Despite the euphoria, Socceroos remain cautious

Columnist

By Davidde Corran, 10 Jun 2009 Davidde Corran is a Roar Expert

Tagged:: football, Lucas Neill, Paul Okon, Pim Verbeek, Socceroos, World Cup, World Cup qualification

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The Socceroos agaist Qatar in their World Cup qualifier against Qatar in Doha in June. AAP Images

It’s been a fantastic week for Australian sport and especially fans of the round ball game. The Socceroos World Cup qualification may have been a bit more low-key this time round but it’s been wonderful nonetheless.

Everyone in the Australian football community has been walking around with an extra gait in their step since Sunday morning.

So from qualification attention, it now turns to South Africa and what the Socceroos can achieve there.

Will they match the exploits of Germany?

Well, if you believe some of the hype emanating from the local press since Sunday you’d think Lucas Neill and co are set to lift the Jules Rimet Trophy.

One article was even claiming that Lucas Neil thinks Australia is now a “genuine football power!”

Despite not exactly being the most modest Australian footballer (remember his comments in the lead up to the 2007 Asian Cup), I’ll give Lucas the benefit of the doubt on this one.

I haven’t actually heard the full audio from that press conference and the Australian sport media do like a good beat-up about a national team being one of the best in the world.

In my opinion, this tendency from the local media is symptomatic of Australia being so successful in Commonwealth sports. We expect to be competing at the top and love to remind ourselves about it.

Unfortunately, it’s not so easy in such a global game as football.

It’s not just the players and media who are guilty of being a little over-enthused about the Socceroos’ World Cup chances. I read one fan claim on a forum that the Socceroos will “make every World Cup from this point onwards.”

Now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Certainly, it’s a phenomenal achievement to have qualified for two World Cups in a row after 32 years of pain. Everyone from Frank Lowy down to all the fans that have attended Socceroos qualifiers throughout the last two campaigns deserve to pat themselves on the back.

But being successful in South Africa is another matter.

Australian football is arriving on the world stage but we are not a ‘power’. Maybe in our eyes we are, but not in the opinion of others around the world.

Besides our enthusiasm for the potential of our national team, the debate over substance versus style is still floating around.

Former Socceroo captain, and one of the most technically accomplished players this country has ever produced, Paul Okon thinks it’s time for the Socceroos to throw caution to the wind.

Okon told The World Game, “This is the perfect time to try something different, with two home games against Bahrain and then Japan on June 17. We have qualified now, the pressure is off.”

It would seem that the belief and hope for a large contingent of the media and many Socceroos fans is that this will happen.

The truth? Not likely.

Pim Verbeek just isn’t that type of coach and even Okon accepts that: “I don’t expect it to happen. I don’t see Pim changing the way he does things,” he added.

Look at what Verbeek did during the 2007 Asian Cup as coach of South Korea. As one of my colleagues said to me this week, at that tournament “his approach was pragmatic to say the least.”

Don’t get me wrong, the Socceroos intend to, and most likely will, step up their performances as the World Cup approaches. But change the way they play?

Not likely.

Pim Verbeek is an exceptionally good tactical analyst. Verbeek will analyse whomever the Socceroos come up against at the World Cup and then select every part of our preparation based around what he finds.

From whom the Socceroos play in warm-up friendlies through to how Verbeek sets the team up on game day, these decisions will be thoroughly considered.

Verbeek will analyse the opposition and set out his team to beat them, but he won’t forget his philosophy.

For Verbeek, it’s better to win by any means than to lose 4-3.

Personally, I love teams who are unafraid to pass the ball along the deck and it’s how I’d love the Socceroos to play.

Though that sense of joy and satisfaction, which I’ve been feeling since 4am on Sunday morning, says otherwise.

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The Crowd Says (39) | Page 1 of Comments

MVDave said | June 10th 2009 @ 7:11am | Report comment

The number one aim has been achieved and the Socceroos have set the bench high and so expectations will be that they qualify for every World Cup. Not only that but because of 2006 anything less than a place in the 2nd stage may be a let down. These may be unrealistic expectations but the general public dont worry about the difficulties rather will assume the Socceroos will always keep improving.
Pim may change some of the personnel in the upcoming games but his style of play will not change too much and will be the same one employed in June 2010.
Football fans hopefully will have a little better understanding of the global context of the Socceroos and their achievements so far. Certainly the 2nd round of the WC is possible but it will depend greatly upon the draw and fitness of key players in June 2010. If the Socceroos can keep their best 11 on the park during the group stage finishing 2nd in their group is achievable. Hopefully there will also be some football played which will allow non football fans to enjoy the games.
Qualification means that the Socceroos remain the pre eminent Australian sports team at least until after the WC. We have high profile friendlies, the WC draw in December and the lead in to the tournament which will keep the Socceroos in the forefront of sports news broadcasts for the next 12 months.

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Midfielder said | June 10th 2009 @ 8:44am | Report comment

IMO there are only three sports where their is genuine world competition… I have excluded Tennis & Golf as the resources needed both to train and play are beyond the reach of most…my sports are boxing, running and football…

In these sports we have produced very few champions … boxing and running is power V power ..in football it is more much more… technical ability… style that is played… Without doubt Davidde very difficult to shine against the world

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Redb said | June 10th 2009 @ 8:45am | Report comment

Euphoria is a strong word, the Socceroos WC qualification has been met with quiet applause by most sports fans compared to 2005 – now that was euphoric. Now it is just expected.

Looking forward to the 2010 WC it’s a lot more interesting when an Aussie team is playing.

Redb

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Koala Bear said | June 10th 2009 @ 8:57am | Report comment

Redb,
if only MC could be as gracious as you… I won’t hold my breath…

~~~~~~~~
KB

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Tifosi said | June 10th 2009 @ 9:03am | Report comment

Well it certainly wasnt euphoria, but a great appreciation for a job well done.

Like red b said 2005 was euphoric!!

Lets hope they turn on the razzle dazzle tonight as im going up to sydney to watch the game!!

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Millster said | June 10th 2009 @ 9:43am | Report comment

Tifosi – I’ll be there too, as well as at the ‘G for the Japan game next week. Can’t wait.

And RedB, well written. I think this is both gracious and realistic, in fact even as a football fan it is how I feel. But with that comes a change from the “phew we got in by a whole lot of luck” last time (admittedly it was awesomely exciting; I was watching it from a cafe in Paris and will always remember that day) to a much more solemn understanding that we are in the process of gradually, bit by bit, grinding our place out in the business end of the world of football. Someone used the word ‘clinical’ when describing the PV approahc and I think they are exactly right.

Oh and by the way can all of you now please get behind me and switch your happy thoughts towards my beloved French. 6 ‘gimme’ points will come their way via the Faroe Islands, but they have a very tricky away tie in Serbia coming up which will probably decide the winner of the group (and of course in European groups, only the winner goes through, with 2nd having to play off – so its pretty hair raising especially if you haven’t had the best of starts, eg Les Bleus with their banana skin result against Austria). If you want a rational reason to get behind me, just think of a world cup team / campaign involving superstars like Benzema, Nasri, Malouda, Ribery, Anelka, Henry, Gourcuff, Evra, Abidal, Viera, Diaby, Gouvou, Clichy, Ben Arfa, Horeau… pure magic on the park including some of the best younger players on the planet.

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jimbo said | June 10th 2009 @ 10:07am | Report comment

tifosi,
bring your long Johns.
Its cold, windy and freezing up here today.

I’m going to make good use of all my Socceroos gear and scarves and beanie tonight.

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Gaff said | June 10th 2009 @ 10:18am | Report comment

A Genuine football power? Hardly.

Sure we should be proud of what we have achieved, but we are far from being a genuine footballing world power. Even though we made it past the group stages in the last world cup, we only won one game – and that was in the last 10 minutes too.

Diehard Aussie football supporters that have experienced the lows and the inconsistant results do not have the expectation that we will qualify for every world cup or better our efforrts in Germany this time around.

Hope is one thing expectation is another. Let’s enjoy the fact that we have qualified again and hope for good results, but not get too far ahead of ourselves and be left with egg on our faces.

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jimbo said | June 10th 2009 @ 10:34am | Report comment

The celebrations for the WC qualification is certainly different to last time and in a number of ways.

Last time it was a do or die game. It was very public, in a public place and public places all across Australia that we saw the last kick of the game victory. We could share the moment with thousands of other football fans and there were cameras there to capture the moment in the stadium and in the streets. It was spectacular TV footage and very newsworthy.

This time it was in the early morning on the other side of the world. Nice to see some gold shirts at the Doha stadium.

Plus there was always the thought that if they don’t qualify in this game, they could in the next – so it wasn’t a do or die game.
The celebrating was in front of TV sets this time and not so public. A lot of people found out via the news or newspapers or web sites and didn’t even watch the game live.

The Socceroos will get a standing ovation tonight and again at the MCG next week.

Whether the roll on effect for the game as a whole is as big as Germany 06 is yet to be seen and the subject of many more blog articles and discussions over the next 18 months.
But in terms of sponsorship and FFA profitability they are already way ahead of 2006.

Hopefully NZ get to experience the same euphoria we did. Every football fan in the world should get to experience something like that at least once in their lives.

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Koala Bear said | June 10th 2009 @ 11:11am | Report comment

Jimbo,
it’s been brass monkeys up here on the Gold Coast too … However, I will be joining in at the Palm Beach Soccah club (I’ve gotta do something about that name) tonight to watch on Fox .. Expecting a huge audience there for the celebration… Your post was very true and correct in the circumstances this time around…

~~~~~~~
KB

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