`Hopeless` sledge was rude: Verbeek

Australia coach Pim Verbeek admits it was a "little bit rude" to label Archie
Thompson's last Socceroos performance as "absolutely hopeless", but says the striker
has to show himself against Kuwait on Thursday night.
Verbeek on Wednesday was not backing down from his recent comments, in which he
criticised Thompson and Melbourne Victory teammate Danny Allsopp's performances in
the 0-0 Asian Cup qualifying draw in Indonesia in January, except to concede his
choice of words may have been slightly off.
But he did praise Thompson for taking the criticism in his stride and expected the
player to return to his best in Thursday night's Asian Cup qualifier at Canberra
Stadium.
"It was a little bit rude, I agree," Verbeek said on Wednesday.
"But I don't speak like this to 17, 18-year-old players who you have to be careful
with, I speak like this with professional players.
"So it's not that I just say things like that, I think I have enough motivations and
reasons to say things like that because you look at the game and you see I'm right."
Asked how Thompson had taken the criticism, Verbeek replied: "You will see tomorrow.
"Of course he's taken it because it's not personal, I'm speaking about a
professional football player who's playing for the Socceroos and has to show
himself.
"I was very pleased with most of the selection (in Indonesia), except those two
(players)... That's what I said."
It seemed the comments had got to Thompson slightly when he said during the
Victory's premiership celebrations: "I start my hopeless training on Tuesday, move
on to more hopeless on Wednesday and hopefully get as hopeless as possible by
Thursday."
Asked if he had spoken to Verbeek, he replied: "I haven't been able to get through,
maybe because I'm just hopeless."
But Verbeek said he had since addressed Thompson about the comments.
"Of course I did, that's my job," Verbeek said.