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Sorry, but I’m not sold on the Socceroos yet

Anthony Sharwood

by Anthony Sharwood

10 Jun 06:00am

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Filed under: Football, Soccer, Socceroos, Sport, World Cup

108 comments

With the World Cup almost upon us, a lot of soccer nuts are writing stories arguing that soccer has totally cut through, that Australia is at last a round ball nation, and that the Socceroos are “icons”.

C'mon boys. Look lively. Picture: Getty Images

No. Uluru is an icon. The Sydney Opera House is an icon. The baggy green cap is an icon. Collingwood is an icon. The famous “Gladiators” picture which spawned the NRL trophy is an iconic image.

The Socceroos won’t come close to iconic status until they’re something more than a rank outsider at the world’s biggest sporting event, and until they bring something recognisably Australian to their style of play.

Brazilians like to samba, and play their soccer with brilliance and flair. Germans are renowned for efficiency, much like their well-drilled national soccer team. Australians are confident, inventive and friendly. Yet our national team is stuttering, defensive and on its really bad days, thuggish.

Here’s what I want from the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. I don’t care if the Socceroos win, lose or are trampled by a rogue herd of impalas. I just want them to play in a manner which reflects our upbeat national spirit. Then, and only then, will they become figures we can all rally around.

Other Australian sporting teams have adopted elements of the Australian character to great effect. When Adam Gilchrist strode to the wicket with a 200 run deficit, he always batted like he had a 200 run surplus. The result? Avalanches of fours and sixes.

David Campese remains our greatest rugby name because he refused to let coaches drum the sheer joy of backyard improvisation out of his game. His legacy? Our first Rugby World Cup in 1991.

Attack as a method of defence is the Australian way. It’s called “having a go”. This approach makes us feel true to ourselves, and as an added bonus, it usually brings positive results.

Unfortunately, our current Socceroos team is stodge. Well, it is. And it’s run by a short-tempered Dutchman who is such a nobody on the global stage that injured German Michael Ballack told Alpha magazine he’d never heard of him.

Thanks to Pim, the Socceroos’ stated World Cup objective is to concede as few goals as possible, and maybe sneak one here or there. Remember the flood of angst against the Sydney Swans when they adopted defensive “flooding” as a tactic?

The justification for Pim’s 4-3-2-1 formation (one lonely striker up front) is to try to manufacture results regardless of how ugly we look. Let me delve into my lucky dip of clichés to find a retort to that garbage.

Ah, here’s one at the top of the bag. “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game”.

Fact is, we’re not going to win the whole shebang anyway, so we might as well play some decent footy instead of, say, encouraging Vince Grella to break a few kneecaps while Josh Kennedy snoozes in the penalty box.

In case you haven’t picked up on it yet, I’m not confident about the Socceroos’ chances in the FIFA World Cup. Heck, if my AFL or NRL team had injured stars and no promising youngsters, I’d be worried about them too.

On the flipside, our best XI are wily and experienced. They aren’t pretty or quick, but neither were Italy last time, and they hoisted the trophy.

So with luck, sure, the Socceroos could emulate or even exceed their highly-celebrated 2006 performance of one win, one draw and two losses. Whether they reach national treasure status is another matter entirely.

SPECIAL BONUS SECTION! Five key points for commenters who can’t be bothered reading the whole piece.

1. This is not an anti-soccer yarn. It’s just to point out that our national team is still a work in progress, both on the field and off it. Sheesh, we can’t even entrust one of our own to coach it! And bear in mind that no nation, ever, has won the World Cup with an imported coach.

2. Like me, The Punch is not anti soccer. That why its soccer mad editor, David Penberthy, is currently in South Africa filing away like a bastard.

3. I call soccer “soccer” rather than football, so as not to confuse anyone. Also, the English invented the game, and the term “soccer”, and since they’re rather fond of the sport, I’ll happily follow their lead.

4. Irrespective of my general feeling of gloom towards the Socceroos’ chances in South Africa, I will be cheering for them. Like mad. Late at night. Obnoxiously. God help the cabbies.

5. One last time, I would remind all soccer nuts that to criticise the national team is not to criticise the sport itself, nor to advocate the dominance of the AFL/NRL/cricket hierarchy. Nor is it to degrade the legacy of figures like the late great Johnny Warren. If anything, the ability to cop criticism without hysterical retorts is exactly what the insular game of soccer needs if it’s ever to unseat the dominance of the other sports. Warren himself would have wanted that.

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108 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • S.L says:

      07:29am | 10/06/10

      I had the pleasure of watching the local qualifying games when the Socceroos made their first World Cup finals in 1974. Rale Rasics team did exactly what Pims team are doing now. Concentrated on defence with a lone striker. Ugly? Sure but it worked and got us onto a stage where there were only 16 players not 32 like today.
      Anthony there are a surprising amount of Aussies (and Kiwis) playing the game in Europe but the local press doesn’t shove them down our throats like swimmers or cricketers.
      Does the team look the same as 4 years ago? Yes it does and granted they aren’t getting any younger but I think if some of the fringe players start to get blooded more often over the next few years that hopefully will make up the gap.
      Everyone knocks it but the A league can only improve also.

      Reply

    • James says:

      08:05am | 10/06/10

      Let us not confuse patriotism with soccer loving.

      Reply

    • Tim says:

      11:01am | 10/06/10

      Correct.
      i don’t care about soccer, i don’t like the game and i find it extremely boring.
      But god help me, i’ll be getting up early (or staying up late) and cheering on the Socceroos cause they’re Australian and they’re in the world cup.
      After two weeks however, i will forget all about soccer for another four years.

    • kelly says:

      01:00pm | 10/06/10

      Well said Tim, couldn’t agree more! many around Australia will be doing exactly the same.

    • roundage says:

      08:10am | 10/06/10

      no worries Anthony, football will roll on without you grin The game itself is an icon… our national team will play in a way that befits where we are right now. Its a long road to playing in a way that “reflects our upbeat national spirit” as you say. Have a read of Fozz’s book for one blueprint to get there.

      Reply

    • Jack says:

      08:25am | 10/06/10

      I dont want to throw a spanner in the works, and although not being a great fan of soccer I wish them well,  what I would really like to know is the cost of getting this team to the world cup, I would suggest it would run into Millions and Millions of dollars,  probably five times more than rugbys world cup.
                                                Anyway once again good luck
                                                                    JACK

      Reply

    • John says:

      09:55am | 10/06/10

      Jack, FIFA is a moneymaking machine. the team recieved more than 2 million just to qualify, and even if they dont get past the group stage, guess what!!? they take home $8 million dollars just for trying…the winner takes home 32 million. 4 years ago when we made it to the round of 16, we took home more than 8 million…so if you think our taxpayers got them there, think again..

    • Dave says:

      11:32am | 10/06/10

      The only way Austrlalia can make money is qualifiying for the world cup. Next time they miss the world cup,  Austrlaian soccer will again be broke.

    • wolf says:

      09:05am | 10/06/10

      Ant if only we had a 4-3-2-1 formation…. unfortunately for us Pim uses a 4-2-3-1.
      At least when we had “Aussie” Guus he used the former formation.  This allowed us to to safely let the outside backs come into play, resulting in smooth, overlapping forward runs from the wing, while still keeping enough numbers up front to hassle the other team while they went forward.  It also gave us a little more width in the penalty box which let Tim Cahil ‘sneak’ through the defence to pop up unexpectedly. A 4-3-2-1 can become an attacking 4-3-3 or a defensive 4-5-1 with little effort, hell Guus even shifted to a 4-4-2 at times when we were behind.
      By contrast our current formation leaves us exposed when the outside backs come into play.  The natural motion for the midfielders is therefore to run backwards to cover the hole rather than forwards.  I lost count of the number of times during the NZ game where I saw vidosic make an outstanding break on the wing, only to hold the ball up (I assume on Pims orders) to wait for the back two midfielders to come forwards.  Then it all went to crap once the kiwis got the ball and the midfield had to run backwards in a mad defensive scramble wasting a crapload of energy.  It’s no wonder Tim Cahill lost the plot and put in a two footed tackle on the defender - its the only way he was likely to get the ball in a good posistion.
      In general I think we have gone backwards since the last world cup.  While Graham Arnold was interrim manager our tactics were a dreadful long ball.  Since Pim came on board we now pass the ball around a little between the backline and the two defensive midfielders for a while, then bomb in the long ball.
      I’ve already written off scoring a goal this time around unless we get a really lucky bounce. I agree Ant that it would be better to go down having a go but instead I can see us going down while scrambling madly backwards.
      I just hope that the next time around that FFA hires a manager who looks to our players strengths.  If we must have a foreign manager then perhaps one who will willingly sing the national anthem alongside the boys would go a long way. There is one working for Galatasaray as an assistant, maybe it’s time to give him a call, apologise for the dreadful way we treated him and see if he’ll have us.
      Oh and regardless of who the new coach is, thank Graham Arnold for his time and give him a year or two off so the new coach can work things out for himself.

      Reply

    • Macca says:

      11:11am | 10/06/10

      Potential Managers that are out of work:

      Mark Hughes

      Gianfranco Zola

      Juande Ramos

      You’d have to pay them all a bit, but plenty of talent there, and I’m sure there are some I’ve left out, but Australia won’t go forward with an Aus coach at this stage. Get a bit of experience in Europe and we’ll take you with open arms.

    • Sarah says:

      09:13am | 10/06/10

      I tend to agree. Pim’s insistance on 4-5-1 despite that formation not suiting our players, is madness. We don’t have a player capable of being the lone striker.
      When we’ve shifted to 4-4-2 periodically in the last 2 yrs, everything has fallen into place.
      But no, Pim insists on a crazy formation.
      Australia, regardless of their efforts, are doomed. Grella certainly doesn’t help by playing like a thuggish bouncer in an under-17s comp.

      Reply

    • Matt says:

      09:18am | 10/06/10

      interesting view point. you don’t care if we win or lose but are still going to get up at 4:30 to watch? either you care more then you think you do or you’re just doing it because everyone else will be.

      i don’t think the swans example helps you much either. as a swans fan myself all i care about is the premiership that the style brought us! ask any swans fan if they are willing to trade the ‘05 flag for a few more high-scoring games…..anyone? helllooo? nope? i guess that’s nobody then.

      i also assume when siddle and hussey were batting in the sydney test you were screaming at the tv for them to start swinging as you were bored?

      feel free to call me crazy but i would actually rather sit through a ‘boring’ 1-0 win then an ‘entertaining’ 5-4 loss. in fact italy have done quite well over time following this approach

      Reply

    • Tren (Rooster) says:

      10:34am | 10/06/10

      Hey Matt,

      As a Sydney sider and Aussie Rules player for over 20 years now I am passionate about the sport. Moreso I am passionate about the spirit of the game. Defensive tactics are fine and the physical effort required to run back to flood the back end over and over again is to be commended, but the tactic is the equivalent to underarm bowling.

      Go Aussies!

    • Tim says:

      11:05am | 10/06/10

      Matt,
      “feel free to call me crazy but i would actually rather sit through a ‘boring’ 1-0 win then an ‘entertaining’ 5-4 loss. in fact italy have done quite well over time following this approach “

      Therein lies the boringness of soccer.

    • Macca says:

      01:01pm | 10/06/10

      Not really, Tim

      The sheer emotion of scoring the winning goal can easily overturn 89 minutes of a crap game.

      I have absolutely no memory now of whether we played well or poorly in the last world cup, but I do remember the results.

    • SM says:

      09:35am | 10/06/10

      Far and away the best piece I’ve read lately on Australian soccer.  A defensive strategy might be enough to scrape through against our neighbours in the Asia Pacific, but it certainly won’t be enough on the world stage.  But should any patriots want to have a bet on Australia winning the thing, don’t be taking the 66/1 or the 80/1 on offer here in Australia. There’s 150/1 readily available with overseas online providers

      Reply

    • Corsair says:

      01:28am | 11/06/10

      Really? You clearly don’t read enough about the game then. Try reading sites like The World Game (SBS), Four Four Two, and other sites like that.

      Most will tell you that we are young as a football nation. We don’t expect to be in a position to win the World Cup for at least another 15 years or so. The A-League is also young.

      It is vitally important that support be given now in order to see us flourish as a football nation.

      So we have a game built on defence. That’s a good thing. Yes, our attack isn’t strong - doesn’t that mean we should play our game to our strengths? It does. So we work off building a strong defence and playing on the counter.

      This may change back and forth over the years as it depends on the players that come through.

      That’s the truth of football. You, and Mr. Sharwood, have shown an utter lack of respect and knowledge of the game.

      I ask that you read more and think more and support the game in its development. Rather than push it away.

    • Charles Kelly says:

      04:07pm | 11/06/10

      No Corsair, YOU “have shown an utter lack of respect and knowledge of the game” - by blatantly ignoring the fact that “the game” consists of many codes, not just the one you personally prefer.

    • A.heley says:

      10:05am | 10/06/10

      Can I add, they are also a bunch of sore-losers. When they went out to Italy, they cried injustice. When they lost to Brazil, they blamed the ref. When they lost in the Asian cup, they blamed the penalty shoot-out. I bet when the get tossed out in 2010 they will blame someone… Nelson Mandela, riots in South Africa, the Dutch coach or the hot weather… Alan Jones, like usual, will be their spokesperson.  And John O’Neill can write another book about himself and they the aussies suffer great injustices. I brought his last book for only a $1… And what a waste of a dollar it was.

      Reply

    • Stuey says:

      10:19am | 10/06/10

      You’re spot on Anthony. I’m English, but have lived over here for 7 years and watched the rise of the Socceroos with interest and some pride for my adopted home. Incredible progress has been made, but as you say the team is far from reaching icon status. The can be said for most England teams in the past 30 years. Anyone who represents their country in any field should be held in high regard, but to reach icon status you must be a cut above the rest. Think Maradona, Garrincha, Pushkas and so on.
      That said, you do have some good solid players and Verbeek can only work with what he has. Results are key. And as for people not knowing who Pim Verbeek is, how many Aussie players could name the coaches of say Chile or Paraguay. None I’d expect.
      You’ve got to learn to walk before you run - there’s no doubt in my mind that Australia’s stature on the world stage will grow in the coming decade but lets not be too impatient.

      Reply

    • Derek Barry says:

      10:46am | 10/06/10

      Not that Pim Verbeek gives a flying fig about icons but I would have thought his “stuttering, defensive and on its really bad days, thuggish” team does a good job of reflecting the national image

      Reply

    • Macca says:

      11:00am | 10/06/10

      Last time I check, and Anthony noted this, Italy won the last World Cup.

      I cannot think of a more defensive football nation in the world.


      Great football teams are regularly built on solid defence, regardless of the code. St George Illawarra are leading the NRL with the best defensive record, AFL Leaders Geelong have the 2nd best defense (3rd place St Kilda slightly ahead) and Super 14 finalists the Stormers and the Bulls had the least tries conceded throughout the tournament

      Australia’s system might be boring and dull at times (it’s hard to be flashy when you only get 48 hours to prepare together before qualifiers), but our best chance of success with the lack of depth we have up front is to not concede goals. And I’d rather see us beat Germany 1-0 than lose to them 4-3 like we did under Frank Farina 5 or 6 years ago. On the note of Australian coaches, would it not be sensible to hire the best Manager available for the National team, regardless of where they are from? Sport is a results business and all that crap

      If you honestly believe the Socceroos aren’t on there way to becoming iconic, check out every second advertising board in the cities of Australia right now

      Reply

    • Chris says:

      11:01am | 10/06/10

      My view is if you were not convinced we have a competitive team from the last world cup result then you probably never will be behind the Socceroos. Secondly why are Australians so needy to be winners? We only love sports where we compete against a handfull of nations, ......yawn. Soccer without doubt is the worlds biggest sport and given the massive number of kids playing it in Australia I suspect it will only be time before it is our marque sport too. Interestingly I recently read an article young Aboriginal disadvantaged kids who were asked which sporting star they want to be like? They didnt want to know about our cricket, rugby or league stars. They replied: Beckham, Renaldo, Messi, Drogba etc

      Reply

    • Andrew says:

      02:18pm | 10/06/10

      I doubt your story, or the source of your story, very much.  Tell us about more about these alleged kids? Where did they live for example?

    • Chris says:

      03:07pm | 10/06/10

      To be honest I can’t find the article but if someone else saw it too let me know.  I’d like to keep a copy. It was predominately about the push of AFL into the bush. They were from the NT. What shocked me was I though that AFL had such a stronghold in those communities. It also highlighted that the girls in particular were enjoying the game of soccer. Andrew, you don’t have to believe me. Yeah sure I don’t have 100% proof of the article sources. I’m not a journo who has to write with verified information etc but I ask you…..... what’s wrong with that principal? Why can’t disadvantaged kids dream of being a star other than than our AFL, cricket or rugby stars?

    • Andrew says:

      04:16pm | 10/06/10

      I didn’t say there was anything wrong with it, only that your story sounds extremely doubtful, especially given that most Australians, including myself, wouldn’t even know who Messi or Drogbi are.

      Given that Australian rules in the Northern Territory has the highest participation rate in the country, and up to 35% in some aboriginal communities, how credible do you think it sounds that the kids in those places would idolize some unheard of soccer players on the other side of the world in preference to their own widely publicized aboriginal stars? Not very.

    • Chris says:

      05:40pm | 10/06/10

      Andrew this is what blew me away. Despite the huge efforts of AFL with local comps, funding grants, the easier to access to AFL news and direct cultural links to Aboriginal AFL stars they knew who they wanted to aspire to become. These kids thought why just stop at AFL? They wanted to be compared to true world class sports stars and know who they want to be like. They know who is making sickening amounts of money. Go to any 3rd world country and you will see soccer and people who know about the worlds leading soccer stars. Poverty doesn’t stop them knowing. You ask is it likely….sorry my friend it is reality. Andrew, if you and as you say most Australian’s don’t know who Messi is…...you soon will!

    • Andrew says:

      02:37pm | 11/06/10

      Well Chris, unless you provide an source that I can critically assess then as far as I’m concerned it’s BS.

    • Poseidon Burke says:

      11:08am | 10/06/10

      Maybe the is a false premise here. The underlying assumption that Australia is an attack, “how you play the game” rather than win at all costs type of sporting nation needs to be challenged. We want to see ourselves as dashing, audacious and sporting but are we are more and more about winning at all costs. Compare Adam Gilchrist his lusty hitting and preparedness to walk when out with our behaviour playing the Irish in AFL / Gaelic football. There our players (notably the current coach of the Kangaroos) behaved like thugs. Go forward to the harrassment of Barrie Hall recently - not in the spirit of the game. Or the sledging of our cricketers. Kiwis would remind us of the underam incident. I need more evidence then Adam Gilchrist and David Campese to convince me we really believe -L’audace, L’audace toujours L,audace! A french general maybe Foch I think. Lets face it if the Socceroos win ugly all will be forgiven.

      I know very little about soccer but on the evidence of their lead up games, injuries and age I predict they do worse than last time.

      Reply

    • Markus says:

      01:35pm | 10/06/10

      Exactly, for every big-hitting Gilchrist there is a Bevan or a Mike Hussey, the guy who had to do the hard yards to save a match when Gilly went out swinging for 9.
      The Campo example as well is an exception to the rule as well. The Wallabies won 2 world cups primarily on the back of the strongest defense of the competition. Campo being strong on attack just helped.

    • Kyle says:

      11:17am | 10/06/10

      As you said Anthony, the FIFA World Cup is the world’s largest sporting event, with many nations competing even in the qualifying stages. Portugal have never one a world cup. Spain have never won a world cup and neither have Holland. There are of course many South American and African nations who are absolutely mad for the sport yet have never been close to the final and are, dare I say, ‘rank outsiders’. Could you say their teams are not icons to them?

      I would argue the fact we’re there with a past result of getting to the last 16 ranks us more than outsiders.

      I would also say the team’s ability to be competitive with any team, desire to never give up and team unity are reflective of Australian characteristics.

      Having said that I do hope we adopt a more attacking style of play throughout the tournament. The team needed to get the results through a much more competitive Asian qualification, I think that’s why they haven’t set the world alight with flairy football.

      Out of curiosity, can you tell me who these soccer nuts writing articles and making outlandish claims are?

      Reply

    • Bill says:

      01:37pm | 10/06/10

      He can’t

    • Macca says:

      01:47pm | 10/06/10

      Craig Foster whinges about the style the Socceroos play all the time. His analysis of European Football is second to none the Australian Media, but when he talks about Australia he is far too emotive and unprofessional.

      Disagree with me? listen to his commentary when Aloisi slotted the Penalty against Uruguay on November 16, 2005. Was more biased than Bill Lawry and Eddie Jones combined

    • Ant Sharwood says:

      02:01pm | 10/06/10

      yes he can, bill - and in the third person, and all!

      Here’s one
      http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/australia-is-now-a-roundball-nation-20100603-x58m.html

      And here’s another, from Craig Foster whom I like and respect, but think is a little OTT at times to say the least
      http://www.smh.com.au/world-cup-2010/world-cup-news/australians-get-ready-to-bare-your-soul-20100515-v5f8.html

      If you don’t feel like clicking, lemme quote the good bit: “Australia united behind the most powerful symbol of what we are, what we are most proud of - the Socceroos… They are multicultural, classy, intelligent and urbane, and move effortlessly in the world of movie stars and billionaires. They are the crowning glory of Australian sporting achievement…”

      This misguided, delusional quote by an otherwise fine analyst in Fozz really sums up the point of this piece. It’s not about hating the Socceroos. It’s about asessing with something approaching reality the place they currently occupy in our sporting landscape, and dreaming realistically about the lofty place they might one day hold.

    • Justin says:

      02:11pm | 10/06/10

      I love the way Roy Slavin says, “Fozzy”.

    • Macca says:

      02:40pm | 10/06/10

      @Ant, thanks for stealing my nomination wink

      I still disagree, I know its cliche, but Qantas and Wheatbix would be up there with the most iconic Australian brands. Both are represented by the Socceroos.

      Some of this might be simply be related to the Bandwagon, but I reckon Tim Cahill and Lucas Neill are amongst the most identifiable Sportspeople in the country.

    • Robert S McCormick says:

      11:18am | 10/06/10

      I like football but, typically, the media has swamped us with the World Cup. I am sick, though I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction, to death of the whole issue. Now I simply don’t care.

      Reply

    • Davo says:

      11:25am | 10/06/10

      The Dutch created Total Football, and Pim has given us Total Defensive Football.

      It is the type of football played you need to have when you have very little world class players.  We used to be critical during the 80’s and 90’s, when we couldn’t qualify playing challenging, attacking football.  So its unfair to blame the Socceroos if they win ugly.  At least they are qualifying for the tournament.

      Its a tad unrealistic that a nation of 20 million, with 3 competing winter codes, should be ranked in the top 10.  We are playing well above our weight, that’s for sure.

      Reply

    • Willy K says:

      11:37am | 10/06/10

      Just don’t mention the war!

      Reply

    • Not a big fan says:

      11:40am | 10/06/10

      Great article! I totally agree about Socceroos not being an icon and hate all the hype. Soccer will always be soccer and never become football in Australia and that’s the way it should stay.

      Reply

    • Macca says:

      12:16pm | 10/06/10

      It pleases me that the next 2 - 4 weeks are going to be increadibly frustrating for you. Its a shame you can’t join the other several billion and enjoy the World’s biggest sporting event

    • roundage says:

      12:23pm | 10/06/10

      ... meanwhile on planet Earth, it is and always will be Football. Give me an outward looking nation over an insular one any day.

    • Barry says:

      01:21pm | 10/06/10

      @ Not a big fan,

      thats cool turn the tele off, no one is forcing you to watch it. As far a socceroos / football becoming iconic. Its too late it already is and a is a massive part of australias sporting culture 700,000 registered player this year would probably agree with me.

    • macca says:

      01:43pm | 10/06/10

      @Barry, not to mention the multiple Corporations sponsoring the Socceroos and many other advertisements using Football or Africa related images over the next few weeks.

      That seems pretty iconic to me

    • Andrew says:

      02:05pm | 10/06/10

      Soccer supporters are playing this marketing game where they think that if they act like they have a lot of support, the support will come. To this end they misquote suspect figures, take them out of context and misrepresent general attitudes.

      To most Australians soccer is a curiosity that comes around every four years and is nowhere near being a “massive” part of Australia’s sporting culture. Every four years most Australians endure this “massive” wonk by soccer fans before the sport once again disappears into obscurity.

    • Gee Jay says:

      02:53pm | 10/06/10

      Not a big fan is correct:the media have done their best to brainwash us into following this carnival,but have lost me with their constant spruiking of this boring game…People say large numbers of children play the game.;well when my lads were at primary school 35 years ago,soccer was played by most kids,but where is it today—nowhere!!  It will never be real big in this country while we have the AFL.,Which is excitement personified!!

    • Chris says:

      05:55pm | 10/06/10

      Andrew you say that supporters are playing a marketing game if they act like they have support the support will come and supporters misquote suspect figures…. Blah blah. I have some figures for you to look up:
      If you want statistics of participation in children is sport take a look at the ABS statistics for 2009: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/4B7A0089A8534912CA2576570015C606?opendocument .  If you read this document you will discover soccer for kids is Australia’s No.1 sport. Ouch you must hate that!
      If you think these statistics are just a spike for 2009 or the ABS is wrong lets go back a few years and take a look at one of Australia’s leading independent sports marketers who produce the highly regarded Sweeny Report.  In a report about football codes they quote that soccer is no.4 in spectators but again they state soccer is the no.1 in participation. See here: http://www.convictcreations.com/football/battlestats.html
      Yeah sure the statistics on crowd numbers soccer is behind the other codes but there is no doubt this is changing too. I could look this up too but your argument is already taking on water my friend.

      So I would suggest that with participation numbers like this Soccer is more than a curiosity in our country that comes around every four years and I would suggest that these figures convincingly conclude that soccer is a massive part of our culture. I further doubt like you suggest that soccer will disappear into obscurity after the world cup. I would put money on a bet with you that soccer grows in Australia after the world cup.

      Maybe you get confused because you see other sports occupying the premier positions in media space such as in newspapers or you use crowd attendance as a gauge. Just because soccer doesn’t get massive A League crowds doesn’t mean the sport isn’t big. Just because you do not see the A League on free to air TV doesn’t mean it’s not big. I would suggest that once the Fox Sports TV rights deal expires and soccer is shown free to air the sport will explode.  You may also be noticing more and more soccer reports each night on your tv or in your newspaper…..why would news producers and editors put this in their news line up? Because it’s popular!  Will it ever make the back page? I don’t know. But I ask you….Why would News Limited put soccer on the back page of its own papers when they have significant investments in NRL?
      After this world cup I suggest and even more sponsors will want a slice of the soccer pie because it is a big part of our culture. Smart marketers like McDonalds, Sanitarium’s Wheat Bix, Nike and Qantas are already onto this fact. Are they likely to waste millions of dollars on a dud marketing investment?

      Maybe you just hate soccer….oh well, that is your right too.

    • Andrew says:

      03:06pm | 11/06/10

      Chris, thanks for the perfect example of what I am talking about. You are looking at some raw statistics and presenting them in such a fashion as to lose all context.

      Soccer has had a very high participation rate at junior levels for over half a century if not longer. Has this translated to support from adults? No. I notice you avoid observing the fact that according to those statistics participation in soccer is in decline while other codes are growing. There are many other reasons why these statistics presents a false impression, such as participation rates of girls in contact sports, touch football rules, regional differences and so on. Consider this, many millions of Australians ride bicycles but are they all on the edge of their seat about the Tour-de-France?

      Considering the length of your essay, which I admit to only skimming, it’s not hard to see you have an agenda pretty much in alignment with what I originally stated.

    • Angus says:

      11:41am | 10/06/10

      I love the spectacle of the world cup and glad Australia will be there and competing. It’s great to see Australian’s compete on arguably the world’s largest sporting stage. But no matter what our standing is in the game I want them to do exactly that - compete. If there is such a thing as a national sporting stereotype it is to take on the big boys at there own game and win. You don’t do this with a defensive mindset. The socceroos if they want to truly capture the public imagination should go out there and attack and try and score goals and play a hard physical game. If we go down, then we should go down in a blaze of glory, not surrender meekly by parking the bus. If we take them on and win by taking the game to our opponents, then glory to us.

      Reply

    • cyclops says:

      01:50pm | 10/06/10

      There’s no “arguably” about it, Angus. The football WC is by far and away the world’s largest sporting stage.

      The next biggest stage, the Olympics, attracts every nation on earth, male and female athletes and more sports than you can poke a stick at. By contrast, the world cup involves just 32 teams, just men, just playing the one game and just one ‘gold medal’, yet it towers over anything else.

      At this level, at this ultimate pinnacle of sporting endeavour urgings from us for a less defensive game is really quite risible. They know what they’re doing, they know what they hope achieve and just how high the stakes are. It transcends any other sporting event by a massive factor. Really, us screeching “aw, c’mon guys give it a go” is really and truly quite risible.

    • Andrew says:

      02:09pm | 10/06/10

      So cyclops, for arguments sake let’s say basketball becomes the most popular worldwide sport by the end of this century and you’re still alive. Will you be lobbying for us all to change our sporting preferences and gushing over the spectacle that is basketball as the"ultimate pinnacle of sporting endeavor”?

    • cyclops says:

      03:26pm | 10/06/10

      My dear Andy, what is your problem, fella? You’re running around this blog like a headless troll.

      I don’t know how to answer your curious hypothetical about a year 2100 basketball WC, ask me in 90 years time, I guess. Here and now, I’m not lobbying anybody to change anything, just to tone down the bellicose proclamations that the sporting sun shines out of Australia’s arse.

      In any event, if you’re the same Andrew who demanded documentary evidence of Chris @ 10:01am | 10/06/10 that soccer is the kiddies’ highest participation sport in Australia — you’re not worthy of my time.

      I really would of thought somebody of such firm opinions as yours would already be aware of this well known fact or if not at least trouble themselves to do just a little bit of research on the subject before spouting off about it. The wilfully ignorant are sad, wilfully ignorant jihadist trolls are laughable. Ha, ha, ha Andrew.

    • Andrew says:

      04:19pm | 10/06/10

      I guess your need to “play the man” answers the question and proves my point.

      Cheers.

    • Mick says:

      11:46am | 10/06/10

      When Australia were playing cricket against the West Indies in the 1980’s I did not see the Aussies go all out attack when playing against the world’ best cricket team & if Gilchrist was playing in this era he would of battled to hit 1 of the square.

      It is similar for Australia at this world cup, 1 opportunity only which if you stuff up you maybe lucky & be able to have a go in 4 years time.
      Australia knows its place in the world but we can be cavalier if we stick to playing teams like Fiji, Samoa or the next suburb

      Reply

    • aman says:

      12:12pm | 10/06/10

      firstly soccer was slang for association football by english students in 1890s… so i can see why you still use it..
      secondly the socceroos would be icons if in the case of the AFL we were the only ones playing the game in the case of the NRL ,that the only other competitor are the kiwis. Maybe you should of gone with your editor and maybe get a sense of the the rest of the world calls football

      Reply

    • Kevin Rennie says:

      12:15pm | 10/06/10

      Check out the Alternative Guide to the World Cup launched today by Kofi Annan at African Progress http://tiny.cc/xdanv

      Reply

    • Devoted Aussie Football Fan says:

      12:53pm | 10/06/10

      What a pointless article, complete with a disclaimer that basically says the article is making no point other than to suggest Australia has little chance of winning the world cup. 

      Well, what an insightful piece of journalism, I bet nobody thought about that.  All us “soccer” fans were thinking that Australia’s “mateship” and “courage” and ability to “have a go” even when “the chips are down” would carry us to world cup glory and it was simply inevitable that another case of “gold, gold, gold for Australia” was about to materialize.

      Now we find out that we’re not much hope of winning.  We may as well forget about tactics that suit our players’ abilities and the personnel we have available on any given match day.  Lets disregard the qualities, weaknesses and tactical approaches that our opposition present too.  Its all about “playing with style”, stick four up front and go for it.  It doesn’t matter if this leads to a 6-0 loss against the Germans because it would allegedly satisfy the people back home who are “not sold” on the Socceroos or the game of football.  The Sunrise channel watching heathens could punch the air and say we played with “Australian spirit”, whatever the hell that is, and we showed the world what it means to be Australian. Pffft. 

      Criticising Pim is one thing and is fair enough.  It has little to do with where the coach comes from and far more to do with the personnel and resources he has at his disposal and the tactics and training approaches he uses, and of course Pim’s approaches are fair game for all to debate.

      However, claiming that you’ve got no chance of success with a foreign coach is ridiculous even if nobody has won the whole thing with a foreigner at the helm yet.  It is a relatively new practice and reflects the shrinking interconnected world and professionalization of football experienced in the last 20 years.  It reflects the changes in business too.  Many Australian companies and businesses appoint foreign executives, Rio Tinto, BHP and Telstra all “big Australians” have or recently had foreigners at the helm. Australia does pretty well in Olympic sports who often use imported coaches, and imported athletes.  What about the Wallabies, their coach Robbie Deans, is from New Zealand!

      Go and tell England that they’ve got no chance of success simply because they have Fabio Capello at the helm.  I might agree with you then.

      Reply

    • Its football says:

      01:06pm | 10/06/10

      Granted the point about england calling it soccer.
      But the modern day or any day after 1910 it called football by most nations.
      Since it the world cup we should call it football hey. wink

      As far as being sold on the Socceroos (not Footballroos) you dont have to be sold on it, we are in the World Cup!!!!, we are not going to win it and in fact we are going to struggle to get through to the next round. There is going to be some fantastic matches of football on and all you have to do it sit back an enjoy the worlds biggest event. The Socceros have already won in my eyes they are in South Africa. That surely is more important than losing in style, we are not Brazil and don’t have the team that can play like that. We need a strucutured defence that the attack can build off. It will be a lot of defending with a few counter attacks. Many team have won matches doing this and if it works every body will be say what a great tatic it was.

      Reply

    • cyclops says:

      01:32pm | 10/06/10

      You say you’ll happily follow the English lead and call the game soccer?! The poms call the game football, Anthony, football.

      Why are you rattling on about Gilchrist? I understand he’s an accomplished exponent of an esoteric little game called cricket, but how on earth can his achievements relate to football? Ditto re Campese. What possible bearing could it have on the present day Socceroos? Do you imagine the highest paid Australian sports stars playing at the biggest sporting tournament on earth 1) would find inspiration in a 20 year old Rugby Union performance, and 2) have any idea who David Campese is? It’s about as likely as the Japanese team taking their cue from a sumo wrestler.

      You feel compelled to tell us Ballack has never heard of Pim. So what? How many Australian players could name Germany’s coach? Until this morning I couldn’t. But I even saw a picture of him today. He’s got a Justin Bieber haircut. That’s as telling a snippet of information as anything in this anachronistic bigoted article.

      And no, just like 99.999999% of the billions who will follow the football I don’t “remember the flood of angst against the Sydney Swans when they adopted defensive “flooding” as a tactic”. What of it? Are you suggesting football can learn anything from the disparate, obscure AFL?

      Regardless of icon status, the Socceroos are and will continue to be the highest profile best known Australian sports stars around the world — I betcha the relatively unknown Josh Kennedy has a higher recognition factor globally than Adam Gilchrist and the entire AFL comp combined.

      Reply

    • Andrew says:

      01:53pm | 10/06/10

      ..and completely unknown in their own country.

      What’s interesting is you think being noticed by other people around the world is more important than the sport itself. Cultural cringe?

    • cyclops says:

      02:54pm | 10/06/10

      ... Oi, oi, oi.

      Andy, it’s interesting that you draw this rather fanciful conclusion from my post. There’s nothing in my comment that could be construed the way you have unless the construer were predisposed to that parochial mindset. Jingoistic belligerence?

    • Andrew says:

      03:09pm | 10/06/10

      You’re being obtuse. Your last two paragraphs more than justify my observation.

      Labeling anyone that doesn’t buy into soccer hysteria as a jingoistic parochial seems to be a propensity of soccer fans doesn’t it?

    • Markus says:

      03:44pm | 10/06/10

      Actually cyclops that was the same impression I got from your post,
      the jist being “the rest of the world don’t know who our AFL or rugby players are, so why should we bother watching either?”

      Why do you care so much about Australia getting international recognition?

      And regarding your comment on Gilly, I am sure there are a billion people throughout the sub-continent that would beg to differ.

    • cyclops says:

      06:07pm | 10/06/10

      Markus, again I don’t see how that conclusion can be reached from what I’ve written. Yes, I did note the rest of the world is unaware of our Rugby and AFL, but it was only an incidental reference, nowhere did I say we therefore ‘shouldn’t bother watching’.

      Neither did I express any yearning for “Australia getting international recognition”. I can’t explain how youse reach these conclusions. My theory is youse feel ‘your’ sports are threatened by football and youse defensively lash out — even where no threat exists or is implied, like in my post. I reckon youse must be insecure about the potency of ‘your’ sports.

      Also, I was speaking rhetorically, but, as extraordinary as it is, I think it just might be possible that ‘ordinary’ team member, Josh Kennedy is more famous than ‘superstar’ Gilly. Just accept the obvious — football, soccer, wogball (call it what you will) is THE pre-eminent sport worldwide and eventually will be in Australia too. Don’t feel bad, football doesn’t hate you, but neither does football care what youse think of it.

    • Andrew says:

      03:14pm | 11/06/10

      The subtext of your final two paragraphs is obvious to everyone. Your pretense of innocence and implication of hypersensitivity are ludicrous.

      It’s interesting the note the only people I ever hear referencing soccer as “wogball” are soccer fans.

    • cyclops says:

      05:21pm | 11/06/10

      Andrew my sweet, if the “subtext of [my] final two paragraphs is obvious to everyone” there’s really no need for you to point it out. Especially as the post wasn’t even addressed to you.

      I’ve just reread all your comments on this blog trying to find out what your point is. You don’t seem to have one. You’re just challenging comments which assert football’s ascendancy. You don’t present a coherent counter argument, just a mean-spirited heckling.

      I’m disinclined to speculate as to why you felt the need to embark on this tawdry little crusade, but I might recommend you get out and about this weekend. Go somewhere you’ve never been before, seek out people you’d normally never meet and have a chat with them, maybe even watch the WC at a public venue — you don’t have to enjoy it or become a passionate football fan, just expand your horizons a little bit.

      Anything other than grumpily grotting away here has gotta be better for your well-being. Live long and prosper, dude.

    • Andrew says:

      08:50pm | 11/06/10

      Interesting and amusing projections, you’re telling us a lot about yourself. Lot’s of barely suppressed rage breaking out through condescension and belittlement, lot’s of hopeful assumption. Grrrr…

      I am flattered you have taken the time to read my every word and you have educated me. I wasn’t aware that using a few careless minutes to respond reasonably and rationally to disingenuous messages containing invalid assertions on a public forum was considered a “crusade”. I now know better, thanks.

      A suggestion though, perhaps you should keep your opinions to yourself if you can’t handle being contradicted without collapsing into insult? I mean it’s ok by me if you want to dig yourself a deeper hole, but it doesn’t add much clarity to discussion.

      Cheers - Grumpy Andrew

    • Justin says:

      01:50pm | 10/06/10

      Make your mind up, Ant. You’re saying that Brazil & Germany play like their national stereotypes, so if we were to do that, I’m not sure confident, inventive and friendly would be the style.

      We would have drink bottles full of lager, couldn’t care less if we were down 5-0 (she’ll be right), & we’d play in budgie smugglers. If we did manage to score a goal, there’d be no hugging, ‘cause that’d be a bit gay.

      Reply

    • dale says:

      02:11pm | 10/06/10

      Hmmm BIGGEST sporting event…. thats a huge call. have you ever heard of the olympic games by any chance?

      I hate sport, give the money to science and lets move into the future already…

      Reply

    • S says:

      11:35am | 11/06/10

      The qualification process for the World Cup begins at least two years before the actual event. Nearly (if not every) country in the world competes in qualifications to make it.

    • Greg says:

      02:14pm | 10/06/10

      “Football-eroos” doesn’t really have the same ring to it.

      Reply

    • Justin says:

      02:15pm | 10/06/10

      Re: Calling it soccer. Even Sky Sports in the UK has “Gillette Soccer Saturday”.

      Reply

    • Willy K says:

      02:21pm | 10/06/10

      How about stop calling it the ‘World Game’?

      Its an English sport that the English invented, set up and the World wanted to play.

      The English have invented almost all the worlds popular sports!

      Makes me laugh when Italian friends of mine call the game soccer, football. the world game or ‘our game’!

      Football/Soccer, Rugby, Rugby League and even Aussie Rules were all invented by Brits.

      Reply

    • richo says:

      02:42pm | 10/06/10

      “until they bring something recognisably Australian to their style of play”, They are not allowed to get drunk and bash people, that is why we have rugby league and AFL. I really don’t get the anti-soccer brigade, it’s a sport, don’t like it don’t watch it, its what I have done with rugby league and AFL for years, its not being forced upon you. If you don’t like it simply change channel, or even simpler don’t watch SBS and you’ll never have to hear about it again.

      Reply

    • Ant Sharwood says:

      03:03pm | 10/06/10

      Richo, do I have to tatto my arse with the words: I AM NOT ANTI-SOCCER? and run naked over the harbour bridge to get the point across that I AM NOT ANTI-SOCCER.

    • Graham S says:

      02:53pm | 10/06/10

      I’m all over the World Cup nonsense and hearing it called the “World Game” is like calling rice the world dish because 2 billion Indians & Chinese eat it. It is not the largest sporting event, the Olympics have that well covered nor is it the national game in the worlds two biggest population centres, cricket for India, table tennis for China, it ranks nowhere in the USA & behind every sport there including monster truck rallys, ditto Canada & Scandanavia with it’s winter sports. Western Europe aside, it’s main support comes from impoverished African, South & Central America dictatorships where all you need is one piece of equipment i,e a ball & a car park because other sports are too expensive nor is the infrastructure in place for other sports because the despots in charge there have looted the treasury. Furthermore if the soccer world cup was open and not divided into geographical qualifying zones, thus allowing easy beats to qualify & traditional stronger teams to miss out, the entire tournament would be made up of European & South America teams only. Still I hope we do well and show these smug, up themselves Europeans a thing or to

      Reply

    • Bruce says:

      03:12pm | 10/06/10

      So Soccer is unAustralian? Far from it. Firstly, as a non-football fan you may wish to be entertained watching a game. To a football fan a win for their team is always a beautiful one. To lose any game, even if 3-4 in a thriller is ugly. As a former Stoke City manager once said—‘If you want entertainment, go see the clowns’.  International football is about getting results the cliche goes. We have players travelling around the world, arriving a day or two before a game, risking tens of thousands of their income should they be injured to play in cities far and wide. These players are a credit to themselves and football in Australia. They arrived, got the results and flew back to their day jobs. It would be easier to not play for Australia for these guys - but they turn up wherever the draw announces from China to Kazakstan and everywhere else around the huge Asian region. Australian sportsman are said to give their all for their country, the Socceroos certainly do that.

      Australian ethos is all about flair? What about building a western industrialised country from scratch in 200 years? More hard slog their than flair. What about our last big encounter with the Germans in the 1940s at Tobruk? The dogged defence against a superior opponent with vast attacking weaponary; surrounded and given little hope the Australians (and NZers- who face Italy ironically) held their ground and counter attacked when they sensed the opportunity.

      Against Japan, who had their squad in training for a significant amount of time before our blokes arrived and quickly had to assemble a defence against a determined side desperate to claim victory in a crutual match up. Wave upon wave of Japanese attacks were fought off as the Australians were pushed back but held their lines to claim an outcome of great significance. No, not Kokoda but Toyko in our 0-0 qualifier last year.

      Nothing appeals more to the general Australian than tales of our great war deeds. Iconic would be a word. Asked about the Australians a German replied:

      “Our opponents are not trained attacking troops but men with toughness, tireless, taking punishment with obstinacy, wonderful in defence”.

      The little Aussie battler is reflected more in Football where we are taking on the world and holding our own. When the Socceroos take to the field anywhere in the world, they are promoting Australia better than any tourism ad. They are reaching out across cultures more effectively than any foreign diplomat. They are gaining admirers because of the way they fiercely fight for every inch of the field, hold reputations in disregard and never let their mates or country down.

      To me, and the rest of the world that is what our football culture is; and through that how the world views us.

      Reply

    • coverdale says:

      03:13pm | 10/06/10

      W@nker

      C’mon the Socceroos!  You’re there, at the world’s biggest sporting party.  Who cares what the insular AFL/NRL fans think.  We don’t need them.  We never have.  The game’s good enough to capture it’s own fans.  As long as it’s run professionally.  It’s just sad non-fans/bandwagoners feel the need to write negative articles about us.  Imagine writing an “Ian Thorpe is a bit cosmo” article during the 2000 Olympics.  They’d be outrage.  Give it a rest.  Support or bugger off.  Cos we don’t need ya anyway.

      Go Socceroos!

      p.s. call it soccer, we don’t care about that anyway.  Those who grew up supporting/playing have always called it soccer.  We know what you mean smile

      Reply

    • The Cricket says:

      03:19pm | 10/06/10

      Anthony,
      I don’t think your comparison with rugby or cricket stack up. In those sports, Australia is either the best in the world or damn close to it. Qualifying for the World Cup isn’t really a problem. So playing with flair is a luxury we can afford.
      In soccer (football) we are not a world power. Remember those 32 painful years when we failed to qualify for the World Cup? Football fans do. Pim has used the tactics he thought necessary to ensure an ageing team with arguably less talent than Guus Hiddink’s managed to qualify. He did his job well.
      Like you, I’m hoping the Socceroos throw off the shackles in South Africa and really take it to their opponents. But it’s idiotic to suggest they should put flamboyance ahead of results. Winning - fairly and with honour - has to be the top priority.

      Reply

    • thinktank says:

      03:24pm | 10/06/10

      Re the division between calling it football or soccer - I’ve always found this debate pointless and weird.  Words are for communication.  Who cares which word is used as long as the correct meaning is conveyed?

      The weird part is, I imagine most Australians - including ones that insist we say “football” - would rile at the suggestion that we change any other word just because some other country or countries use a different word.  Unless someone could give examples…

      Reply

    • iansand says:

      03:58pm | 10/06/10

      I agrre.  If I was in a Leagues club everybody would know what I meant by “football”.  If I wanted to talk about the round ball game I would say “soccer” to avoid confusion.  If I was in a soccer club I would say “league” to describe NFL, for exactly the same reason.

    • cat says:

      03:35pm | 10/06/10

      I do not care what it is called. The whole idiocy cannot be over and done with fast enough for me. I am fed up with the amount of sport, especially variations of football, on television and in the news. I could not care if we win or lose. I do not care who wins or loses. It is a waste of money.
      Does that make me un-Australian, a traitor to our sporting “ideals”? I could not care less!

      Reply

    • Former Socceroo and Northern Spirit Ambassador says:

      03:36pm | 10/06/10

      Anthony, I am not sure how to comment on your article. On one hand you have hit the issues of ‘caution’ on the other you offer little hope and passion.  Is Pims coaching style is staunchly defensive and boring.? yes.
      Germany 2006 was a great tournament for Australia not because we made the 2nd round but we played with a fabulous attitude. We attacked Brazil, sure we did not win - but we had a go.

      I attended Germany06 and the excitement at Kaiserslauten was the most amazing sporting feeling i have experienced. The two goal brace from Cahill certainly helped.

      Fast forward 4 years and we have a new coach with basically the same team. Our aggressive nature has dissapeared and been replace with organised and structured defence (forget the USA game)
      I struggle to understand why we left Nicki Carle and Tommy Oar out of the squad - they offer something different in a desperately predictable team.

      Given all of that I will support the green and gold with all the passion from 4 years ago and maybe, just maybe we will win more than one game..!

      Reply

    • Michael says:

      03:53pm | 10/06/10

      The alleged rise of soccer to the “world sport” is akin to the rise of groupthink over emotion and reason. As a sports spectacle, soccer is excruciating and insipid B-grade entertainment when compared to a gladiatorial sport like rugby league. Yet, paradoxically, soccer fans are the most vocal and best advocates of any sport - sucking in gullible followers with evangelical conversions. Bottom line: if you want to conform to groupthink then ‘enjoy’ the soccer. But if you really want to enjoy a sport that satisfies your heart and mind, then you better look elsewhere.

      Reply

    • The Cricket says:

      04:11pm | 10/06/10

      Five hits ups and a kick. Five hit-ups and a kick. Five hits ups and a kick. Five hit-ups and a kick. Five hits ups and a kick. Five hit-ups and a kick. Five hits ups and a kick. Five hit-ups and a kick. Five hits ups and a kick. Five hit-ups and a kick. Five hits ups and a kick. Five hit-ups and a kick.
      Yeah, rugby league is thrilling.

    • Jonno M says:

      04:57pm | 10/06/10

      You must have read Soccernomics. Its an interesting read but basically its the idea that soccer is too big and too powerful and it gobbles up local sports and turns them into a traditional past times. There are really only 2 areas left North America and Australiasia that have not been dominated by the round ball. I love my league and will be a little sad when it goes back to a semi- pro sport. But in the mean time go the Socceroos.!!!!!!!!

    • Mark says:

      05:18pm | 12/06/10

      Riight- Irony much?!- “Groupthink” - the process of ‘sports’ media in Australia saturating coverage of 2 sports - AFL & NRL to the detriment of all other sports in Australia- telling us the Australian public that we MUST like those sports or we are not Australian or “manly” - oh the irony- AFL & NRL had better wake up to yourselves- your fan base is an ageing one and you have got aussie fans of all other sports( and our numbers are bigger than your mates in the media let on) hating your organisations- reap what u sow

    • Nick Arkoudis says:

      04:09pm | 10/06/10

      The biggest problem and flaw of this article, is that you have compared the Socceroos success, to the success of our “sporting heroes” in sports that bearly anyone competes in. With no disrespect to NRL, AFL, CRICKET etc as I follow these sports, simply comparing our “success” in these sports to football, is crazy due to the masses playing football. If anything, Australia should be driving and getting behind football in this country, so we can win the World Cup one day, then can seriously call ourselves a big sporting nation, having won the biggest of all. Lets compares Apples with Apples here, not Apples & Oranges. Also, for those on this forum complaining about the “media” football is currently gaining, try put up with 12 months of NRL/AFL “marketing” in the paper everyday. We put up with excessive, silly media promoting the other games too much already.

      Reply

    • Charles Kelly says:

      04:30pm | 13/06/10

      OK then - if we firstly try to ignore the embarrassingly obvious fact that it’s impossible to “compare” the NRL and AFL codes to “football” because they ARE “football”, lets go right ahead and compare “Apples with Apples” shall we?

      Cycling is just as much of a world sport as soccer is, and it’s just as under-represented in the mainstream media, with one glaringly obvious exception - our cyclists actually WIN against the best in the world. Sure, the FIFA World Cup may be the world’s largest sporting event, but it only occurs every four years - whereas the Tour de France is the world’s largest annual sporting event. Aussie competitors have won against the world’s elite for many years now - relegating the “success” of the Socceroos to that of pathetic also-rans.

    • Ant Sharwood says:

      04:17pm | 10/06/10

      Nah, it’s five hit-ups, a kick, an expletive at the ref and a defection. Or a defecation if you’re Nate Myles.

      Reply

    • Tim says:

      04:51pm | 10/06/10

      Oi,
      Pipe down or i’ll non headbutt you.

    • Macca says:

      04:51pm | 10/06/10

      Best thing you’ve said all day Ant wink

    • Aussie who follows England says:

      04:44pm | 10/06/10

      Looks like a third Dutchy in a row could follow Verbeek - Ruud Gullitt.

      Reply

    • Sanchez says:

      04:51pm | 10/06/10

      ‘and that the Socceroos are “icons”. No.’

      Nice journalism there. Put a word in quotation marks as if someone has actually said it, then knock it down with your fierece rhetoric. A good straw man if I have ever seen one.

      The main problem is, we simply do not have the quality of players to play attacking football. The majority of the players in 2010 are the same as they were in 2006. Four years older, with four years of around 50 game seasons behind them. We do not have any quality attacking footballers except for Cahill and Kewell when he is fit.

      Reply

    • dizzyK says:

      06:06pm | 10/06/10

      Well, I guess they have the next few weeks to prove you wrong.
      They’ve earned their place in South Africa.
      Goodluck to them!!! smile

      Reply

    • Michael says:

      06:42pm | 10/06/10

      Collingwood is an “icon”?  I thought it was a gentrified suburb in Melbourne.  A bit like Enmore.

      Reply

    • Mick says:

      11:41pm | 10/06/10

      I only compare Australia’s football success / standing with Australia’s success / standing in the track & field athletics.

      Every country can have great track & distance runners & for an Australian to even be in with a medal chance is a fantastic achievement.

      Socceroo name was born in a war zone & thus the name will never be changed

      Reply

    • Corsair says:

      01:18am | 11/06/10

      Good offence is built off a strong defence. Simple. Yes, you need to score goals to win a game of football, but you have to make damn sure you don’t concede any.

      Whilst our offence may not be great - we have to work with our strengths. Our strengths like in midfield and defence. Plain and simple fact. As such, our game is not suited to open football, and when we do try to do that we end up conceding goals and then reporters like you come out and criticise that.

      Football as a code in this country is coming up and for it to be successful it needs to be supported throughout its development.

      All you seem to want to do is hop on a well established format rather than try to support a game that is in its early stages. It’s like you will support an 18 year old kid but not care about their childhood development.

      Yes. You are a bandwagon jumper. Your entire post has revealed that.

      Oh - and the Swans? Their style won them the Premiership and ended up forcing other teams to change their style of play in order to combat it.

      Reply

    • thinktank says:

      10:06am | 11/06/10

      “Yes. You are a bandwagon jumper. Your entire post has revealed that.”

      And I’m sure you watch athletics more than once every 2 years.

    • Corsair says:

      11:13pm | 13/06/10

      Athletics? What’s that got to do with anything? I never even mentioned it.

      Your post makes no sense.

    • Charles Kelly says:

      04:00pm | 11/06/10

      OK Ant, I’m just going to go right ahead and assume that you incorrectly referred to the FIFA World Cup as simply “the World Cup” in your opening paragraph, purely to give me something to complain about (so cheers for throwing me a bone) - because other than that minor infraction, your article was spot on.

      Reply

    • Ant Sharwood says:

      10:51pm | 11/06/10

      rule one of any writing, be it fiction or journalism charles. never write to an audience. so no, i didn’ do it to annoy you, though the funny thing is, once i saw the ommission i thought it would irk you. as you know, i like to give this partic tourney its proper name where possible. i guess what with it being two days away, i thought it unneccessary in this case.

      ps. who’s watching the saffers tonight? I’m staying up and cheering for em like mad

    • Charles Kelly says:

      01:02pm | 12/06/10

      Hehe, yeah I know Ant - but it was too good an opportunity for me to pass up. My TV sports viewing last night was limited to One’s broadcast of Warren Miller’s “Freeriders”, which I reckon was one of his best efforts ever. For the most part, as a die-hard skier, he even managed to evoke the true spirit of freeriding - almost (don’t get me started on the way you bloody skiers have bastardised the term “freeriding”). It’s been puking in New Zealand, so I’m off to Ohau in 2 weeks - you planning on getting some turns in soon?

    • cam says:

      12:40am | 13/06/10

      Great great article Ant, tremendous. We’ll be out in straight sets probably, but who cares, it’s a spectacle and many of us will have our beer goggles on while watching, cheering like crazy, making tools of ourselves.

      Reply

    • cam says:

      12:49am | 13/06/10

      By the way, in 2003, the pie floater was recognised as a South Australian Heritage Icon by the National Trust of Australia ( not kidding ).  If the Socceroos reach Icon status, they’ll clearly be in exalted company.

      Reply

    • Ant Sharwood says:

      09:46am | 14/06/10

      Hang on Charles. You’re a snowboarder? Right, thats it. Our make-up is officially over. Nah seriously, I’ll be getting a few snow plow turns in with my little guys at Mudbo for a week in the school hols. Should be good fun. Have fun at Ohau. Got as far as south Dobson on my last trip to NZ in 2007, and Ohau was the obvious next destination, but ran out of time.

      In other news of more interest to readers of this almost-dead thread, geez, weren’t the Germans good last night. I won’t even comment on the Socceroos. I watched at he Concordia club in Sydney. Bratwurst, accordion music and happy germans. Youse?

      Reply

    • connolly says:

      10:07am | 14/06/10

      Four nil Out is straight sets. And these pretenders can pay back the money that they trousered from the taxpayers. Soccer YES SOCCER is a sham in this country. The A League would be bankrupted if it was a fair dinkum corporation. And if Lowy and Fozz and the rest of the boosters want to fund the abysmal fiasco. Put your own dosh in. Our taxes should go to health, schools etc not subsidizing the fantasies of a bunch of urgers and tossers.

      Reply
 
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