David Carney cautions Socceroos over Uzbekistan after experiencing country’s football landscape

The Socceroos should be wary of Uzbekistan’s individual talent, warns the first Australian to play domestic football in the country.

The Socceroos should be wary of Uzbekistan’s individual talent, warns the first Australian to play domestic football in the country.

SAINSBURY ON STANDBY FOR BABY BIRTH

SLATER: ENGLAND APPROACH COULD SUIT SOCCEROOS

David Carney spent about eight “eye-opening” months with FC Bunyodkor in 2012, having been recruited after scoring in the 6-0 thrashing of the former Soviet republic in the 2011 Asian Cup semi-final.

“They’ve just got some individual players that are quality. I think tactically Arnie (Graham Arnold) will have them and the Socceroos will win,’’ he said.

“But I just feel like they’ve got to be wary because they will have some individual players who can produce quality moments.”

Apart from Rostyn Griffiths’ nine months with Pakhtakor Tashkent in 2017-18, Carney is the only Australian player to have experienced Uzbekistan’s football landscape.

It was, albeit, several years ago, and Uzbekistan have never beaten Australia in three attempts, including that 2011 shellacking in Qatar in which current captain and star midfielder
Odil Ahmedov played.

But significant development includes the appointment of Hector Cuper, who will be briefing his White Wolves on how to unpick the Socceroos via a pragmatic, counter-attacking style and get the ball to free-scoring striker Eldor Shomurodov.

Carney, a genuine career journeyman who won 48 caps, arrived in Uzbekistan on his own in 2012 to play mostly Asian Champions League, and was quickly faced with very new cultural and football differences.

Battling a significant language barrier, the former Sydney FC and Newcastle Jets utility was accompanied by an interpreter everywhere he went.

“The country was like going back 20 years,” he said.

David Carney says the Socceroos should be wary of Uzbekistan.

“I enjoyed it, I felt safe. The people were nice. They take football really serious over there, it’s their No. 1 sport. They love it.

“I was getting big bonuses and I sort of wasn’t playing the league games, but every Asian Champions League game I was playing.

“I found it a bit weird but I sort of got warned about that by the other international players.

“I remember certain things going on, things I probably wouldn’t mention in the paper. But with certain things that went on it was an experience, an eye-opener for myself.

“But in saying that I wouldn’t take back the time I was there, it was a good experience.”

Now 35, Carney has slipped into retirement and has his fingers in a few pies including property development and helping former Sky Blues and Socceroos teammate Luke Wilkshire with the Wollongong Wolves, and in June will go to Ireland as part of his UEFA badges.

Originally published as David Carney cautions Socceroos over Uzbekistan after experiencing country’s football landscape