International Football General Talk Thread

What are you most looking forward to from the first international break of the season?


  • Total voters
    15
  • Poll closed .
Mar 31, 2006
1,195
213
Melbourne
AFL Club
West Coast
"Congratulations on making the FIFA world cup. We however have a proposition for you. Since you're unlikely to go very far, would you be willing to sell your spot to Italy, the USA, or the Netherlands? We'll pay you and your football administration handsomely of course."
I'd consider Holland. The USA couldn't displace Panama, and its too funny seeing Italy out of it. :)
 
Jan 13, 2015
9,086
7,656
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
Leicester, Vixens
Geez... with the opinions on us, I'm starting to wonder if you guys would back us against a 2nd string U20 American Samoa team after most of their places couldn't make it due to passport problems.

We qualified on our own merits. Not our fault the US couldn't beat T&T, or Italy couldn't beat Sweden, or the Netherlands were any good at all.

I've seen quite a few opposition fans that don't want us to be their Pot 4 side. It's all about context.

Yes, we need a bit more work, but we're not exactly the worst thing at the cup. Be glad we're here in the first place.
 
Geez... with the opinions on us, I'm starting to wonder if you guys would back us against a 2nd string U20 American Samoa team after most of their places couldn't make it due to passport problems.

We qualified on our own merits. Not our fault the US couldn't beat T&T, or Italy couldn't beat Sweden, or the Netherlands were any good at all.

I've seen quite a few opposition fans that don't want us to be their Pot 4 side. It's all about context.

Yes, we need a bit more work, but we're not exactly the worst thing at the cup. Be glad we're here in the first place.

This.

Soccerroos fans seem to fluctuate rapidly between thinking it's our God-given right to be at the WC to thinking we're the most embarrassing rabble of a football side ever assembled, when in reality it's somewhere in between. International perception is that we're a good footballing nation with some star players in big leagues, and as a result would be a potential banana skin to come across. We need to embrace that.
 
Mar 20, 2007
28,138
24,598
AFL Club
West Coast
This.

Soccerroos fans seem to fluctuate rapidly between thinking it's our God-given right to be at the WC to thinking we're the most embarrassing rabble of a football side ever assembled.

I have noticed this a lot in regards to the discussion of Ange (and I myself have been guilty of it as well)
As much as the 3 at the back formation might be annoying, this is still the guy that won us the Asian Cup (something that every other manager has failed to do). In post match press conferences managers (more accomplished ones too) are always quick to complement Ange and his managerial style.

If Ange wants to leave its his call, but he has arguably been our best manager since Gus
 
Sep 7, 2008
53,886
36,821
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
Philadelphia Eagles
I have noticed this a lot in regards to the discussion of Ange (and I myself have been guilty of it as well)
As much as the 3 at the back formation might be annoying, this is still the guy that won us the Asian Cup (something that every other manager has failed to do). In post match press conferences managers (more accomplished ones too) are always quick to complement Ange and his managerial style.

If Ange wants to leave its his call, but he has arguably been our best manager since Gus
Of course, that could be because we’ve only been playing in the Asian Cup since 07. We’ve only been to 3 Asian Cups.

He may well be our greatest manager but using the Asian Cup success is a bit harsh on the other managers
 
Oct 5, 2009
53,178
42,438
Adelaide
AFL Club
Adelaide
Other Teams
West Adelaide Bloods, Man City.
i do think ange has gotten to the end of his cycle nationally but he deserves to go to the world cup. it's not all his fault though. the fa here are just dreadful. a real lack of talent and funding at youth level is having a massive effect on everything. he is trying to get players playing in a modern sense, and imo that should be respected. what is the point of just playing lump and run?

the amount of vitriol he has gotten is absurd. look what he has to deal with. the best striker is a bloke who is nearly 38. he has 4 players who are regulars at relevant european clubs (ryan mooy leckie and rogic). there just seems to be this bias and inability to see that much of the squad really is not that flash.
 
Jun 27, 2013
46,976
43,976
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Tottenham Hotspur, SSC Napoli, ESH
Italy could do a lot worse than graham Arnold as manager, tactical genius in the conte mould.
To be honest, surely he would've recognised we need to play 3 at the back and pack the midfield with extra numbers

Like anyone, except the old stubborn **** in charge
 
Mar 31, 2006
1,195
213
Melbourne
AFL Club
West Coast
Geez... with the opinions on us, I'm starting to wonder if you guys would back us against a 2nd string U20 American Samoa team after most of their places couldn't make it due to passport problems.

We qualified on our own merits. Not our fault the US couldn't beat T&T, or Italy couldn't beat Sweden, or the Netherlands were any good at all.

I've seen quite a few opposition fans that don't want us to be their Pot 4 side. It's all about context.

Yes, we need a bit more work, but we're not exactly the worst thing at the cup. Be glad we're here in the first place.
Its just the usual arrogant football thing. If you support the Socceroos you mustn't know anything about football. I don't know why some of these people have the team they support as Australia. They obviously dont. Peru took a while to get over New Zealand, who drew with Italy, who didn't even make this world cup, beat Denmark with a shittish team and an even shitter manager prior to 2010. I think most half reasonable teams would beat Peru outside of Peru. They remind me a bit of Paraguay. Its not the same competition, or won't be the same line up, but we didn't do to bad against against Germany in the Confederation's cup and haven't done to badly against them since South Africa, should have beaten Chile, who are the current South American champions who also didn't make the world cup.
I tend to just brush it off.
 
Mar 31, 2006
1,195
213
Melbourne
AFL Club
West Coast
Peru did well at the Copa America last year that was held in the United States. They beat Brazil and only lost to Colombia on penalties.
Doesn't that say it all? When Australia beat France and Brazil in 2001 in Asia, we were constantly reminded that they didn't field their best team. Brazil didn't but France weren't far off. Then later on we did play their best team and the game ended 1-1. Anyone that believes sport at international level between competitive countries isnt serious is kidding themselves. That or they have never played competitive sport.
 
Went to the Belgium-Costa Rica friendly tonight in Brussels, pretty good stadium they have! Holds just over 50k, a lot of empty seats due to a friendly with a small country opponent but it creates a lot of noise. €2.50 a beer, coming from Australia & being used to extortion at the footy I was quite surprised.

Bryan Ruiz scored the opener, but then Mertens, Lukaku either side of HT & Michy made it a pretty easy victory
 
Back