Rant

[footylover18]

I wept like a little girl tonight. Tears of heartbreak.

Thank you Australia for playing great football throughout the tournament.

**** you Italia you possess all the ****en talent in the world and you play a disgusting brand of football. No wonder you can't ****en win any major tournaments. Even before you go the Red Card, you sat back and tried to beat Australia on the counter, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Disgusting.

I'm so ****ing fed up with Italian football, all you're good at is trying to ****ing **** a goal against the flow of play. You'd all be hanged if you tried to pull off such tactics if you were Brazlian. You didn't deserve to win tonight and I hate you for denying Australia.

I am so upset.

What the **** do Australia have to do to get a ****ing break in this sport. Seriously. I am fed up with how we have been treated in this WC, it's like the refs have done everything possible to try and eliminate us from this tournament. Well ****ing congratulations you've finally done it. There is NO ****NIG WAY IN HELL that is a ****ing penalty. **** YOU.

Lucas you have been a rock at the back for us. I hope you don't take this to heart. We woudlnt be here if it weren't for you. keep your head up mate.

 

[fugsy]

We beat them at everything else...it's the only thing they've got to hold on to.

 

[Refried Noodle]

The worst thing is the FFA was hoping to turn some of this 'bandwagon' into real support, I can't see that happening now.

Hell even I was saying the past week I'd try to get into the A-league and watch a bit more of the Euro league, but now, F*** it.

So many people are gonna be turned off Soccer for a bloody long time.

 

[scottywiper]

At the end of the day, we are seen as a minnow and treated as such.
We have to jump through hoops to get in, and then really didn't get the respect we earned once we were there.
FIFA couldn't give a rats about us, unlike the USA...

 

[Sedat!]

The worst thing is the FFA was hoping to turn some of this 'bandwagon' into real support, I can't see that happening now.

Hell even I was saying the past week I'd try to get into the A-league and watch a bit more of the Euro league, but now, F*** it.

So many people are gonna be turned off Soccer for a bloody long time.

I take a different view. We have grown and developed a strong sense of soccer culture during the last few weeks. Our loss, shattering and heart-wrenching as it was, will actually become a part of the growth and development of this culture. All the strong international countries can remember just as quickly their heartbreaking losses in major championships as they do their successes. It all makes up the history and culture of their respective teams. We, too, will be able to recite exactly where we were when John Aloisi scored that penalty against Uruguay just as quickly as when Totti scored that penalty against us. All Australians will now gravitate in some small part to the world game because it has given us the full rollercoaster of human emotion on the world stage.

I think we will ultimately remember this tournament as the one where we beat the Asian Champions, pushed the world's best like few teams can, and outplayed 2 of the most technically gifted teams in world football. Having said that, we should learn never to look a gift horse in the mouth in future major championships. Our numerical advantage and possession dominance against the Italians should have resulted in a positive result for us, and ultimately a semi-final berth could have been ours for the taking. Then you would have really seen some scared administrators of other codes in this country. As it was, we have made significant strides in the world game.

Supporters of other codes take note: there is no other sport that can unify ALL Australians like the world game has, and did over the last few weeks. This is not a playground for the English colonies, or the Anglo-elite. This game is one which embraces all 20 million people that call Australia home. Watch it continue to take flight in this country.

I have never been as proud to be Australian as I am today.

 

[crowsarethebest]

We just don't have that supreme finish those big countries do. Also we need to work on our diving. We totally don't know when to dive properley.

 

[Mr Sensitive]

Supporters of other codes take note: there is no other sport that can unify ALL Australians like the world game has, and did over the last few weeks. This is not a playground for the English colonies, or the Anglo-elite. This game is one which embraces all 20 million people that call Australia home. Watch it continue to take flight in this country.

I have never been as proud to be Australian as I am today.

Spot on... Even the ashes has never generated so much excitement before. Neither have the wallabies, even when Australia hosted the Rugby World Cup... Football is the only code which unites the entire country regardless of ethnicity... despite the heartbreaking loss, this is an exciting time to be a football fan in this country... Bring on the A-league and the Asian Championships!!

 

[ErnieSigley]

We just don't have that supreme finish those big countries do. Also we need to work on our diving. We totally don't know when to dive properley.

Bresciano knows how.

 

[toulairene]

I hate the azzuri, one of the most talented outfits in the world with great players and they serve up that junk each and every tournament and this time counting on a dive to see them through.

Italy were the better team but that doesnt mean they deserved to win, when you dont take chances you dont deserve it, for 90 minutes they missed and missed and were kept out by schwarzer, shame it took a cheap spot kick to get them into the last 8, makes you wonder why they even bothered with the 90 minutes in the 1st place.

Dissapointing to see the Italian fans here in Australia milk this as if they have won the world cup, bet ya half of em wouldnt know who they play in the quarter finals now.

Look forward to the excuses next week when they are bundled out, hopefully in controversial circumstances.

 

[Mr Sensitive]

I wouldn't really have a go at Italian-Australians who chose to support Italy last night. It stems from the fact that for so long Italy was all they had to cheer for because Australia was consistently $hit. Hopefully in the coming years less and less people barrack for other countries as Australia grows as a footballing nation.

 

[Bennycoff]

I just don't know how you could support the opposition of Australia if you are born here and live here, its a joke.

 

[toulairene]

I wouldn't really have a go at Italian-Australians who chose to support Italy last night. It stems from the fact that for so long Italy was all they had to cheer for because Australia was consistently $hit. Hopefully in the coming years less and less people barrack for other countries as Australia grows as a footballing nation.

Nothing wrong with supporting Italy, but who are they kidding anyone see the scenes on the news? it was like they won the whole thing, fist fights on melbourne streets with socceroo fans..... a bit much i say, the way they carried on was wrong i think just by the way the match was decided they really did milk it for all it was worth and it was dissapointing to see, i have said this many times Italian soccer fans are great, here in Australia they are a joke, if it doesnt involve baggio (the past) or totti (now) hitting penalties in the late stages of world cup matches then they simply dont care.

 

[Ari]

It's like this...

We owned the game... we had most of the ball... but... Italy play a defence game, we werent ready for that.

We had all the play... and should have won it on that really.

The red card was a poor decision. It was definitely a yellow, but im not convinced it was a straighout red. While watching it of course, I was wrapped but looking back now I think we were pretty lucky.

Guus has some answering to do too. At 50 minutes we had 40 minutes to move some fresh legs onto the park and run Italy about. We had to do it at least at 60 minutes...we didnt. We waited till 80 minutes before bring Aloisi on.... THAT was a very very poor mistake. Italy arent like Japan, theyre a fortress; we were never going to issue a repeat performance of Japan.

By the time Aloisi was firing and running at peak 90 minutes had ended and we were facing a penalty; he had all of 12 minutes on the park. That is poor management Guus... leaving fresh legs on the bench. As I said, we were never going to repeat the Japanese performance in 10 minutes, certainly not against Italy. I was screaming at the TV to use the interchange.

Then at 92 minutes hell struck. Sure, the penalty was poor and not really there but we should never have been in that position.... and it's that simple. The Italian took a dive, but what do you expect? The ref fell for it. With 11 onto 10 for nearly all of the 2nd half we should have been at least a goal up.

Looking on the good side though... the round of 16! Wow... absolutely fantastic. Dissapointed? Very. When the dust settles I think Association Football will have a new lease on life in what has been a previously stale market. I for one have always been 'interested'.... but for now, I might just switch that to 'passionate'.

Thank-you Australia..... for one hell of a ride and some incredible memories.

 

[Diego]

If anything these australian born italos of 3rd gen should respect the country a bit. I saw the celebrations and thought how pathetic. These are idiots who were born here ffs. They were born here, they don't speak italian, most of them have never been back and they choose to act like that?

Even myself, argentinian born, have said if the aussies were to play the argies the aussie would have been my team.

But nah these trollops have to be their usual selfs. Takes me back to the scenes at school when the little finochios would run through the whole school with the italian flag acting like pork chops and most of them couldnt spell "ciao abruzzi".

 

[footylover18]

It still hurts. It's painful to watch the replays. Feeling very depressed still. Bitterness towards the Italians and the Refs. WIll take me a while to get over this.

 

[Canna7]

No need to take your anger out on Italo-Australians who supported Italy (like myself).

We have every right to support whoever we want. Like mentioned earlier in this thread, we have supported the Italian national team and the domestic clubs for so long while Australian soccer has been invisible, you can't instantly expect us to throw away all that passion we have developed over the years.

I supported Australia in this World Cup as well, in every moment except for the 90 minutes when they played Italy. Yes I was born and bred here, no I have never been to Italy, but who the hell are you to tell me who I have to support? I love Australia the country and I wouldn't wanna live anywhere else. But I support the Italian NT. Big deal, don't be sour, it doesn't concern you personally.

As for the fans celebrating in the streets, tell me who wouldn't celebrate scoring a last minute goal to get your team into the quarter final of the World Cup?

 

[cleveland]

No need to take your anger out on Italo-Australians who supported Italy (like myself).

We have every right to support whoever we want. Like mentioned earlier in this thread, we have supported the Italian national team and the domestic clubs for so long while Australian soccer has been invisible, you can't instantly expect us to throw away all that passion we have developed over the years.

I supported Australia in this World Cup as well, in every moment except for the 90 minutes when they played Italy. Yes I was born and bred here, no I have never been to Italy, but who the hell are you to tell me who I have to support? I love Australia the country and I wouldn't wanna live anywhere else. But I support the Italian NT. Big deal, don't be sour, it doesn't concern you personally.

As for the fans celebrating in the streets, tell me who wouldn't celebrate scoring a last minute goal to get your team into the quarter final of the World Cup?

Why dont you move on over there and be called a tri hard, because that is what you are.

 

[Canna7]

bulldogrob, that is a real narrow minded view mate, but I understand that you might still be emotional over the game so I will give you the benefit of the doubt for now.

 

[cleveland]

Even though i agree that it is a narrow minded view, its correct. Maybe i shouldnt have called you what i did, but it annoys me that people that are born here show no loyalty to our country. If you went to italy they would think you are a outsider as your Australian.

For people who were born overseas and have come here for a better life i can understand them still feeling strongly about their homeland. But Australians born in Australia to barrack for another country is a disgrace. No matter where your family are from.

 

[Canna7]

"No loyalty".

That is completely false mate.

I consider myself an Australian with an Italian background. I love the country, reckon it's fantastic. I play footy, have done so my whole life, have been a Melbourne member for 11 years, I support Australian's in almost every sporting contest, whether it be cricket, rugby, Olympics, swimming, etc... I don't go to the tennis and cheer on the Italians, I cheer Hewitt and that bloody frustrating Phillipoussis. I couldn't name one Italian Olympian, but I will always support Thorpy and the rest.

But soccer is different. As I explained, when it comes to soccer, Australia has had little to no existence on the world stage up until this year really. My father who was born in Italy has regularly watched every World Cup barracking for Italy, so I have followed suit. And I then developed a liking for them. I began supporting the Azzurri and AC Milan many years ago and have a great passion for them. It's hard to just throw away your passion for a team when you have supported them for so long.

 

[Benno_900]

Guus has some answering to do too. At 50 minutes we had 40 minutes to move some fresh legs onto the park and run Italy about. We had to do it at least at 60 minutes...we didnt. We waited till 80 minutes before bring Aloisi on.... THAT was a very very poor mistake. Italy arent like Japan, theyre a fortress; we were never going to issue a repeat performance of Japan.

By the time Aloisi was firing and running at peak 90 minutes had ended and we were facing a penalty; he had all of 12 minutes on the park. That is poor management Guus... leaving fresh legs on the bench. As I said, we were never going to repeat the Japanese performance in 10 minutes, certainly not against Italy. I was screaming at the TV to use the interchange.

I agree.

Because we were unsuccessfully trying to get a proper shot in and all Italy were doing was sitting back and defending, I think Hiddink thought that extra time was inevitabile and decided to save the substitiutions.

It obviously turned out to be a bad move.