Anyone watch the game last night, very average performance by the Aussies - looked incredibly flat.
Still, that's what happens when you play a 3rd string side against a Japan combination that has been playing together and is fit. An important lesson for Farina there, has to get his squad together early for France and keep them in Australia before the WCQ so they can play as a team.
Con Boutsianis played well as a sub (looked good with his nude head as well!) but the rest of them were very ordinary. A lot of players I'd never heard of.
You realised we were struggling when Farina brought on a sub who was..."attempting to get a game for Seria C club Trieste!" Hardly Manchester United!
The other interesting news is FIFA have decided all qualifying matches must be concluded by the 25 November at the latest. With South American qualifiers concluding on the 13th, it doens't leave much time.
The options would appear to be:
Play France on the 11th, fly straight to South America to face opponent - problem is we mightn't know who they are in time, and doesn't give them very long to organise the match.
Play France, keep players in Australia and play South American opponent between the 18th-20th November, then fly to South America for 2nd leg. Means less travel for us, but I doubt a South American country will be too wrapped about flying to Australia with 3 days notice.
The good thing is either way, there doesn't appear to be time for the likes of Kewell and Viduka to fly back to Europe, so we should have them in the squad from before the France game until when it is all over!
Still, that's what happens when you play a 3rd string side against a Japan combination that has been playing together and is fit. An important lesson for Farina there, has to get his squad together early for France and keep them in Australia before the WCQ so they can play as a team.
Con Boutsianis played well as a sub (looked good with his nude head as well!) but the rest of them were very ordinary. A lot of players I'd never heard of.
You realised we were struggling when Farina brought on a sub who was..."attempting to get a game for Seria C club Trieste!" Hardly Manchester United!
The other interesting news is FIFA have decided all qualifying matches must be concluded by the 25 November at the latest. With South American qualifiers concluding on the 13th, it doens't leave much time.
The options would appear to be:
Play France on the 11th, fly straight to South America to face opponent - problem is we mightn't know who they are in time, and doesn't give them very long to organise the match.
Play France, keep players in Australia and play South American opponent between the 18th-20th November, then fly to South America for 2nd leg. Means less travel for us, but I doubt a South American country will be too wrapped about flying to Australia with 3 days notice.
The good thing is either way, there doesn't appear to be time for the likes of Kewell and Viduka to fly back to Europe, so we should have them in the squad from before the France game until when it is all over!
