A fairer World Cup qualifying campaign, but less exciting

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By dasilva, 17 Feb 2009 dasilva is a Roar Guru

Tagged:: football, Socceroos World Cup 2010, World Football

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Before joining Asia in 2006, our World Cup qualification pathway was done by sudden death playoffs, although the qualification pathway FIFA has given Australia has been inherently unfair and it probably cost us a lot of World Cup participation.

One of things that it did give us was two highly intensive, highly anticipated and nerve-wracking blockbuster matches.

Who remembers the bravery of Australia honourably matching a Diego Maradona led Argentina, the intensity of Australia trying to score against Scotland, throwing everything but the kitchen sink at them to overturn the 2-0 deficit, the heartbreak of Iran, and the grand moment where John Aloisi kicked “that” penalty that sent Australia to the World Cup, and the subsequent celebrations.

Those type of matches will live with every person who saw it for the rest of their lives.

Now, contrast this with our current campaign, and I’ll give you a scenario for how Australia could qualify for the 2010 World Cup.

It’s a common misconception that if Australia defeats Uzbekistan we will mathematically qualify to the World Cup 2010. It is not the case. It very much depends on other results.

Australia is on 10 points out of four games; Qatar and Bahrain are on 4 points out of four games.

There will be two World Cup qualifiers on March 28th, where Australia will have a bye. However, these two matches will have major implications for Australia’s hopes.

Qatar will travel to Uzbekistan and Bahrain will travel to Japan. If both Qatar and Bahrain fail to win the match by either losing or drawing, then this will set the scene for the WCQs on April 1st, where Australia will host Uzbekistan.

If Australia does its job and defeats Uzbekistan, the match that will determine World Cup qualification is the following match on the same day between Bahrain and Qatar.

If that is a draw, then Australia qualifies to the World Cup.

So we have a situation where we could have Australia securing its qualification by a match outside this country not involving Australia.

How many Australians would stay up to about 1 o’clock in the morning to see Bahrain play Qatar in Manama to see whether Australia secure its qualifications?

How many Australians will celebrate a nil-nil draw between those two sides in the streets at 3 o’clock in the morning?

Something tells me that the celebration of our qualification this time will be lot more dampened and somewhat anti-climatic.

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The Crowd Says (42) | Page 1 of Comments

Savvas Tzionis said | February 17th 2009 @ 8:53am | Report comment

Well that show’s you how bloody good Australia is!!!!

Don’t forget how much Australia struggled in the previous stages against Iraq etc.

At the end of the day, Australia will be at the World Cup. Better the excitement of that, rather than the fear we would NEVER play in it.

You have written a whole article that could have been printed as a comment.

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Brickowski said | February 17th 2009 @ 9:29am | Report comment

“How many Australians would stay up to about 1 o’clock in the morning to see Bahrain play Qatar in Manama to see whether Australia secure its qualifications?”

Count me as one.

“How many Australians will celebrate a nil-nil draw between those two sides in the streets at 3 o’clock in the morning?”

Well, maybe not out in the streets. I may have a quiet celebratory scotch out the back with a cigarette, glance up at the Southern Cross, and then try to remember where I put the email address of that young Sth African couple who were willing to house swap during the WC.

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dasilva said | February 17th 2009 @ 9:30am | Report comment

Savvos

Granted, this is not really a serious issue. Not really a criticism of the current system either and more a light comment.

I did wrote that I wouldn’t swap the fairer current system with old sudden death play off.

Just wanted to contrast the difference in qualifications and how the general goodwill and excitement of the Uruguay series will probably never be repeated

Despite me happy with the fairer qualification system. I look back to the past with a bit of nostalgia.

There have been other articles with lighter issue then this one.

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dasilva said | February 17th 2009 @ 9:32am | Report comment

Brickowski

Yep I’ll be another one as well.

It will very much be restricted towards the more hardcore football fans then the general public.

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Tom said | February 17th 2009 @ 9:35am | Report comment

Yeah, good article. Very true.

But its still better this way. This way we can spend a year working towards creating some exciting moments at the world cup itself.

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Millster said | February 17th 2009 @ 9:39am | Report comment

For me we are talking about 2 different kinds of excitement. Of course, a high stakes sudden-death game has a kind of gut wrenching suspense. And in that respect DAS I know what you are talking about.

But I am equally excited, just in a different way, about seeing how we go after a proper campaign in Asia. Seeing how we stack up in our region, how we deal with juggling fixtures, players, competing club and Asian Cup priorities, and all those complexities. For me, to know that we’ll be one of ‘the four’ representing our whole confederation in the world is very exciting indeed and I’ll be there to watch as many of the steps towards that as I possibly can – however pretty or ugly those steps are.

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Koala Bear said | February 17th 2009 @ 9:44am | Report comment

Das,
very dramatic and God bless you as you are a real supporter of Australian Football .. However, it’s not what all it seems.. Correct me if I’m wrong but if the worst came to the worst and we finished as only the fifth best Asian Team in Asia we then play off against the Oceanian Champions presumably New Zealand … If we were not able to dispose of them … Then we shouldn’t despair as we would have been saved from total humiliation in SA …

This is why I have been very vocal about Pimbo’s ultra defensive strategy and not playing an attacking formations. He is instilling in the team an ultra defensive mindset that will be disastrous when we go to SA .. And we will go to SA but as a defensive rabble that is so used to defending.. The team will not know how to go about winning when it counts…

I think this was what Foz was alluding to last Sunday and Kalac has no idea of what Asia is all about .. Kalac has made his comments based on what it takes in Europe to get through where the competition is a lot stiffer and unforgiving if you lose a game …

~~~~~~~~~
KB

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dasilva said | February 17th 2009 @ 9:51am | Report comment

Thank you Tom and Millster

For seeing the point that it was just bit of nostalgic musing.

It’s true it has a different kind of excitement. Instead of heart pumping, sleepless nights and gnawing anticipation.

This time it’s more of a more curious (and I guess intellectual) analysis of the socceroos. Such as handling conditions, how we rank in Asia, how good are the other asian teams etc.

KB
If we finish 3rd in our group
We have to play off with another Asian side – either North Korea (1966 flash back there), South Korea (1974), Iran (1998) and Saudi Arabia before we earn the right to knock off New Zealand.

I believe that will be some tense match and to win the 5th playoff spot could be quite difficult. I rather just qualify automatically and avoid that scenario (although the idea of revenge against Iran sounds tempting but it’s probably something that can only be fulfilled in another WCQ campaign).

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Towser said | February 17th 2009 @ 10:07am | Report comment

dasilva

You call it nerve wracking excitement, not a serious issue, I call it sheer frustration at seeing the sport fall short continually at the last hurdle & standing nil chance of ever reaching its potential & the very essence of why the sport was seen as a loser sport by the general public in Australia. Why because the WC is the only time the general Australian public embraces football as indicated by the TV viewing audiences at the 2002 WC.
The previous WC qualification path was not a mardi gras occassion ever, for long term fans.
Give me the paint drying, tortoise(&the hare)scenario of today, rather than the previous set up. I even grew my nails before previous WC campaigns to Indian Guru lengths just to make sure I never got down to my fingers

Let me also say whilst on this subject that on another thread there was discussion about whether it mattered or was better that(because matches were on Fox not Free to Air) the general public did get to watch them. That view may have some merit until Australians are more familiar over time with the nuances of World International Football.

However the end result reaching the finals from this point on far outweighs qualification in terms of spreading the Football gospel to the general public. Therefore as long as being in the WC finals is on free to Air (& it is) the goal of presenting football to the widest Australian “interested” audience is acheived.

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Pippinu said | February 17th 2009 @ 10:07am | Report comment

It’s the nature of the beast – we know it’s better this way, even if the average Australian sports fan isn’t following every kick.

Watch Bahrain v Qatar at 1 in the morning? Maybe if I can rip myself away from FM!!

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