Should America emulate Australia in football?
Roar Rookie
By sabbir_ahmed, 20 Jun 2009 sabbir_ahmed is a Roar Rookie
Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham, left, is tripped-up by New York Red Bulls midfielder Clint Mathis. AP Photo/Bill Kostroun
After America’s defeat to Italy and Brazil in the Confederations Cup, and listening to all the Yanks moaning about their poor performance, I can’t help but compare their experience with Australia’s, when just few years ago we were going through the same thing.
We were a country that dominated the Oceania region for God knows how long, but when it came to defeating the fifth South American team, we always failed to experience the class act of football World Cup.
Now, if we fast forward to the present time, Australia is one of the first few countries to qualify for the World Cup and we are no longer in the Oceania region.
I think joining Asia was the best decision taken by the Australian Football Federation. Obviously there was lots of politics that went on behind the scenes, and some benefited personally. But from what I can see now, Australia was the main benefitter.
Yes, obviously Asia is not as good as the European or the South American region. But over the years, Asian countries some way or the other did prove be a stumble for major footballing countries in the World Cup.
With countries like Japan, South Korea, Iran and Saudi Arabia in the region, one thing is for certain, there is more quality in the Asian region then in the CONCACAF region.
If you look at Australia’s qualification for the 2010 World Cup, we have played the like of China, Iraq and Japan and went through the whole qualification conceding just one goal. And that was against Japan, against whom we came back to win 2-1.
America needs a foreign coach.
Australia realized that long before and had the like of Terry Venables, Guus Hiddink and now Pim Verbeek, who has a good record in the Netherlands.
But the major factor was Guus. He built the whole layout, starting from the first team to the youth system.
Being in a country which is dominated by sports such as AFL and cricket, Australia’s blueprint is the one to follow.
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Midfielder said | June 20th 2009 @ 1:04am | Report comment
You make an excellent point and their are a number of people in the US looking at the Australian experience as their way forward.. it’s late I will post more latter…. but good nay excellent idea.
Paul said | June 20th 2009 @ 1:45am | Report comment
It’s baffling the US always going with a home-grown coach. But that’s America for you. It’s the “greatest country in the world” didn’t you know?
Sabbir Ahmed said | June 20th 2009 @ 2:12am | Report comment
It is obvious that America needs a foreign coach, when watching the game last night I just could not under Bradley’s tactics, some of my American friends told me that he was a perfect stop gap coach and now if you think of the World Cup they should get someone who has the tactical knowledge to add that extra difference.
Kurt said | June 20th 2009 @ 2:15am | Report comment
There’s quite a somber mood here in the US right now. Where did we go wrong in the Confederations Cup the people are saying? How can we avoid suffering these shameful defeats in the future? Its all the media can talk about and certainly the buzz around the water cooler at work has been the coach’s performance in the job. Only time will tell if this growing public pressure will lead to change at the top…
Stars'n'Stripes said | June 20th 2009 @ 4:54am | Report comment
What’s baffling about it, Paul? The USA’s record in World Cups is infinitely superior to Australia’s.
And there’s no evidence whatsoever that the Asian federation is stronger than CONCACAF. The record of Asian teams in the World Cup is absolutely lamentable. I’d back the Mexicans and Americans over any of the Asian teams.
Australia is going to get an enormous wake-up call at the next World Cup. There will be no easy group like last time. It will be full on, and you’ll struggle like the Asian teams always struggle.
Viscount Crouchback said | June 20th 2009 @ 5:10am | Report comment
What have Australia done that is supposed to be so awe-inspiring? Weak teams have coasted through the Asian qualifiers for years and then found themselves utterly out-classed on the big stage. Exactly the same will happen to Australia.
The truth is that the Asian block has always received more spots in the WC than its performances have merited. Australia has cleverly stepped in to benefit from this unfairness. That’s it. Congrats for being savvy – but let’s not pretend the Aussies have reinvented the wheel.
The USA’s record in World Cups remains infinitely superior to Australia’s. And the Mexicans and Americans would be more than a match for any Asian team.
This type of chat just isn’t based on substance.
Paul said | June 20th 2009 @ 6:42am | Report comment
Uh oh, you’re not going to bomb us are you? Hey, remember, Australia helped you in the Gulf War.
How’d you get two user names anyway? (Stars’n'Stripes and Viscount Crouchback)?
Well here is what your US, Kansas City Star columnist Matt Schofield said:
“It’s time to fire Bob Bradley: U.S. soccer needs a new direction
Having watched and rewatched the last couple United States national soccer team matches, I’ve come to a simple conclusion: The current coach, Bob Bradley, is in over his head and needs to be fired.”
Game over.
MVDave said | June 20th 2009 @ 8:41am | Report comment
Just remember the USA team were a goal up to the World Champs and were down to 10 men when they tired and lost. Then Brazil…yeah beaten well but most teams are beaten by Brazil so no crime there. Lets see how they go against Egypt.
Kurt
Seeing as your so starved of info in your little backwater l’ll help…here’s the article from the New York Times…you may have heard of that paper,what about New York heard of that town?? Anyway they are comprehensively covering the event so here’s a link to the last US game report;
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/19/sports/soccer/19soccer.html?_r=1&ref=sports
Enjoy.
Just a warning dont go on any of those wild pig hunting trips where yo have to canoe down the river!!
Tom said | June 20th 2009 @ 9:07am | Report comment
I wouldn’t say the AFC is stronger than CONCACAF. There might be slightly more depth in Asia, but then four years ago Trinidad & Tobago beat Bahrain.
Frankly I don’t think there’s anything fundamentally wrong with the US football team that a manager with genuine top level experience couldn’t fix.
Sabbir Ahmed said | June 20th 2009 @ 9:13am | Report comment
Dave you do make couple of very interesting point, yes, you played against the World Champions and against Brazil and yes, not much is really expected from those match and obviously the match against Egypt will prove to be decisive in terms of your hope of making it to the semis, but Dave if you look at their last few results, 3-1 away to Costa Rica and 2-2 draw at El Salvador, I was just referring to that.
There is no doubt on the quality that US have, I am a massive fan to Jozy and Bradley and i think Clint is simply brilliant, I just do not see Bob Bradley taking the team any further.
Maybe the Egypt match will prove how far US has come since 2002. My whole point was about US and not Mexico. And the main point that I was making is US is better than the CONCACAF sides and they should be playing better opposition. Look at Mexico and their initiative to let their clubs play in the Copa Libatodores this shows the lack of quality present in the CONCACAF region. Maybe MLS should also take part in Copa Libatodores instead to playing CONCACAF Champions League which will help their football immense.