Socceroos World Cup Qualifiers Third Round - Australia V Vietnam/Oman

mouncey2franklin

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No need to throw the toys out of the cot yet, lads.

Still two games to go in the group stage, worst case scenario, it will be a playoff with the 3rd team from the other group.

Then a one-leg tie against the fifth South American team, something the Aussies have handled well before.

That's the best prep for the World Cup you could ask for, really.

As somebody else mentioned earlier in the thread, the Socceroos have them right where they want them :thumbsu:
 
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No need to throw the toys out of the cot yet, lads.

Still two games to go in the group stage, worst case scenario, it will be a playoff with the 3rd team from the other group.

Then a one-leg tie against the fifth South American team, something the Aussies have handled well before.

That's the best prep for the World Cup you could ask for, really.

As somebody else mentioned earlier in the thread, the Socceroos have them right where they want them :thumbsu:
I doubt we beat the UAE in Qatar. We wont even make it to the intercontinental play off.
 

lewdogs

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Ange is the best manager this country has produced by far. He's borderline world class, the football we played under him was exceptional and if he'd had a better side we could have been amazing.

Arnold is no where near that. Realistically we are still only two wins from the world cup, we should sack him and see if we can get a good manager to bounce us in by beating Japan and Saudi. There is no way that Arnold wins those two matches in my opinion and if we go through the playoff route we haven't got a chance.
 
Dec 22, 2009
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Ange is the best manager this country has produced by far. He's borderline world class, the football we played under him was exceptional and if he'd had a better side we could have been amazing.

Arnold is no where near that. Realistically we are still only two wins from the world cup, we should sack him and see if we can get a good manager to bounce us in by beating Japan and Saudi. There is no way that Arnold wins those two matches in my opinion and if we go through the playoff route we haven't got a chance.

Absolutely. Ange wont be at Celtic for long either. I predict he will be a PL manager by the end of this year.

Theres plenty of high profile European managers not employed atm. Get them in on a deal until Asian Cup 23 and give them what they want. Get it done ASAP.
 
Then a one-leg tie against the fifth South American team, something the Aussies have handled well before.
Colombia, Uruguay, Peru or Chile? Zero chance, besides Arnold we just don’t have the talent.
 
Absolutely. Ange wont be at Celtic for long either. I predict he will be a PL manager by the end of this year.

Theres plenty of high profile European managers not employed atm. Get them in on a deal until Asian Cup 23 and give them what they want. Get it done ASAP.
I think he’ll stay a bit longer at Celtic. If he wins the Prem this season they get go straight through CL group stage
 
Dec 22, 2009
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I think he’ll stay a bit longer at Celtic. If he wins the Prem this season they get go straight through CL group stage

If the Prem comes calling he is gone. Same as Gerrard or any manager pretty much in the SPL. Ange is ambitious and believes in his ability.


Who knows - he may well be the Bielsa successor!!!
 
If the Prem comes calling he is gone. Same as Gerrard or any manager pretty much in the SPL. Ange is ambitious and believes in his ability.


Who knows - he may well be the Bielsa successor!!!
I’ve actually thought that before re Bielsa. Would be a lot of pressure on him if he did get a PL job, doesn’t have enough runs on the board yet in regards to Euro experience. I’ve always thought a Champ team should’ve appointed him, he’s better than most managers there and many in the Prem.
 

corbies

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With the expansion to 48 teams starting in 2026 we'll be making every WC until the end of time, might be a nice wake up call to miss Qatar.

I doubt we beat the UAE in Qatar. We wont even make it to the intercontinental play off.
If you don't think we can beat the UAE in Qatar then I don't see how you have us as an fait accompli qualifier even if Asia has 8 team qualifying.
 
Ange is a terrific manager but we didn't have the cattle for his style of play. It's not surprising he was successful in Japan and is doing a great job at Celtic. He has ambition which Arnold doesn't have. Not only are the players not good enough, we're just awful to watch.
 

mouncey2franklin

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Absolutely. Ange wont be at Celtic for long either. I predict he will be a PL manager by the end of this year.

If that happens it will be epic. I would become a fan of whichever club he takes over. I doubt it happens though.
 
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Feb 23, 2009
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Ange is the best manager this country has produced by far. He's borderline world class, the football we played under him was exceptional and if he'd had a better side we could have been amazing.

Arnold is no where near that. Realistically we are still only two wins from the world cup, we should sack him and see if we can get a good manager to bounce us in by beating Japan and Saudi. There is no way that Arnold wins those two matches in my opinion and if we go through the playoff route we haven't got a chance.
100% he is, has had success in multiple leagues across the world.

Unfortunately though, he didn't have the talent to execute his football consistently, so should he have changed his style for our team or should we have produced better players?

For me the biggest issue we have even before management, is our players suck.

Low technical ability, non existent flair, a fear of looking silly or like a hog at junior level so a lot of creativity is coached out of players, and so many poor decisions for league choices by the squad, players either on the bench or playing in sub standard leagues.
 
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Honestly, at this point in history our team lacks talent, so you have to make up for it with a manager who is tactically on top of his game, has some really new and ingenious ideas, and can minimize our issues while opening up the opposition.

We have a dullard. A dullard who's only contribution in 2006 WC qualifiers was getting told not to chew gum on TV by Guus.
 
Dec 22, 2009
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100% he is, has had success in multiple leagues across the world.

Unfortunately though, he didn't have the talent to execute his football consistently, so should he have changed his style for our team or should we have produced better players?

For me the biggest issue we have even before management, is our players suck.

Low technical ability, non existent flair, a fear of looking silly or like a hog at junior level so a lot of creativity is coached out of players, and so many poor decisions for league choices by the squad, players either on the bench or playing in sub standard leagues.

We've got talent galore in this country. I see it myself all the time. Just needs to be harnessed properly and it shouldnt be costing parents 3-4k a year to play NPL juniors. All this does is it means some of the most talented kids slip through the cracks. Yes sometimes there are scholarships but they are exceedingly rare. If you want to get a start in this country as a gun young footballer around the 13/14/15 years old mark you unfortunately need big bucks. This for me is the biggest issue.

Bring shitloads more through NPL and into playing A League seniors by 17/18. That's the perfect preparation for playing in Europe.
 
Dec 22, 2009
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Honestly, at this point in history our team lacks talent, so you have to make up for it with a manager who is tactically on top of his game, has some really new and ingenious ideas, and can minimize our issues while opening up the opposition.

We have a dullard. A dullard who's only contribution in 2006 WC qualifiers was getting told not to chew gum on TV by Guus.

Rafa Benitez says hi.
 
Feb 23, 2009
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We've got talent galore in this country. I see it myself all the time. Just needs to be harnessed properly and it shouldnt be costing parents 3-4k a year to play NPL juniors. All this does is it means some of the most talented kids slip through the cracks. Yes sometimes there are scholarships but they are exceedingly rare. If you want to get a start in this country as a gun young footballer around the 13/14/15 years old mark you unfortunately need big bucks. This for me is the biggest issue.

Bring shitloads more through NPL and into playing A League seniors by 17/18. That's the perfect preparation for playing in Europe.
Talent compared to who though? Certainly not near any of the big Euro or South American countries. Larger population aside, football is their dominant sport whereas for us Aussie rules and rugby codes take a lot of the talent pool of athletes who'd be playing football.

We should be a leader in Asia though which we aren't.

Australia being a jack of all trades sporting nation spreads our elite talent very thinly.
 
Dec 22, 2009
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Talent compared to who though? Certainly not near any of the big Euro or South American countries. Larger population aside, football is their dominant sport whereas for us Aussie rules and rugby codes take a lot of the talent pool of athletes who'd be playing football.

We should be a leader in Asia though which we aren't.

Australia being a jack of all trades sporting nation spreads our elite talent very thinly.

We punch above our weight if anything considering our population. At junior level football is the dominant sport here, participation numbers are through the roof.
 
The problem the sport has is that it is not Aussie Rules, Rugby League, or Cricket. It will not get the Government funding it needs to take the next step. It is going to take a billionaire or 2 to step in and take it upon themselves.
 
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We punch above our weight if anything considering our population. At junior level football is the dominant sport here, participation numbers are through the roof.
Mmm, we don't. Not sure the argument for that? We are mediocre at best on the international stage.

Australia/Population
25.69 million (2020)


Compared to these guys:

Netherlands/Population
17.44 million (2020)

Chile/Population
19.12 million (2020)

Iceland/Population
366,425 (2020)

Wales/Population
3.136 million (2019)

Uruguay/Population
3.474 million (2020)

Croatia/Population
4.047 million (2020)

Switzerland/Population
8.637 million (2020)

Belgium/Population
11.56 million (2020)

Portugal/Population
10.31 million (2020)

That was 2 minutes on google, I could probably go on and on and find more and more better footballing nations with smaller populations.
 
Dec 22, 2009
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Mmm, we don't. Not sure the argument for that? We are mediocre at best on the international stage.

Australia/Population
25.69 million (2020)


Compared to these guys:

Netherlands/Population
17.44 million (2020)

Chile/Population
19.12 million (2020)

Iceland/Population
366,425 (2020)

Wales/Population
3.136 million (2019)

Uruguay/Population
3.474 million (2020)

Croatia/Population
4.047 million (2020)

Switzerland/Population
8.637 million (2020)

Belgium/Population
11.56 million (2020)

Portugal/Population
10.31 million (2020)

That was 2 minutes on google, I could probably go on and on and find more and more better footballing nations with smaller populations.

In terms of Asian nations.
 
Dec 22, 2009
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Yeh but most of them aren't really sporting nations. Very different priorities, cultures and values.
Australia is more akin to a North American/ Western European nation than we are the Asian nations in terms of values and lifestyle.

USA / Canada would be the closest comparison. And we compare pretty favourably.
 
Jun 25, 2011
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The problem the sport has is that it is not Aussie Rules, Rugby League, or Cricket. It will not get the Government funding it needs to take the next step. It is going to take a billionaire or 2 to step in and take it upon themselves.

Listening to Simon Hill chat to Triple M about half an hour ago or so this is exactly what is required. He mentioned how Japan started their league in the 90s with only 10 professional teams, now they're into 3 divisions of professional teams so unless we get some serious funding into player and coaching development we will never be able to seriously compete with our Asian competitors.

What I think is hard in Australia IMO is the competition for both coverage and funding due to our saturation of sport compared to most of the world that only has football. We have already really entrenched sporting codes that people are already tribal about. It doesn't help that the winter codes have been hostile towards the growth of football at grass roots level. It will never knock off the winter codes but it shouldn't have to being a summer competition. They should be targeting the winter code supporters who may be bored with or simply not interested in cricket and want to keep following a domestic team sport all year round.
 
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