Socceroos World Cup 2018 Autopsy

[8Eyes]

What went wrong and what needs to change?

For me, it starts with the coaching at domestic level. We've got a bunch of Australians running the system with little to no experience at the highest level, and they clearly don't understand how to develop quality players. This is the same problem America has, and they didn't even make the world cup. I think the FFA should be spending their money on coaches who have been a part of high quality football teams. Stop letting the current crop continue to bog down our talent, especially at youth level.

That being said, it won't be happening any time soon. Get ready for more of the same with Graham Arnold taking over, and once he's done, we'll probably hire Kevin Muscat, furthering strengthening our ties with scrappy, poor quality football.

 

[citizen-erased]

Zero edge or attacking nous

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

Find some competent forwards.

 

[DaRick]

- Our coaching system is apparently markedly behind Japan's (or even Korea's) when it comes to properly developing youth. Given the high youth interest in soccer this is a complete indictment on said system.

- I don't know why the FFA has such budgetary constraints which prevent it from hiring reasonably reputable coaches. Instead of luring, say, Jose Pekerman, who is excellent at working with youth players, we got saddled with people like Osieck and Verbeek for around five years and thus missed opportunities to develop youth (albeit they weren't on par with the golden generation), causing more difficulties down the track as our golden generation aged and we couldn't find broadly competent replacements.

- In this WC, I thought van Marwijk was too conservative and predictable with his initial lineups and subs. He gave too much time to Kruse/Juric, too little to Cahill/Arzani/McLaren and preferred Jackson Irvine over Luongo despite the latter being the superior player and arguably the better goalscorer in recent times. He could also have changed up his formation to a 2-striker formation to try and grab a result but I don't recall him doing so.

- Jedinak led well and was great from the penalty spot, but he looked positively glacial at times in the midfield and is not the marking/tackling/intercepting destroyer he once was, meaning that Mooy also had to cover him. He also now lacks the stamina to get through 90 minutes IMO.

- Mooy/Leckie/Behich/Sainsbury/Milligan impressed in the first two games, Rogic/Arzani/Risdon impressed in the second and Ryan was pretty decent overall.

- Andrew Nabbout works hard and is quick, but with his lack of height and consistent finishing ability, he seems better suited to be a second striker/inside forward, in place of Kruse. In fairness to Kruse, he worked hard and got himself into good positions at times, but injuries have robbed him of much of his pace and vitality.

 

[ioppolo]

Graham Arnold taking over in time for another Asian Cup. His last one in charge went ever so well.

 

[Cuzz09]

Not a fan of Jedinak. Seems like a jerk

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[smasha]

When you are not good enough at Aussie Rules or Rugby you go and play soccer,the bottom line.

 

[Visions]

When you are not good enough at Aussie Rules or Rugby you go and play soccer,the bottom line.

Must be bad considering the skill levels of 80% of Aussie Rule players in the AFL are below par.

 

[giggler99]

No worries Arnold taking over she’ll be right! All rainbows and sunshine’s at FFA HQ

 

[Total_Juddshanks]

Without melting about it, viewed in the cold light of day that is just a clear, outright fail of a World Cup.

Finished bottom of our group, won no games,scored no goals except for jammy penalties. The fact that we dominated stretches of play without scoring isn't good news, it's just an indictment of the fundamental weakness in the Australian footballing program, even when we get in control of games we don't have players who know how to put the ball in the net, which renders everything else useless. The starting point in addressing that is surely appointing a high quality international
Manager and retaining them in that position.

This should also trigger a root and branch reform of the FA and fundamental questions about where we are going to develop our next generation of goal scorers from. I don't know if that willl happen, but I do know the next time I see a spud like Juric start for the socceroos is the last time I bother watching the national team.

 

[mouncey2franklin]

It is genuinely amusing to me that Arnold is next in line. Like waking up in some bizarro Back to the Future type of reality, when Biff Tannen has gone back and messed everything up.

I think Bert played too many players in their prime. Needed to give more minutes to teenagers and 38-year-olds. That is the vibe I get from social media, anyway.

Jokes aside, Jedinak was lame. At the start of the tournament it was rumoured he was not in the best XI. Sounded crazy to me at the time. Now I am wondering why he was in the side at all. Clearly not up to it. Remember that press conference he missed just before the tournament? What really happened there? Maybe some behind the scenes shenanigans...

I'm 30 years old. I was there in 2010 when Germany routed us 4-0 in Durban. I still remember the heroics of 2006. I woke up early for the games in 2014. I accept that I will probably never see Aus progress past R16, and even getting there might only happen once again in my life.

Until there is a genuine promotion/relegation system in our domestic league, I can't see how the development pathways will ever compete with other sports in this country, or the soccer systems in other countries.

But I'll still tune in for 2022. Might even try to get to 2026. Without expectations, the ride can still be fun enough.

 

[giggler99]

Somethings got Robbie up the wrong way through!


Looks like some shits about to hit the fan, than again when has there ever been a point where it hasn’t.

 

[The Speaker]

As I said in the group thread, Postecoglou had the wrong formation, but van Marwijk had the wrong players. I don't know which is more frustrating.

Luongo and Maclaren were the two big misses for me, at least from those in the squad. Cahill and Arzani will get all the chatter, but the other two got 0 minutes and could've really had an impact.

 

[The Speaker]

I should also say that I think too much is made of 'youth' development when players are in late primary school-early high school. If we want to produce top talent again, they have to start younger. Soccer isn't like other sports in that regard - it takes a long, long investment.

 

[Cuzz09]

Oooh watch out ots Robbie

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[Jivlain]

Two goals and zero clean sheets aren’t going to get you out of the groups very often.

 

[DaRick]

I should also say that I think too much is made of 'youth' development when players are in late primary school-early high school. If we want to produce top talent again, they have to start younger. Soccer isn't like other sports in that regard - it takes a long, long investment.

One point that could be made is that, as a result, many in the current Australian side (Nabbout, Leckie, MacLaren, Kruse and Jedinak in their younger years) look less like outright soccer players and more like talented athletes who just happened to use their existing skillsets to fashion careers in soccer. Rogic/Mooy appear to be exceptions to this rule.

 

[The Fonz]

Great analysis here.
The key game was always going to be the Denmark one but early goal by the Danes f'd that up. Throw caution to the wind there, not 10 minutes to go against Peru.
Mission impossible 4 years ago at least we went down swinging. Feels here like we never even got out of first gear.

 

[Metalcrusher]

You really cant afford to play 5-4-1 with 2 defensive midfielders. Sure you "control" large amounts of the play but you will never threaten the net …. unless of course you have a dead set super star at CF. That formation with the players used will get you draws more often than not against better quality opposition ….

For a "must win" game against Peru, should have gone with a 4-4-2 and drop Jed for an offensive midfielder.

 

[FRUMPY]

They stuffed it up months ago by having to get a new coach. This side needs to be settled years in advance. Not sure why Agge quit or was forced to quit but it just stuffs everything up. Having said that, we barely got through under him and would have got smashed if he did continue to coach.

Thought Van Marwijk did a pretty reasonable job considering he had them twice for about a month to get them playing his way. We matched it on the field but our finishing is diabolical. Van Marwijk had his set first 11 and that's fair enough. Thought maybe Luongo should have got some minutes as he has that ability to make something happen. Azani as a sub was all we could expect and Cahill could have been used but he's not the saviour, on his last legs.

Players like Kruse should have been replaced after the 1st or 2nd game, he has been bad for a long time and showed it in the world cup. Everytime he touched the ball in a good position he stuffed it up

They need to get the next 4 years right now. Graeme Arnold is not the answer and we will probably waste 2 years under him.

 

[revo333]

I thought when the Pim Verbeek reign ended that its effect could hang around the team for decades.

Maybe something different needs to be done in development, The only answer seems to be send them to Europe but how many players go over only to fall of the face of the earth or come back with minimal improvement?

And it's obvious we need better forwards, Nabbout tried hard but it's a little embarrassing on the world stage if that's the best we have got.

 

[sydney_gws]

This is the problem, best solution is for afl to downgrade itself to amateur status, but its hardly going to do that. We should make our a-league imports 18 year old african or south Americans, so they can become naturalized aussies and play for us

When you are not good enough at Aussie Rules or Rugby you go and play soccer,the bottom line.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

I thought when the Pim Verbeek reign ended that its effect could hang around the team for decades.

Maybe something different needs to be done in development, The only answer seems to be send them to Europe but how many players go over only to fall of the face of the earth or come back with minimal improvement?

And it's obvious we need better forwards, Nabbout tried hard but it's a little embarrassing on the world stage if that's the best we have got.

As an outsider, with regards to the highlighted, how feesible would it be to have a stand alone Aussie team in something like the English Football League? Send all of our promising juniors over there to be developed in that sort of environment. When they're older they can head of in the likes of the EPL.

 

[Pykie]

The great hope when it comes to next few years tbh.

Played 5 games for Ipswich, 19 years of age, lets hope he kicks on in the next few years.

As he's legitimately the only young striker near the first team of a European side at the moment. Borello potentially another.

Arzani, McGree, Italiano etc are all wingers/mid's.

 

[revo333]

Until there is a genuine promotion/relegation system in our domestic league, I can't see how the development pathways will ever compete with other sports in this country, or the soccer systems in other countries.

We are around the same age and i'm not sure i'll even see this in my lifetime.

Would nearly bet the NBL could do it first if Aussies keep going over to the NBA.