Probably should've just stuck with the old guard playing in Brazil.
Young and inexperienced, old and experienced, either way there'll be people retiring from football after the cup with the hidings we cop.
Probably should've just stuck with the old guard playing in Brazil.
Young and inexperienced, old and experienced, either way there'll be people retiring from football after the cup with the hidings we cop.
My exposure to the Socceroos was pretty sporadic. I remember watching them play Argentina and thinking "these guys can compete, we aren't hopeless. Wow, Batistuta is pretty good." I remember going to a Socceroo game against Sweden and we seemed pretty hopeless. I remember the Iran campaign, and both Uruguay campaigns thinking "We are good enough to be in this".
For me Guus Hiddink was a revelation. He actually verbalised what I had always felt, that Australia has to find its unique playing style, which is positive and attacking but also incorporates the European skill that migrants had introduced. The first few games under Guus after he took over from Farina took me from "We are good enough to be in this" to "We can actually play FOOTBALL". The style in 2006 was beautiful to watch.
What Guus Hiddink talked about, Postecoglou actually embodies: a greek-Australian who favours the "attacking with skill" style that Australia should adopt. It is mainly for this reason that I am really looking forward to this World Cup, to see Ange put his stamp on the squad.
The second reason is to see the A-League era squad step up. In the past we relied on second generation Aussies from Croation and Italian heritage to make up most of the squad. Kids who developed their skills under the aura of the "old country" through their ethnic NSL clubs. There is nothing wrong with this, but it is more of a historical one time possibility. The post World War II migration and the resultant close feeling of diaspora can't be repeated or replicated.
Now we have the start of a more mainstream process where the non ethnic clubs are supplying the talent. So, even if we don't do well at this World Cup, the change in process is historical and has to be embraced, because that is the way of the future. I love it that I have watched a lot of these guys plying their trade in the A-League.
We are actually quite lucky that the Socceroos will be playing in the World Cup finals through such a seismic change in the culture of Australian football. Bring it on I say.
Last edited by hausmann; 14-05-2014 at 02:28 PM.
i'd deadset have brillante in the side over franjic. obviously that won't happen but i feel brillante would be the better option.
7 players likely to be cut:
- birraz
- brillante
- taggz
- wilko
- good (if injured)
- probs troisi although i'd prefer him to leckie/vidosic
- luongo
I reckon the 7 to be cut will be:
Mark Birighitti
Josh Brilliante
Adam Taggart
Massimo Luongo
Adam Sarota
Oliver Bozanic
Dario Vidosic
OK
taggz has to go, the dude is the prettiest man on the planet, he will score a hatful because everyone is looking at him
http://teamselector.footballaustrali...3731795ab6e6/1
who I'd put in the starting lineup
Nice little retirement tantrum from Og. I bet his tears taste delicious.
Langerak injured: 2 weeks out......Could it be Birraz time?
Only a friendly but Ecuador are beating Netherlands right now...
However Netherlands have nearly 75% possession...
Almost as I typed that, RVP scores.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spor...-1226924184336
Blahahah. Our farewell game might end up being against the South African U19 rep side at this rate.
(Most will still be mid 30's)
best players performance wise in Europe last year
Look whos number 33
http://new.livestream.com/facebookAN...CSoccerooQandA
Taggz on with Holland and Davidson as well.