World Cup 2022 FIFA World Cup - Group D - (France, Australia, Denmark, Tunisia)

[ep2018]

Geez, Australia Football was riding a wave from 2000's to mid 2010's then it fell into an irrelevant hole again. Why has the sport dropped off in Australia so much since? Aren't kids playing the sport anymore at the grassroots level?

Our top athletes suited for soccer play AFL. I wonder in an alternate universe how we'd go in world cups had the Fyfe and Dusty types played soccer instead.

 

[dirty2]

What's the difference with registration these days? About $100 for a junior Aussie rules player and about $1000 for a junior soccer player?

Not saying that's the issue... But wouldn't help at all... Alot of money.

 

[FreoRicci]

Not really mid 2010s, side was in decline in 2010 already. Though we did win the Asian cup in 2015, and are worse now than we were then.

What do people expect? Had golden generation playing until 30s. Talents like Oar, Juric, Arzani haven’t worked.
Football is realistically the worst of the ‘third’ sports, talent wise.
AFL and NRL rule. Then it’s basketball, football, tennis, netball, Rugby Union.
Australia need a serious cashflow and cultural change to even reach AFL. Meanwhile France has a billion dollars on the field.
Would love to follow the model of USA, who seem to do well even with NBA, MLB, NHL dominating the markets. Even Japan as well.
Too much politics involved with football. Especially Football NSW- absolutely ran horridly.

 

[FreoRicci]

What's the difference with registration these days? About $100 for a junior Aussie rules player and about $1000 for a junior soccer player?

Not saying that's the issue... But wouldn't help at all... Alot of money.

AFL have huge funding. It’s ridiculous how much. All for a national sport that’s limited in terms of possibilities. Smart from AFL, as 90% of juniors can’t make the league.

 

[dirty2]

What do people expect? Had golden generation playing until 30s. Talents like Oar, Juric, Arzani haven’t worked.
Football is realistically the worst of the ‘third’ sports, talent wise.
AFL and NRL rule. Then it’s basketball, football, tennis, netball, Rugby Union.
Australia need a serious cashflow and cultural change to even reach AFL. Meanwhile France has a billion dollars on the field.
Would love to follow the model of USA, who seem to do well even with NBA, MLB, NHL dominating the markets. Even Japan as well.
Too much politics involved with football. Especially Football NSW- absolutely ran horridly.

They expected the golden generation would encourage kids to play soccer... Doesn't look like that happened.

 

[Gigantor]

Quite a few questionable selections.

The "hype" around Cummings is absurd.

Pretty average player, especially when you start talking about this level of football.

 

[TommyD13]

Would be seriously elite if our government realised how much of a growth opportunity the 'football economy' is. More funding through schools and facilities, and methods to reduce club fees can greatly improve our outings on the world stage in years to come.

 

[Zidane98]

Hernandez did an ACL.

 

[TommyD13]

Players also need to stay here, rather than setting off on European adventures. Many players get lost in the European system. If we can get the development process right at home, there should be no need for players to head overseas. The exception is for players who are capable at the very top, then obviously you chase that opportunity. If, theoretically, we could recall all our players who play irregularly in mediocre European leagues, not only would these players play regularly here at home, they would improve the standard of the A-League, itself reducing the need to head overseas in the first place.

 

[foxdog50]

Cliff has come for Mooy. When it happens it's quick

Unfortunately he choose to chase money over playing in the Premier League, and not playing against the top players in the world will drop you playing good quality soccer...

 

[Schneebly11]

Our top athletes suited for soccer play AFL. I wonder in an alternate universe how we'd go in world cups had the Fyfe and Dusty types played soccer instead.

We’d probably have won a World Cup by now. Successful nations like Uruguay, Croatia, Netherlands, Belgium all have smaller populations than us. With our natural talent we’d definitely be in with a shot.

Players also need to stay here, rather than setting off on European adventures. Many players get lost in the European system. If we can get the development process right at home, there should be no need for players to head overseas. The exception is for players who are capable at the very top, then obviously you chase that opportunity. If, theoretically, we could recall all our players who play irregularly in mediocre European leagues, not only would these players play regularly here at home, they would improve the standard of the A-League, itself reducing the need to head overseas in the first place.

The A League is now a joke. When it was first conceived they had ambitions to be as big as the AFL, and bigger than NRL, Cricket, Basketball. That hasn’t happened. A League crowds and audiences have dropped dramatically in recent years. Basketball has boomed in popularity in recent years and is more popular here than soccer.

The A League is a European 3rd division at best. Competitive international football doesn’t come from the third division.

The truth is we are a small country and we have too many sports competing for space. We could be a WC winning nation but it would have to involve a change to the national psyche.

I mean soccer would be mandated as our number one sport, kids would be forced into soccer over AFL and other sports, massive government funding for youth academies, A League clubs buying international stars to boost popularity at the same level as oil rich nations.

Those things will not happened, so we get to see Australia embarrassed everyone 4 years (although good chance we fail to make next WC even with its expansion).

 

[foxdog50]

Tunisia is a much better chance of a win.

Hrustic was rested as he is only just recovering from injury. I would say it is a prudent move by Arnie to rest him instead of risking injury to prepare him for Tunisia.


Against Tunisia I reckon we line up as follows:


----------------------Ryan------------------


Karacic---------Rowes/Degnek--Souttar--------Behich


--Mcgree-----------Hrujstic----------Irvine


---Leckie--------McLaren-------Mabil

Is Hrujstic fit? I thought his under a injury cloud?

 

[ep2018]

Those things will not happened, so we get to see Australia embarrassed everyone 4 years (although good chance we fail to make next WC even with its expansion).

I cant see us missing qualification any time soon now that there are 8(?) spots up for grabs in the AFC instead of 4. We've been dog s**t for the last few qualification periods yet we still seem to make it through.

 

[Schneebly11]

Would love to follow the model of USA, who seem to do well even with NBA, MLB, NHL dominating the markets. Even Japan as well.

The USA is big enough the MLS could become a major league in it’s own right and not threaten the existing leagues. Not so Australia.

Plus they don’t have the seething hatred some in sports community in Australia have towards soccer. Remember when Australia was aiming to host this WC and it was suggested the AFL season would have to be suspended for 4 weeks in order for that to happen? The AFL had an apopletic fit, the Herald Sun ran a cover of Ron Barassi squashing a soccer ball saying “over my dead body” to suggestions the AFL wouldn’t be able to use the MCG during the tournament.



This is exactly why Australia will never become a WC or soccer powerhouse. When the establishment sporting culture actively works against the nation hosting the World Cup the culture in that nation will never produce WC success.

 

[foxdog50]

Can someone please tell me why Matt Ryan is captain or better yet why he is still in the team?

He almost never makes good saves, rarely even makes mediocre saves, regularly looks nervous handling back passes, and his distribution is an absolute liability.

He also personally set up France’s 2nd goal today by putting his defenders under unnecessary pressure.

The Grey Wiggle got us through to the big dance. I reckon it’s time to give him a chance to perform during regular play.

If the people who know about Soccer, I would think Langerak as our Goal Keeper

 

[ep2018]

This is exactly why Australia will never become a WC or soccer powerhouse. When the establishment sporting culture actively works against the nation hosting the World Cup the culture in that nation will never produce WC success.

I remember the AFL were shitty because had Australia won the 2022 bid they'd have had to pause the comp for a month. I understand where they came from but the WC is a once in a lifetime event, you'd surely throw support behind the bid even if it meant an interrupted season.

 

[And_ROOS]

Our top athletes suited for soccer play AFL. I wonder in an alternate universe how we'd go in world cups had the Fyfe and Dusty types played soccer instead.

There was a thread about that, and imagine if you had a big mobile striker in Franklin.

 

[Schneebly11]

I remember the AFL were shitty because had Australia won the 2022 bid they'd have had to pause the comp for a month. I understand where they came from but the WC is a once in a lifetime event, you'd surely throw support behind the bid even if it meant an interrupted season.

Hahaha! The AFL would have a wet dream if the A League collapsed and professional soccer in the nation came to an end. The AFL have zero benefit for Australia hosting a soccer WC, as that would pull people away from their game.

The AFL aren’t lovers of all sports, just their sport. And looks how AFL “legends” reacted to the plan for Australi to host the World Cup? Destroying soccer balls.

The chance to implement a successful A League and youth development program was in the decade post ‘06, but they failed to do that and let the media destroy the A League (the only news in Australia mass media I remember about the A League was it was full of violent hooligans).

 

[Blue1980]

Hahaha! The AFL would have a wet dream if the A League collapsed and professional soccer in the nation came to an end. The AFL have zero benefit for Australia hosting a soccer WC, as that would pull people away from their game.

The AFL aren’t lovers of all sports, just their sport. And looks how AFL “legends” reacted to the plan for Australi to host the World Cup? Destroying soccer balls.

The chance to implement a successful A League and youth development program was in the decade post ‘06, but they failed to do that and let the media destroy the A League (the only news in Australia mass media I remember about the A League was it was full of violent hooligans).

The media didn’t destroy the a-league.

Not saying the a-league crowds are all hooligans but I do find the typical crowd who goes to an a-league game, at least here in Melbourne to be more aggressive, less inclusive, more douchebag male dominated than an AFL or cricket crowd.

It turned me off going, as a lot of the behaviour seems like wannabe European.

 

[dirty2]

Players also need to stay here, rather than setting off on European adventures. Many players get lost in the European system. If we can get the development process right at home, there should be no need for players to head overseas. The exception is for players who are capable at the very top, then obviously you chase that opportunity. If, theoretically, we could recall all our players who play irregularly in mediocre European leagues, not only would these players play regularly here at home, they would improve the standard of the A-League, itself reducing the need to head overseas in the first place.

That's like saying don't bother trying to make the AFL... Be happy playing for ya local football club...

Or don't bother trying to get the best out of ya self.... Either or.

 

[Blue1980]

The USA is big enough the MLS could become a major league in it’s own right and not threaten the existing leagues. Not so Australia.

Plus they don’t have the seething hatred some in sports community in Australia have towards soccer. Remember when Australia was aiming to host this WC and it was suggested the AFL season would have to be suspended for 4 weeks in order for that to happen? The AFL had an apopletic fit, the Herald Sun ran a cover of Ron Barassi squashing a soccer ball saying “over my dead body” to suggestions the AFL wouldn’t be able to use the MCG during the tournament.



This is exactly why Australia will never become a WC or soccer powerhouse. When the establishment sporting culture actively works against the nation hosting the World Cup the culture in that nation will never produce WC success.

The thing is we did produce world class players from around 1990 up until around the mid 00s, so what has changed since then?

Main thing to conclude is our talent pathways are stuffed, coaching stuffed and whatever the a-league is doing it doesn’t help us produce class players.

 

[revo333]

Well I guess Australia is going to have to start caring about soccer then. Expand the A league, make it promotion/relegation, we need fans to show up to support their clubs, dump the AFL, and a bunch of other things that wont happen. Good luck.

Why do people keep suggesting this for the A-League?

It wouldn't make any difference to how the national team performs.

 

[dirty2]

Why do people keep suggesting this for the A-League?

It wouldn't make any difference to how the national team performs.

More young guys would get a chance... (In the B league)

 

[revo333]

What do people expect? Had golden generation playing until 30s. Talents like Oar, Juric, Arzani haven’t worked.
Football is realistically the worst of the ‘third’ sports, talent wise.
AFL and NRL rule. Then it’s basketball, football, tennis, netball, Rugby Union.
Australia need a serious cashflow and cultural change to even reach AFL. Meanwhile France has a billion dollars on the field.
Would love to follow the model of USA, who seem to do well even with NBA, MLB, NHL dominating the markets. Even Japan as well.
Too much politics involved with football. Especially Football NSW- absolutely ran horridly.

Do they have promotion/relegation?

 

[Total_Juddshanks]

I think the 2nd french goal killed our confidence completely. We were trying to play out from the back and have a crack up untli that point then we went into our shells a lot more.

Gap in class became more evident as the game went on, but really, it was like expecting a lower Championship side in england to be able to match it with a top premier league side.

A coach can't stop players making stupid mistakes but he is absolutely responsible for how a team reacts after a mistake.

The reason why a lot of people were so frustrated at how Australia was playing after going down by a goal is.. nothing happened. They hunkered down, they didn't try to attack and did nothing other than try to keep a 2-1 loss from becoming bigger. And predictably, with no attempt to keep the opposition honest or threaten them the other way, France absolutely battered them.

That is a situation where both what a manager says before the game and what they do when it happens is absolutely crucial. The approach a more attacking manager like Guus Hiddink or dare I say it Ange, would take is firstly to impress on the players pre game that when you're playing an elite team, there are inevitably going to be times where they exploit your mistakes and make you feel foolish, that's fine, what you absolutely must never stop doing is attacking, running to dangerous areas and putting them under pressure to defend the other way. And of you do go behind due to a bad error, the changes you make and what you say to players at half time must send a message that however good the opposition looks you must keep attacking, you must keep trying to pressure them and make them worry about you- not because it's good to watch or something, but because you simply do not have any chance of beating an elite opposition unless you at least try to take it up to them and make them think about how to stop you. With a vast gulf in skill and a goal behind you might only have a 5% or 10% chance of finding a hole or stringing together enough good play to actually beat or equalise against a team like France in that situation, but that is better than a cowering in your back third for the next 70 minutes waiting to find out if they will kick 3 or 5 or 7 goals against you.

The reason Harry Kewell was utterly losing his mind from that point onwards is he's played under managers who instill that sort of winning mindset, and he gets that if you don't at least try to take the game on you might as well just walk off the pitch and concede.

Arnold has the single worst failing a coach or manager can have..he doesn't believe his players are good enough to compete at this level and he doesn't believe they can be.

He epitomises the old school of mediocrity of Australian soccer which is content to bully the minnows in Asia and Oceana but doesn't seriously expect to compete against top tier opposition and is not prepared to take the risks needed to do so or ever get better. And surprise surprise, if you look at every international team he's ever coached, they live up to his expectations exactly.