than to end Postecoglou's Victory reign with defeat Friday night.

"There's nothing more sure of us wanting to beat the Victory, and there's nothing more sure that Ange would finally like to beat us, particularly as it's his last game before the takes charge of the Socceroos," Smith said.

Both teams are unbeaten this season going into Friday night's clash, but the Roar are far healthier with two wins from as many matches and the Victory having to settle for draws in the opening two weeks of the season.

Brisbane coach Mike Mulvey couldn't resist having a dig at the Melbourne club, particularly at the way the Victory and Postecoglou celebrated their 2-2 draw with Adelaide United last Friday night.

"I'll tell you why it's big for them - they haven't got a win on the board yet," said Mulvey in dismissing the significance of Friday night being Postecoglou's last game in charge of the Victory.

"They've played two games and they've drawn two games. There were scenes of delirium last week when they got one point."

Mulvey said he was shocked that Postecoglou would be in charge of the Victory tonight after being officially appointed Socceroos coach on Wednesday.

"I'm quite amazed that he's actually coaching this game against us, because I thought he's already got another job," Mulvey said ahead of the clash at Etihad Stadium.

"If you're holding one job, I find it difficult to understand that you can do two jobs at once.

"From outside it appears there's a degree of uncertainly (at the Victory) at the moment.

"(But) as far as Melbourne Victory is concerned, it doesn't bother me in the least because I've got a job to do here."

Mulvey said Friday night's clash was "just another game" and claimed he and his players had divorced themselves from any of the hype surrounding Postecoglou.

"They (the Roar players) also recognise that the past is the past, and you've got to go and write history, you don't go and read about it," he said.

"I don't really care about the opposition."

Brazilian speedster Henrique, who scored after coming on as a substitute in last Saturday's 4-0 thrashing of Sydney FC, is set to start in the absence of injured striker Besart Berisha.  

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Ennis the menace

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SYDNEY Kings coach Shane Heal says it will take team defence, not a solo effort, to contain Wildcats star import James Ennis when they host Perth at the Entertainment Centre on Sunday.

Traded by NBA champions the Miami Heat, Ennis has drawn comparisons to some of the NBL's most athletic stars after some eye-catching dunks in his opening matches.

The 23-year-old was the difference between the teams when the Kings were overrun by the Wildcats in the closing minutes of last Friday night's clash in Perth (81-69).

"He's one of the most talented players to come to the country in the last 10 years," Heal told the Daily Telegraph.

"Fans will want to come and watch him.

"As far as talent goes, he was drafted in the second round (NBA draft), he's young and athletic and he's a great scorer.

"He needs to prove himself over a season before we start drawing any comparisons to other players, specifically."

Ennis led all scorers with 27 points, including a perfect nine from nine from the foul line in last week's win over the Kings.

But Heal and his players have gone to school on the American and will come up with something different defensively.

"We won't play him the way we played him last Friday night we will make adjustments," Heal said.

"We will certainly put enough pressure on him to see if he can handle the adjustments.

While the margin was comfortable for Perth in the end the Kings have drawn confidence from the fact they were able to go with the championship favourites deep into the match.

"We believe we can beat Perth," Heal said.

"In a tough environment we were 62-62 with four and half minutes to go and then we broke down in certain areas.

"We take confidence out of that game more than anything else."

An upset win against the Wildcats who are coming off a busy schedule having played the Breakers in New Zealand last night would be a massive result for Heal's men, who are sure to finish the season stronger than they started.

"If we could beat a team like Perth at home in a tough first three games then I think it gives us even more confidence to know we're on the right track and can beat anyone in the league," Heal said.

"I feel like there's a whole lot of upside and I don't think our guys should play with a whole lot of pressure because anyone outside our team thinks we aren't going to win anyway.

"We should feel really loose, we should feel really confident and we'll play aggressive to be able to get the win.

"We will be a lot better in the second half of the year than the first just because of our injury problems and Cody Ellis coming in."

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Laver honoured

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AT 75, Rod Laver is officially back in business doing what he can to help Australian tennis.

The greatest player ever _ in the opinion of many who are qualified to make such a lofty call, including Roger Federer _ was appointed the Australian Open's first global ambassador yesterday.

Yes, such a title is not so much a job description as a mark of respect and gratitude for all that he has already done over a long lifetime in the game _ a "mere formality", Tennis Australia president Steve Healy said.

But Healy said there was a reason for doing it. "The qualities Rod Laver personifies _ excellence, fair play, spirit, fun, and most outstandingly humility _ are the very qualities the Australian Open strives to emulate." By that, read Australian tennis full stop.

This was happening at _ naturally _ Rod Laver Arena where his autobiography, Rod Laver _ A Memoir, was formally launched even though it is already in its second print run, testimony to the enduring popularity of the Rockhampton Rocket even though he hasn't lived in Australia for decades.

Laver may not _ quite _ qualify as Australia's greatest-ever sportsman, a status unlikely to be lost by legendary cricketer Sir Donald Bradman any time soon, but it is doubtful anyone else has managed to so completely combine stupendous achievement with such a liberal supply of the bloody-good-bloke factor.

To some extent that is a compliment to tennis itself, or at least the way it used to be. As happy as he is entitled to be about his two Grand Slams and countless other glories, Laver says he is even prouder that he can still, 40 years later, count his opponents as his best mates.

"It's a sport of friendships _ you fought hard on the court and whoever won had to buy the beer," he said.

"You did it just because you enjoyed it and you wanted to play for your country."

That's not to suggest he is not also happy to have played a major role in making the sport fully professional. He is, very much so. But that wasn't what TA was honouring. It was his attitudes and examples.

With that in mind, he was asked to critique the Australian team's problem prodigy Bernard Tomic, who was reported yesterday to have retired midway through an important match with a headache the day after his 21st birthday.

Laver sympathises with him, but only up to a point.

vI thought he played some great tennis at Wimbledon this year. He's very, very capable. But he has a different game and that's why some people feel he's not playing up to his best standard," he said.

"That's the way he plays so people shouldn't get too critical if he plays a drop shot and misses. Some things don't pan out but he's putting opponents off with the way he plays so I hope he doesn't give that up."

But Laver also worries about the negatives. "I know there have been some down times that when he looks back in five or 10 years time he may be disappointed with himself," he said.

In his day, he said, if you didn't behave properly legendary Davis Cup captain Harry Hopman wouldn't have a bar of you and senior players such as Neale Fraser, Frank Sedgman and Ken McGregor would say "that attitude is not what we want in tennis and you're representing all of us on court, so heave to."

Here's hoping someone buys young Bernie a copy of the book for Christmas.
 

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Ponting hits out at CA

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RICKY Ponting has intensified the pressure on Cricket Australia, claiming he was angry when attempts to try and keep the team No. 1 were often ignored.

"It made me angry at the time," Ponting said after the launch of his candid autobiography "At the Close of Play" by former Prime Minister John Howard in Sydney yesterday.

"I think some of the stuff we're seeing now might have been half avoidable and I'm pretty sure Buck (former coach John Buchanan) would be saying the same thing about where we find Australian cricket now.

"Maybe if some ears had been opened at an earlier time … it wouldn't have got to the point where we even needed an Argus review.

"We might have had things in place better than what we had right now."

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The former captain's revelations came as sacked coached Mickey Arthur claimed chief executive James Sutherland, high performance manager Pat Howard and captain Michael Clarke would be under pressure if Australia lost a fourth successive Ashes series.

"There are some serious players in Cricket Australia under a lot of pressure around this Test series," Arthur told Fairfax Radio.

"If they lose this Test series there is going to be a lot of questions asked.

"I think James Sutherland, I think Pat Howard, I think Michael Clarke . . . I think some serious heads could roll if Australia don't win this Test series."

Ponting simply said that everyone is defined by results.

In his book Ponting admits to being stunned when told by Sutherland: "no one ever spends money when they are going well."

This was after Ponting and Buchanan had spent years making quarterly reports to the board.

"Whenever we had things that we thought would improve the team we took them straight to the board," Ponting said yesterday.

"History suggests they listed to some of those things, they made some changes around the team, but once again I think there could have been more done back then.

"If you look at the cold hard facts of it, we employed a bowling coach in 2006 after the 2005 Ashes loss and we didn't have a batting coach until 2010, when we lost the 2009 Ashes.

"I don't know why. I can't work that out. Why on earth would you have a specialist bowling coach but not batting coach when you've only got four bowlers and seven batters.

"Everyone is trying hard. Everyone wants success for the Australian team but it's not going to be a quick fix, it's not going to be an overnight thing, which is why the real foresight had to be there a long time ago.

"When we were on top of the world we had to be looking at how we were going to get further and further and further away, not just expect that we would stay number one."

"It made me angry at the time," Ponting said after the launch of his candid autobiography "At the Close of Play" by former Prime Minister John Howard in Sydney yesterday.

"I think some of the stuff we're seeing now might have been half avoidable and I'm pretty sure Buck (former coach John Buchanan) would be saying the same thing about where we find Australian cricket now.

"Maybe if some ears had been opened at an earlier time … it wouldn't have got to the point where we even needed an Argus review.

"We might have had things in place better than what we had right now."

The former captain's revelations came as sacked coached Mickey Arthur claimed chief executive James Sutherland, high performance manager Pat Howard and captain Michael Clarke would be under pressure if Australia lost a fourth successive Ashes series.

"There are some serious players in Cricket Australia under a lot of pressure around this Test series," Arthur told Fairfax Radio.

"If they lose this Test series there is going to be a lot of questions asked.

"I think James Sutherland, I think Pat Howard, I think Michael Clarke . . . I think some serious heads could roll if Australia don't win this Test series."

Ponting simply said that everyone is defined by results.

In his book Ponting admits to being stunned when told by Sutherland: "no one ever spends money when they are going well."

This was after Ponting and Buchanan had spent years making quarterly reports to the board.

"Whenever we had things that we thought would improve the team we took them straight to the board," Ponting said yesterday.

"History suggests they listed to some of those things, they made some changes around the team, but once again I think there could have been more done back then.

"If you look at the cold hard facts of it, we employed a bowling coach in 2006 after the 2005 Ashes loss and we didn't have a batting coach until 2010, when we lost the 2009 Ashes.

"I don't know why. I can't work that out. Why on earth would you have a specialist bowling coach but not batting coach when you've only got four bowlers and seven batters.

"Everyone is trying hard. Everyone wants success for the Australian team but it's not going to be a quick fix, it's not going to be an overnight thing, which is why the real foresight had to be there a long time ago.

"It made me angry at the time," Ponting said after the launch of his candid autobiography "At the Close of Play" by former Prime Minister John Howard in Sydney yesterday.

"I think some of the stuff we're seeing now might have been half avoidable and I'm pretty sure Buck (former coach John Buchanan) would be saying the same thing about where we find Australian cricket now.

"Maybe if some ears had been opened at an earlier time … it wouldn't have got to the point where we even needed an Argus review.

"We might have had things in place better than what we had right now."

The former captain's revelations came as sacked coached Mickey Arthur claimed chief executive James Sutherland, high performance manager Pat Howard and captain Michael Clarke would be under pressure if Australia lost a fourth successive Ashes series.

"There are some serious players in Cricket Australia under a lot of pressure around this Test series," Arthur told Fairfax Radio.

"If they lose this Test series there is going to be a lot of questions asked.

"I think James Sutherland, I think Pat Howard, I think Michael Clarke . . . I think some serious heads could roll if Australia don't win this Test series."

Ponting simply said that everyone is defined by results.

In his book Ponting admits to being stunned when told by Sutherland: "no one ever spends money when they are going well."

This was after Ponting and Buchanan had spent years making quarterly reports to the board.

"Whenever we had things that we thought would improve the team we took them straight to the board," Ponting said yesterday.

"History suggests they listed to some of those things, they made some changes around the team, but once again I think there could have been more done back then.

"If you look at the cold hard facts of it, we employed a bowling coach in 2006 after the 2005 Ashes loss and we didn't have a batting coach until 2010, when we lost the 2009 Ashes.

"I don't know why. I can't work that out. Why on earth would you have a specialist bowling coach but not batting coach when you've only got four bowlers and seven batters.

"Everyone is trying hard. Everyone wants success for the Australian team but it's not going to be a quick fix, it's not going to be an overnight thing, which is why the real foresight had to be there a long time ago.

"It made me angry at the time," Ponting said after the launch of his candid autobiography "At the Close of Play" by former Prime Minister John Howard in Sydney yesterday.

"I think some of the stuff we're seeing now might have been half avoidable and I'm pretty sure Buck (former coach John Buchanan) would be saying the same thing about where we find Australian cricket now.

"Maybe if some ears had been opened at an earlier time … it wouldn't have got to the point where we even needed an Argus review.

"We might have had things in place better than what we had right now."

The former captain's revelations came as sacked coached Mickey Arthur claimed chief executive James Sutherland, high performance manager Pat Howard and captain Michael Clarke would be under pressure if Australia lost a fourth successive Ashes series.

"There are some serious players in Cricket Australia under a lot of pressure around this Test series," Arthur told Fairfax Radio.

"If they lose this Test series there is going to be a lot of questions asked.

"I think James Sutherland, I think Pat Howard, I think Michael Clarke . . . I think some serious heads could roll if Australia don't win this Test series."

Ponting simply said that everyone is defined by results.

In his book Ponting admits to being stunned when told by Sutherland: "no one ever spends money when they are going well."

This was after Ponting and Buchanan had spent years making quarterly reports to the board.

"Whenever we had things that we thought would improve the team we took them straight to the board," Ponting said yesterday.

"History suggests they listed to some of those things, they made some changes around the team, but once again I think there could have been more done back then.

"If you look at the cold hard facts of it, we employed a bowling coach in 2006 after the 2005 Ashes loss and we didn't have a batting coach until 2010, when we lost the 2009 Ashes.

"I don't know why. I can't work that out. Why on earth would you have a specialist bowling coach but not batting coach when you've only got four bowlers and seven batters.

"Everyone is trying hard. Everyone wants success for the Australian team but it's not going to be a quick fix, it's not going to be an overnight thing, which is why the real foresight had to be there a long time ago.

"It made me angry at the time," Ponting said after the launch of his candid autobiography "At the Close of Play" by former Prime Minister John Howard in Sydney yesterday.

"I think some of the stuff we're seeing now might have been half avoidable and I'm pretty sure Buck (former coach John Buchanan) would be saying the same thing about where we find Australian cricket now.

"Maybe if some ears had been opened at an earlier time … it wouldn't have got to the point where we even needed an Argus review.

"We might have had things in place better than what we had right now."

The former captain's revelations came as sacked coached Mickey Arthur claimed chief executive James Sutherland, high performance manager Pat Howard and captain Michael Clarke would be under pressure if Australia lost a fourth successive Ashes series.

"There are some serious players in Cricket Australia under a lot of pressure around this Test series," Arthur told Fairfax Radio.

"If they lose this Test series there is going to be a lot of questions asked.

"I think James Sutherland, I think Pat Howard, I think Michael Clarke . . . I think some serious heads could roll if Australia don't win this Test series."

Ponting simply said that everyone is defined by results.

In his book Ponting admits to being stunned when told by Sutherland: "no one ever spends money when they are going well."

This was after Ponting and Buchanan had spent years making quarterly reports to the board.

"Whenever we had things that we thought would improve the team we took them straight to the board," Ponting said yesterday.

"History suggests they listed to some of those things, they made some changes around the team, but once again I think there could have been more done back then.

"If you look at the cold hard facts of it, we employed a bowling coach in 2006 after the 2005 Ashes loss and we didn't have a batting coach until 2010, when we lost the 2009 Ashes.

"I don't know why. I can't work that out. Why on earth would you have a specialist bowling coach but not batting coach when you've only got four bowlers and seven batters.

"Everyone is trying hard. Everyone wants success for the Australian team but it's not going to be a quick fix, it's not going to be an overnight thing, which is why the real foresight had to be there a long time ago.

"It made me angry at the time," Ponting said after the launch of his candid autobiography "At the Close of Play" by former Prime Minister John Howard in Sydney yesterday.

"I think some of the stuff we're seeing now might have been half avoidable and I'm pretty sure Buck (former coach John Buchanan) would be saying the same thing about where we find Australian cricket now.

"Maybe if some ears had been opened at an earlier time … it wouldn't have got to the point where we even needed an Argus review.

"We might have had things in place better than what we had right now."

The former captain's revelations came as sacked coached Mickey Arthur claimed chief executive James Sutherland, high performance manager Pat Howard and captain Michael Clarke would be under pressure if Australia lost a fourth successive Ashes series.

"There are some serious players in Cricket Australia under a lot of pressure around this Test series," Arthur told Fairfax Radio.

"If they lose this Test series there is going to be a lot of questions asked.

"I think James Sutherland, I think Pat Howard, I think Michael Clarke . . . I think some serious heads could roll if Australia don't win this Test series."

Ponting simply said that everyone is defined by results.

In his book Ponting admits to being stunned when told by Sutherland: "no one ever spends money when they are going well."

This was after Ponting and Buchanan had spent years making quarterly reports to the board.

"Whenever we had things that we thought would improve the team we took them straight to the board," Ponting said yesterday.

"History suggests they listed to some of those things, they made some changes around the team, but once again I think there could have been more done back then.

"If you look at the cold hard facts of it, we employed a bowling coach in 2006 after the 2005 Ashes loss and we didn't have a batting coach until 2010, when we lost the 2009 Ashes.

"I don't know why. I can't work that out. Why on earth would you have a specialist bowling coach but not batting coach when you've only got four bowlers and seven batters.

"Everyone is trying hard. Everyone wants success for the Australian team but it's not going to be a quick fix, it's not going to be an overnight thing, which is why the real foresight had to be there a long time ago.

"When we were on top of the world we had to be looking at how we were going to get further and further and further away, not just expect that we would stay number one."

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Ange's journey: from Epping to Rio

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EPPING Soccer Stadium is a world away from Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium in every sense but this is where Ange Postecoglou took the first modest steps in relaunching a stumbling career.

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Deemed damaged goods and having failed in a series of A-League job interviews, Postecoglou accepted a job with the bottom club in the Victorian Premier League.

He may have changed the culture at Whittlesea Stallions but he couldn't stop their descent as they finished bottom and were relegated to the state's second tier.

His damaged reputation stemmed from another disappointing showing with an Australian youth team that led to an infamous slanging match with SBS analyst Craig Foster.

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But Postecoglou used every opportunity during his seven-year spell with the Joeys and Young Socceroos to educate himself by travelling to Arsenal, France's famed Clairefontaine academy and Argentina's national headquarters.

Putting it into practice with a decreasing standard of Australian youth players was more challenging but only with the benefit of hindsight have people appreciated Postecoglou's challenge.

Postecoglou yesterday described this period as his "PhD in coaching", but those close to him say it was always in his DNA.

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SOUTH MELBOURNE SCHOOLING

Postecoglou, age five, migrated to Australia from Greece with his parents and elder sister and it wasn't long before he joined South Melbourne's youth ranks.

It was the start of a 25-year association with the club which he captained while representing the Socceroos on four occasions and eventually coached to two NSL titles.

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Ironically it was in Brazil that Postecoglou got his first taste of international soccer when he led South Melbourne to the FIFA Club World Championships against Manchester United in 2000, which preceded his stint with Australia's national youth teams.

Mike Petersen has known Postecoglou since their junior days and developed a close friendship during their days as South Melbourne and Socceroos teammates.

Many would regard Postecoglou as an associate but Petersen is one of the few who can genuinely regard him as a friend - current Victory football manager Paul Trimboli is another - and he said that is because he has dedicated his life to the round-ball.

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"It was clear from a young age he had leadership qualities, he was captain of South Melbourne from 21," Petersen said.

"A knee injury ended his career prematurely at 28 so he turned straight to coaching. I believe he still would've been a coach but certain motivations came into play when he had to retire, so maybe felt there was unfinished business.

"He was always a student of the game and I'm delighted for him because football is his life and Australian football will benefit immensely."

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SMARTER THAN THE AVERAGE PLAYER

While many of his teammates lapped up the fame that came with playing in the national league, Postecoglou was never a regular on the disco circuit.

A sports nut who followed Carlton and loved cricket from a young age, Postecoglou juggled an impressive domestic soccer career with university and part-time work and sold pension funds in his early 20s

"He was never one to go out, he was grooming himself for this at 20," Petersen said.

"We were going out to nightclubs and letting off a bit of steam, but he never did. He would go to the movies or go for dinner but he was always good company.

"He was always quiet and unassuming but he has a wicked sense of humour when he wants to involve himself and he comes out with some classic one liners."

Brisbane Roar and Victory players can attest to Postecoglou's ruthless streak and this is not something he's developed recently.

Having taken the South Melbourne job age 31 after a brief stint with state league club Western Suburbs, one of his first big calls was to tell Petersen his career was over.

"He tapped me on the shoulder and retired me. It was an emotional time because I thought I still had something to offer and we were mates," he said.

"But he was candid, honest and I appreciated that. It showed he took the job seriously and made decisions in the best interests of the club."

SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS

Postecoglou's career may have taken a different path had he got the Socceroos job in 1999 when he was one of four candidates interviewed - Frank Farina got it.

---

HAVE you checked out the Fox Football Podcast yet?

Episode one was a raging success and the latest addition to Fox Sports' football stable is back for its second edition.

Host Adam Peacock is joined this week by Simon Hill and Brenton Speed in the studio, and on the phone by Daniel Garb from London.

There's no shortage of fodder for the gang to discuss - from the incoming Socceroos' coach, to all things A-League, EPL and El Clasico - and none of our pundits are short of an opinion.

For your mid-week fix of football talk and fun - where else will you hear Simon Hill's Dutch accent - the Fox Football podcast is your place to go.

You can check it out here at the iTunes store, subscribe, and share your rating!

And if you're an Android user, you can find the pod on the iPP Podcast Player app.

---

Friday: Melbourne Victory v Brisbane, Fox Sports 1 HD, 7.30pm(EDT)

Saturday: Central Coast v Adelaide, 5.30pm; Sydney v Western Sydney, 7.30pm, FS1HD

Sunday: Wellington v Newcastle, 3pm, Perth v Melbourne Heart, 5pm, FS1HD

Kick Off on Friday night, 6.30, with special guest Michael Cockerill. 

Shootout on Sunday night, 7pm, with Craig Moore and Tony Popovic.

 

Sunday: El Clasico, Barcelona v Real Madrid, 2.55am, FS2HD

Monday: Atletico Madrid v Real Betis, 6.55am, FS3HD 

Saturday night: Crystal Palace v Arsenal, 10.30pm, FS1HD

Manchester United v Stoke, 12.50am, FS1 HD

Viewers' Choice: Norwich v Cardiff; Liverpool v West Bromwich Albion, Aston Villa v Everton. 

Southampton v Fulham, 3.30am, FS1HD

Sunday night/Monday morning: Sunderland v Newcastle, 12.30am, FS1HD 

Chelsea v Manchester City, 2.50am, FS1HD

Tottenham v Hull, 2.50am, FS2HD

Swansea v West Ham United, 2.50am, FS3HD

"At the age of 35 I was praying they didn't give it to me because it was such an enormous task," Postecoglou said.

"I ended up getting the Young Socceroos job and what that did help me to do was, I was there with Frank Farina in the early days and I just saw how tough it was for him and you learn from that.

"You learn about how to deal with things at that level and that with the limited amount of time you have got it's really important that you use it very effectively and the best way to do that is to make sure you have your own people with you, like-minded people."

Another great learning experience came in the unfashionable Greek third division, a career he was forced to pursue when he couldn't get a job in Australia.

He joined Panachaiki in 2008 and was on the verge of securing promotion before quitting due to boardroom politics.

"I was seen as an Aussie and Australian football wasn't greatly respected there at the time. It was a great experience and it gave me my confidence in coaching, we got battered a bit and it makes you question yourself a bit," Postecoglou said.

"Then we turned it around, the passion was amazing. When we won we'd be chair-lifted out of the ground, lose and we were escorted out. The coaches cop so much criticism there that it taught me to be not too sensitive.

"It gave me my confidence again and we did really well, we were second. I thought if it worked here, it gave me the confidence to go home and do it there."

Unable to land a job when he returned to Australia he was thrown a lifeline by Fox Sports and, impressed by his punditry, he became a regular.

His insight and intellect didn't go unnoticed and 10 years after missing out on the Socceroos job to Farina, he replaced him at Brisbane Roar after he was sacked following a drink driving offence.

Despite his three-year struggle to land a job in Australia, experience had taught him something - his non-negotiable was that he had to have final say on football department matters.

Roar accepted but Craig Moore, immensely popular with the players and a Socceroo at the time, delivered the board an Ange or me ultimatum after seeing teammates Charlie Miller and Liam Reddy offloaded.

The board backed Postecoglou and Moore was gone, with Danny Tiatto soon departing, offering several parting shots in the process.

"It wasn't part of the plan to get rid of senior players, but learning from my Australian youth team, if I didn't do things my way I'd fail," Postecoglou said.

The rest is history and he replicated the revamp at Melbourne Victory but 18 months in the making, the national team has come calling and he faces a similar challenge.

"I believe that Ange's finest hour is yet to be written and Australian football should be excited," Petersen said.  

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Holder closing in on return

Chris Holder (left) after finishing runner-up to Russia's Emil Sayfutdinov. Source: ADAM IHSE / AP

FORMER World Speedway Champion Chris Holder is intent on regaining his title and is heading back to Sydney to prepare for next year's challenge.

Holder, 26, has not ridden a bike since his title defence was dramatically rail-roaded when he was seriously injured in a shocking crash in England while riding for his Poole Pirates club in a team match against Coventry last July.

Holder received a fractured and dislocated left hip, broken pelvis, shattered right heel and broken left shoulder. Doctors told him he would be sidelined for at least six months or longer. But Holder wants to return to the track by no later than Christmas and is determined to be race fit in time for the opening round of next year's championship at Auckland's Western Springs Speedway in early April.

He has already set three consecutive nights of racing for his comeback at Kurri Speedway (December 26, 28) and Gosford Speedway (December 27) and will also contest the Australian title rounds in January.

He only recently started walking again and has undertaken a rigorous training program to hasten his recovery.

"I want to get back to Sydney and the warmer weather to help my rehabilitation because if I am any chance of regaining my world title, I have to ride in as many meetings before the start of the championship. I want to get back on a speedway bike as soon as possible," Holder said.

"I have a physio who is helping me. I get on an exercise bike to keep my legs moving and I pedal for a couple of hours every day. I am also working at getting movement back into my heel.

"After being off my feet for three months, I look at every day as a step closer toward returning to racing."

Holder was a sensational winner of the 2012 World Championship when he clinched victory at Torun, Poland, in the very last round of the year-long Grand Prix series.

Holder became only the fifth Australian rider to win the senior world championship since its inception in 1936.
 

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Sugar set to again snub Mundine

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SUGAR Shane Mosley is long odds to return Down Under and face Anthony Mundine — with the Future Hall of Famer linked to a Las Vegas Showtime spot within hours of touching back down in the United States.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal Golden Boy Promotions, who manage the ageing American star, have told Australian sources Mosley will not be back before Christmas, regardless of a potential $1 million purse offer from Team Mundine.

The decision would be a huge blow for the outspoken Sydney boxer who, desperate for one more crack at the US market, is pushing to promote his own fight with Mosley in Brisbane on December 4, with an undercard including Wallaby Quade Cooper and NSW Origin reject Blake Ferguson.

Yet after arriving back in Los Angeles early yesterday, Mosley was immediately being talked up for a fight with Golden Boy stablemate Victor Ortiz, whose own December 14 fight fell over early Tuesday — around the same time Mosley jetted out of Sydney.

A spokesperson for Team Mosley said his charge was "definitely interested" in the Ortiz offer if financial terms could be worked out.

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It means Team Mundine, once again being overseen by Khoder Nasser, will need to broker an offer upwards of $1.5 million to sway the runaway American back to Australia.

Such a figure would require the fight selling 80,000 Pay-Per-Views and at least 6000 seats. However, The Daily Telegraph has been told, as of Tuesday morning, the same Sydney fight had only sold 1500 tickets and 1000 buys with broadcaster Main Event.

Which is why, increasingly, Mosley looks set to remain Stateside — with an Ortiz bout the early favourite.

Sidelined for 18 months with a broken jaw, the American southpaw was scheduled to make his long-awaited comeback against Carlos Molina, the IBF junior middleweight champ. However the notoriously strict IBF officials refused to sanction the fight, citing the time Ortiz had spent out of the ring coupled with the fact he has been stopped in his past two fights.

Which leaves a gaping hole on a card desperate for star power.

Enter Mosley, for whom the bout makes more sense than a Mundine fight, if not as many dollars.

Slated as the co-feature to a world title bout between welterweights Adrien Broner and Marcos Maidana, the event not only thrusts the 42-year-old back onto Showtime, but into a contest where success puts him within reach of superstar opponents.

Only last month Mosley told New Ltd how he initially rejected a $200,000 for the Ortiz fight, eventually accepting five times that amount to face Mundine at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

Elsewhere, rumours continue to circulate about why Mosley fled the country just over 24 hours before his bout with Mundine. After touching down in Los Angeles yesterday, Mosley bizarrely suggested he feared Australian boxing great Jeff Fenech, who threw $500,000 behind the bout, may have attempted to sway the judges.

It follows claims by promoter Vlad Warton that Mosley possibly suffered a "nervous breakdown". Despite claims he wasn't paid as per the contract, Warton insists he had the $700,000 available — guaranteed by host broadcaster Main Event — which was set aside in a bank account, to be accessed after the bout had taken place.

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SBW the key to resurrecting fight

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ANTHONY Mundine will turn to his "brother", NRL superstar Sonny Bill Williams, to bankroll a rescheduled fight with Shane Mosley in Sydney in December.

Mundine needs to find $1 million to convince Mosley to return after the US legend fled the country yesterday because of the failure of promoter Vlad Warton to produce a pre-fight $650,000 payment. 

A devastated Mundine said he would turn to Sonny Bill for assistance.

Five years ago when SBW was in a similar position, Mundine gave the Roosters champion $750,000 from his personal bank account to help get him out of his contract at the Canterbury Bulldogs. 

The money was repaid in full. 

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"I'll check out Sonny for sure," Mundine said when asked how he will raise the money.

"We're brothers. He'll be there for me like I was there for him.

"We'll talk to Mosley's camp and see what they want,  whether it's a bank guarantee, cash, a cheque or whatever.

"We'll get the money and we'll deliver the fight."

There was talk last night that SBW might even fight on the Mundine-Mosley undercard as part of the promotion.

Mundine's adviser Khoder Nasser confirmed SBW would be happy to help out.

Before Mosley left the country yesterday, Mundine's camp was close to raising the money. 

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"It's just a brotherly thing," Nasser said.

"He (SBW) wouldn't have had a problem. A few of our friends would have dug deep.

"We will do all we can to try to bring this promotion back to life.

"We're already in talks with Golden Boy promotions.

"Anthony is devastated because he has waited all his career to fight someone of Mosley's stature." 

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Kiwi scores boom Cup ride

McDonald will pilot Voleuse De Coeurs in the Melbourne Cup. Source: Getty Images

KIWI jockey James McDonald has clinched the prized Melbourne Cup ride on Voleuse De Coeurs.

McDonald was booked after discussions between trainer Mike Moroney and the Irish St Leger winner's new owners.

Moroney travelled to Werribee on Tuesday to watch the mare work and was pleased with the five-year-old's progress.

Moroney said Voleuse De Coeurs "scrambled" when being unloaded at Melbourne Airport on Saturday but had flourished since.

"She'll eat as much as you can give her," he said.

"When we take her out for a pick, she's like a lawnmower - she's got her head down the whole time."

An estimated $1.8 million purchase from Dermot Weld's stable, Voleuse De Coeurs is a $15 chance with TAB.

Frenchman Olivier Doleuze was initially considered for Voleuse De Coeurs before McDonald's appointment was confirmed on Racing Network.

Overshadowed by Breakfast with the Best at Moonee Valley, Europe and British gallopers delivered a timely reminder of awesome firepower at Werribee.

Red Cadeaux, denied two years ago in the tightest Melbourne Cup finish in history, worked stylishly at Werribee on Tuesday only three days after flying in from England.

And, emphasising the seemingly bottomless depth of the international brigade, Ed Dunlop's veteran was joined by Melbourne Cup nemesis (and Caulfield Cup winner) Dunaden and a string of other quality gallopers.

Caulfield Cup runner-up Dandino, Voleuse De Coeurs, Verema, Emirates Stakes hopeful Stipulate and Manikato Stakes second favourite Lucky Nine all worked lightly.

Herbert Power Stakes placegetter Simenon impressed in the drizzle as Forgotten Voice completed his preparations for Wednesday's Geelong Cup.

The nine-year-old needs to win in the hope of earning a weight penalty for the Emirates Melbourne Cup.

With the arrival of Verema and Tres Blues, among others, there will be 12 Cup contenders at Werribee.

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Sugar's 'nervous breakdown'

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EMBATTLED boxing promoter Vlad Warton has accused Shane Mosley of having "a nervous breakdown", revealing he refused to pay the US great his $1 million purse in advance after fearing he was set to flee the country anyway.

Speaking with The Daily Telegraph last night, Warton said he was concerned by demands from Team Mosley in the early hours of Monday morning that the entire fight purse be wired into an oversees bank account. 

He likened the negotiations between himself and associates of the Future Hall of Famer to "being held hostage".

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"I wasn't going to be extorted,'' Warton said. "To wire that much money into an overseas account, before the fight even takes place, it's unheard of. 

"They were trying to hold me hostage and that's just not right. Who gets paid before they do a job? 

"I started to get suspicious and had real concerns that if the money was put into Mosley's bank account, there was nothing stopping them from leaving the country."

Admitting he has barely slept in a week, the man who once oversaw the career of Aussie favourite Kostya Tszyu said he also questioned whether Mosley, knowing his career was again on the line, became spooked at the thought of a loss. 

"I don't want to say too much and upset people,'' the Australian promoter now based out of Los Angeles continued. "But maybe Shane was having, I don't know, maybe there was a nervous breakdown on his part. 

"I'm still a fan of Shane Mosley and everything he has achieved in boxing. I bent over backwards to bring him to Australia for this fight and I'm extremely disappointed it didn't happen." 

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Organising the fight between Golden Boy promotions, Team Mosley assistants and Mosley's personal lawyer, Warton said the fight was still going ahead as late as 4am yesterday morning - when a demand was again made for the full purse.

"By the time I reached them again it was 7am,'' Warton says. "I was ready to discuss further payment and they said: 'Oh, Shane left for the airport at 5am. 

"But who knows? It takes 15 minutes to get to the airport from The Star. They flew out at 11am. I have no idea why they would've left that early and I haven't been able to contact them since. But that's life." 

Warton said he would spend a few weeks in Australia before returning to LA.

"I have a few TV shows coming up,'' he said. "But that's boxing, isn't it?" 

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Who will win the John Eales Medal?

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A VETERAN, a rising star and a rugby rookie lead the charge for this year's John Eales Medal. We crunch the numbers so you can make an informed decision in our knock-out poll.

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Hooker Stephen Moore, flanker Michael Hooper and attacking ace Israel Folau, in just his first year of rugby union, are three of the names challenging for the prize.

Fox Sports Stats have crunched the numbers and come up with a list of nine players in the running for the honour to be crowned Australia's best player for the past 12 months.

The Medal is judged by the players, with each Wallaby awarding points on a 3-2-1 basis after every match, and takes in Tests from the 2012 end-of-year spring tour right through until last weekend's Bledisloe Cup clash with the All Blacks.

Bad boys Quade Cooper and James O'Connor generated plenty of headlines during that period but also cost themselves a host of appearances through off-field antics, while injury probably hurt the hopes of skipper James Horwill and vice-captain Will Genia with neither playing in the northern hemisphere last year.

Catch the John Eales Medal LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on Thursday, October 24, 8.30pm (EDT) on Fox Sports 1HD.

Hooper, who finished third in last year's Medal race and was named rookie of the year, looks a strong chance to take out the gong after another stellar campaign in just his second season.

The flanker played in all 14 matches during the voting period and often earned rave reviews after going toe-to-toe with the likes of All Blacks great Richie McCaw, British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton and England skipper Chris Robshaw - and regularly coming out on top.

Hooker Moore, 30, shows no signs of slowing down after also featuring in all 14 matches. A tireless and quality contributor around the paddock, the veteran's work isn't always reflected in the stats but his teammates are sure to appreciate his efforts.

Folau was simply superb from the moment he stepped on to the Test scene, scoring two tries on debut against the British and Irish Lions. After starting his Wallaby career on the wing, Folau was moved to fullback to ensure he saw more of the ball and flourished in the No.15 jersey, highlighted by his hat-trick of tries against Argentina in Rosario.

A string of other Wallabies - prop Ben Alexander, utility back Adam Ashley-Cooper, fullback/flyhalf Kurtley Beale, centre Christian Lealiifano and No.8s Ben Mowen and Wycliff Palu - also performed strongly at times in what was a tough 12 months for Australian rugby, with just six victories from those 14 Tests.

We've run the rule over all the contenders, with their key stats listed below. Check them out and then vote in our poll on who you think should win the John Eales Medal for 2013.

Get involved in the John Eales Medal discussion via the comments section (at the bottom of the page) and on Twitter: tweet using the hashtag #JEM2013

THE MATCHES

Nov 10, 2012: France 33-6 Australia at Stade de France, Paris

Nov 17, 2012: England 14-20 Australia at Twickenham, London

Nov 24, 2012: Italy 19-22 Australia at Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence

Dec 1, 2012: Wales 12-14 Australia at Millenium Stadium, Cardiff

June 22, 2013: Australia 21-23 British and Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

June 29, 2013: Australia 16-15 British and Irish Lions at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne

July 5, 2013: Australia 16-41 British and Irish Lions at ANZ Stadium, Sydney

August 17, 2013: Australia 27-49 New Zealand at ANZ Stadium, Sydney

August 24, 2013: New Zealand 27-17 Australia at Eden Park, Auckland

September 7, 2013: Australia 12-38 South Africa at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

September 14, 2013: Australia 14-13 Argentina at Patersons Stadium, Perth

September 28, 2013: South Africa 28-8 Australia at Newlands, Cape Town

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October 5, 2013: Argentina 17-54 Australia at Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario

October 19, 2013: New Zealand 41-33 Australia at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

THE CONTENDERS

Ben Alexander

A virtual fixture in the front-row, missed just one game for the Wallabies during the John Eales Medal period. Was both equal fifth for tackles (72) and pilfers/penalties-forced (three).

Games: 13
Minutes: 707
Tries: 0
Points: 0

Adam Ashley-Cooper

Another ultra-consistent season from the utility back, who played every game - shifting between wing and outside centre. Played the most minutes of any Wallaby (1098) in that period and was second for tries (three), run metres (676), and tackle busts (22).

Games: 14
Minutes: 1098
Tries: 3
Points: 15

Kurtley Beale

Started every game at flyhalf on last season's spring tour, and played all three Tests against the Lions before he was sidelined by injury. Led the way with kick metres (1823), offloads (14) and linebreak assists (four) and also chimed in with the third-most points (26).

Games: 7
Minutes: 521
Tries: 1
Points: 26

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Israel Folau

Stellar debut season for the former NRL star, who looked right at home from the opening minute of his first Test. Two tries on debut (v Lions) and a hat-trick against Argentina the highlights. In his 10 games he scored the most five-pointers (seven) to be second on the points tally (35) and led the way for run metres (828), tackle busts (45) and linebreaks (10).

Games: 10
Minutes: 748
Tries: 7
Points: 35

Michael Hooper

A leading contender for the medal given he played all 14 games and was on the field for the second-most minutes (971). Was first for pilfers and penalties forced (10) as well as tackles (151). He also contributed the third-most run metres (571) and tackle busts (18) and fourth-most offloads (10). Made the most tackles (151)

Games: 14
Minutes: 971
Tries: 0
Points: 0

Christian Lealiifano

Another player who stepped up to the mark in debut Test season, with accomplished and accurate goalkicking a highlight - his 86 points making him a runaway leader in that category.

Games: 9
Minutes: 589
Tries: 0
Points: 86

Stephen Moore

An ever-present at hooker for the Wallabies, the veteran played in all 14 Tests and was third for most minutes (867). His strong, consistent play isn't always recognised by the stats but was second for most tackles (96).

Games: 14
Minutes: 867
Tries: 0
Points: 0

Ben Mowen

Another rookie who made a seamless transition to Test rugby, even captaining the Wallabies in just his seventh international. Led the Wallabies for lineouts won (31), was third for tackles (94), and despite missing all four spring tour Tests was fourth for most minutes played (773).

Games: 10
Minutes: 773
Tries: 0
Points: 0

Wycliff Palu

Only managed to play half the Tests in the period due to injury but still managed to make his mark with a string of standout performances. Was equal fifth for tackles (72) and offloads (eight).

Games: 7
Minutes: 500
Tries: 0
Points: 0

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