Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek has hit back at criticism of his decision to field a team with no strikers for the team's 4-0 World Cup loss to Germany. The Socceroos' game coincided with the announcement of Queen's Birthday Honours for people who have made a significant contribution to Australia. There were no Socceroos on the list, although Pim Verbeek has received a medal for services to German football.

Harry Kewell finally succeeded in scoring... some rays

While the duo, along with midfielder Mark Bresciano, were absent, the rest of the team protested having to work the public holiday with a 90-minute go-slow.

Most of the Australian team who did take the field admitted that they only did so because they thought they were getting double-time-and-a-half.

But another Socceroo, who declined to be named for fear it would affect his standing in the football world, said he thought the Australian team's performance was a fitting tribute to his beloved Queen. "The way I see it, Queen Elizabeth is more closely related to Germany than she is to Australia anyway," he said. "So letting them win was the least we could do".

"Plus we couldn't beat the Krauts even if we were trying."

The German team refused to respect the Queen's Birthday holiday. "We don't celebrate holidays unless they are based on drinking beer for a month," said striker Miroslav Klose. "And even then we keep working."

Meanwhile Tim Cahill proved himself the most authentically Australian member of the team by receiving a dubious red card. "Thanks to the referee, I get another day off too," said Cahill.

The German defeat will lead to team changes for the Socceroos next do-or-probably-die match against Ghana. Striker Harry Kewell is tipped to play, as is former rugby league star Israel Folau.

"When he found out how much money soccer players make," Verbeek revealed, "Israel immediately declared himself available."

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