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Viduka ready to be Australia's spearhead [Fri Sep 2nd, 2005]
As the dust settles on the shake-up, striker Mark Viduka believes it's all starting to come together for Australia's World Cup campaign - and his own role in it.
Viduka, who has shrugged off the hamstring injury which has plagued him for the past six months, will start alongside John Aloisi up front as the Guus Hiddink era kicks off with the Oceania World Cup qualifier against the Solomon Islands at Aussie Stadium on Saturday night.
Dutchman Hiddink took charge of his first training sessions on Australian soil after taking over the reins from sacked Frank Farina six weeks ago.
But while the decision to axe Farina just four months out from the World Cup playoff was considered a risk, Viduka said the appointment of Hiddink - considered one of the world's best coaches - could be just the fresh start the team need.
"I do have a little bit of that sense," Viduka said when asked if he had a feeling that things were starting to come together for Australian football and for himself.
"I don't want to talk too much about it, but it feels like that. Guus is a world-renowned coach - just his presence - it feels you are coming into your first day at school. Everyone is equal and everyone's trying to impress."
Viduka usually found himself deployed as a lone striker under Farina.
But Hiddink lined up the Middlesborough target man alongside Aloisi at training in his favoured 3-5-2 system - and looks certain to pair them regularly in the lead-up to the World Cup playoff against the fifth-placed South American team in November.
Hiddink also used regular right fullback Lucas Neill on the left side of a back-three at training alongside Tony Popovic and Tony Vidmar, with Stan Lazaridis and Brett Emerton as wing-backs.
Viduka said Hiddink had experimented with two main formations at the training camp in Holland last month.
"At the camp in Holland, we worked on two ways of playing - it all depends on how the South Americans play in November," Viduka said.
"But two up front is great for me because you've got someone there to take the pressure off."
Viduka, who has returned to goalscoring form for his English club Middlesborough after his long layoff, could find the two-match Solomons series which ends in Honiara on Tuesday a bonanza for his own statistics.
His international goalscoring haul is far less impressive than his club record - just three goals in 25 appearances.
But rarely has Viduka played against any opposition but the strongest, with a day out against the Oceania minnows in a match Australia is expected to win easily likely to do wonders.
Hiddink is unlikely to reveal his starting line-up until kickoff on Saturday night, with most interest on who plays in midfield.
Josip Skoko, Tim Cahill, Jason Culina, Marco Bresciano and Vince Grella are vying for three midfield spots, with Italian-based Bresciano and Grella relegated to the second team during Thursday's late afternoon session at Aussie Stadium.
AAP
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