Respected football analyst Les Murray has been forced into an embarrassing backdown over his claims a player revolt preceded Australia’s 4-0 loss to Germany at last year’s World Cup.
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In his recently-released book, The World Game, Murray claimed players took exception with Pim Verbeek’s gameplan prior to the group match in Durban, claiming captain Lucas Neill asked the coach to leave the room before telling players the Dutchman’s tactics were "bullshit."
"After the coach, Dutchman Pim Verbeek, had addressed the players, naming his line-up and the strategy, the team captain, Lucas Neill, asked the coach to leave the change room while he addressed his colleagues," Murray wrote in the book.
But the football media doyen has now apologised to Neill over the claims, saying: “In the light of new information that has come to hand I accept that I was misled by my sources and that Lucas Neill did not call for the team to ignore the then national coach’s instructions.
‘‘In my view Lucas Neill has been an outstanding captain of the Australian national football team and the third party report of the Australian game against Germany was never meant to be disparaging of Mr Neill’s character and sense of duty to the team,’’ Murray said in a statement released today.
‘‘I take this opportunity to unreservedly apologise to Lucas Neill for any hurt or embarrassment concerning this matter.’’
The statement also said all reprints and new editions of The World Game, published by Hardie Grant, will exclude this reference to Lucas Neill.
In the wake of Murray’s claims being revealed last week, Neill described the claims as ’’scandalous’’.
Neill, currently on holidays in the US, said he had accepted Murray’s apology and would not proceed with legal action.
‘‘I am obviously still disappointed that my name has been wrongly attached to these allegations but I accept the apology that has been issued by Les Murray,’’ Neill said.
‘‘After discussing the matter with Les, I have decided not to proceed with legal action.
‘‘It was important for me to ensure that my reputation remain intact and make the public aware that I have never, nor would ever, behave in this manner towards a manager.
‘‘Furthermore I’m happy that any further prints of the book will exclude this extract.
‘‘I sincerely hope that anybody who reads the book in its current form understands that the allegations that were reported about me are completely false.’’
Murray says he won’t make any more public comment on the matter.
