By dasilva -
November 16th 2009 @ 5:55am
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Craig Johnston: A great Australian success story but not a great Australian footballer
Imagine 20 years in the future; 2029 at the PFA awards. Josip Simunic steps up on the stage and accepts the Alex Tobin award for service to Australian Football.
I imagine that whole idea will disgust many Socceroos supporters. However, we now have a similar situation of having Craig Johnston, who represented the England B team and was selected for the England Euro 1988 squad, getting rewarded for service to Australian Football.
Am I the only person who has a problem with that?
There’s no doubt that Craig Johnston is a great Australian success story. He was a battler who sacrifices a lot to travel to England for the dream of being a professional footballer.
He was initially rejected but he worked hard, training every day to become an important part of one of the best club teams in the world with Liverpool.
Now there were certainly extraneous factors that prevented Craig Johnston from playing for Australia. First, he wasn’t treated well by the Australian Football Federation and he had a lot of pressure from club managers not to play for Australia.
However, he isn’t the only Australian player who had severe issues with the administrative body. Many other Socceroos, such as the Socceroos in the 70’s and 80’s, had problems with administrators and sometimes led to the threat of a strike, but it never stopped them from representing their country.
Craig Johnston wasn’t the only Australian player in that time period that was overseas either. He was the most high profile player, but we still had the likes of Patikas, Mitchell, Farina and Krncevic, who at times came over to play for the Socceroos.
They may pick and choose when to represent Australia, but they still turn up for the Green and Gold at times at the wrath of their clubs. This is not mentioning the pressures that Kewell, Viduka and Cahill have from their clubs to represent Australia.
If we listen to Craig Johnston, his problem was based on the fact that AFF did not pay for a trip home when he was injured in England. I may not know all the details, but if I was in AFF and I got a phone call from a random person I never heard of and had never been connected to our youth national side, I probably wouldn’t be handing over any money either.
Also, this was also omitted from his impassionate speech. This was what Frank Arok, the Socceroos coach at the time, had to say about Craig Johnston playing for the Socceroos.
“I met Craig in Newcastle at the time and he agreed to play. The only problem was that he wanted weekly payments equivalent to what he was getting at Liverpool. This was over $7,000 per week, so I told him that this was impossible for us to pay. It disturbed me that we couldn’t get him for one or two games at least because we needed his leadership and profile, but he was adamant that he wanted that money.”
Obviously, his issues with the administrative body and the issue with his manager in England weren’t insurmountable for him to represent Australia. If he wanted to represent Australia he could have, if Frank Arok was telling the truth.
He made the choice to represent England and that’s fine. Everyone has a right to migrate to another country and represent that country in a sport. If he felt he was more English then he was Australian at the time, then so be it.
However, for that decision he could never be considered an Australian footballer, because he made the decision to become an English footballer.
For him to be rewarded as an Australian footballer is a slap on the face to people who have represented Australia, as well as people like Eddie Bosnar, who made it clear that he would rather stayed uncapped than represent another country in sport when he rejected Croatia.
Craig Johnston, you are a great Australian success story, but you are not an Australian Footballer and you shouldn’t have been rewarded as one.
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(73)
Midfielder said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:41am | Report comment
Das
As always well written….. I have mixed feeling …way back when …. the adminstration of football was very poor… I do agree with your comment about the call for the fare home from a random kid…
My comment on balance he was the first in many years to breake into a top side, and what a side… He was scared he would loose his place. .. I am prepared to accept the fact he made a big mistake and say OK you have admitted it …
Should he get the award, not sure he played in arguably one of the greatest sides of all time. He open the doors for those that followed, he finished up a very decent player…. he did lift the profile of football at the time in Australia…on balance still thinking… not sure TBH…
Fisher Price said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:48am | Report comment
The likes of Mitchell, Farina and Krncevic were NOT playing at the level Johnston was in the mid 80s, so it’s not a fair comparison. I suspect that if they were at big clubs they would have had Buckley’s of being able to choose country over club. The situation has changed now somewhat but back then there wasn’t any respect or appreciation for the Australian national team which, after all, only played a handful of serious matches every four years.
I suspect the pressures brought to bear on the likes of Kewell and Viduka have been far less intense and, let’s not forget, that each of those players has at some point chosen not to represent their country in a major tournament, which at the time saw them cop plenty of flak on these shores.
dasilva said | November 16th 2009 @ 9:54am | Report comment
I don’t doubt the pressure was even higher for Johnston then it was for Viduka or KEwell
however as the conversation with Frank Arok was true then any man has his price.
He couldn’t have played for Australia during the off seasons or just the major one like the qualifier vs Scotland
Even if it was impossible to play for Australia. He still could have chose not to represent another country. That may be harsh but when you make that decision you can’t be considered an Australian footballer.
vladimir said | November 16th 2009 @ 10:16am | Report comment
thats fair enough but he should not be getting awards for services to australian football… if the english wish to give him some similar award thats up to them… i agree it is a slap in the face to australian footballers…
BigAl said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:49am | Report comment
Wasn’t he actually South African (originally) ?
dasilva said | November 16th 2009 @ 9:41am | Report comment
yeah he was born in south africa had english parents and migrated to australia at the age of 2.
He could have represented 3 countries
David V. said | November 16th 2009 @ 9:19am | Report comment
Let’s not forget Adrian Alston played top-flight football in the 70s, right after the World Cup. He spent a year at Luton before moving to Cardiff, where he became the first Australian international to score in European competition, before heading to the NASL.
AndyRoo said | November 16th 2009 @ 9:30am | Report comment
They were very different times and the administration of the time were cretins as well (up until Lowy cleaned them out a few years ago that is so). History has been written by the victor and that was the ethnic clubs who came to power and pretty much killed the old system of regional rep teams we had in NSW that would assure all regions had a chance at top flight football…ironically once they were thrown out that is the system we seem to be moving back too in the A league with teams spread out covering the map rather than the cluster in the cities.
I remember there used to be a total lack of respect for European based players, their clubs and livelihood and Australia tried to call Kewell up to play u23’s practice matches in the middle of his 40 game season for Leeds. We also had him suspended for not coming to Australia to play in a private promoters game.
He inspired many in Australia, so while he didn’t play for Australia he played a big part in the history of Australian football.
dasilva said | November 16th 2009 @ 9:48am | Report comment
The fact he inspired many Australia.
I just see it like Zinidine Zidane inspiring many Algerians (he actually attended that match vs Egypt over the France vs Ireland)
I don’t see Zinidine Zidane getting rewarded for service to Algerian football despite the fact that he similar to Johnston here both inspired their other country they could have represented and both help with the profile of the game there.
Fine they may have a cultural impact on our society but we shouldn’t reward a player who represented another country. The PFA is a representation for Australian Footballer. Craig Johnston made his choice to be an English Footballer. THe other recipients of the Alex Tobin medal are Johnny Warren and Joe Marsden who both captain the Socceroos. I don’t think Johnston belongs in that company
AndyRoo said | November 16th 2009 @ 10:12am | Report comment
Well players still seem to risk playing for other nations (Lowry and Williams) but Johnston played for Liverpool and represented England B at a time when most Anglo Australians one football game a year they watched was the FA cup final. Even today the EPL rates high. Their was a real cultural cringe towards British football at that time and since his retirement he has continually talked about his regret of not playing for Australia.
In some ways a watershed moment that fills me with a little bit of pride. When guys like Dukes turn down Croatia and Johnston talks from the heart that he wished he played for Australia it adds value to the jersey. This guy played for Liverpool but there is a hole in his heart because he isn’t a Socceroo.
I think your views are valid Dasilva and it’s a fair enough position to have.
I am glad Alex Tobin, Johnny Warren and Joe Marsden got theirs first because they are more deserving but I would rather johnston got one than say Rale Rasic who although coaching us to the world cup is also alleged to have sold spots in our national youth teams.
It should be said that FIFA’s rules have been relaxed since then. Nowdays he would be able to Play for Australia wheras back then Timmy Cahill, Rhys Williams and Lowry would all be tied to Samoa, Wales and Ireland for life.
Fisher Price said | November 16th 2009 @ 1:11pm | Report comment
In actual fact the Algerian president awarded Zidane the country’s highest state accolade, the medal of national merit, in 2006.
Just saying.
dasilva said | November 16th 2009 @ 1:41pm | Report comment
Well thanks for correcting me
I’ll admit that does undermine my point. however I just say that Zidane is a french football player no matter how much the Algerians want to wish he wasn’t.
dasilva said | November 16th 2009 @ 9:51am | Report comment
I don’t have any particular hard feelings to Craig Johnston. Craig johnston has a legitimate love for Australian Football. I read the book “Our Socceroos” which is collection of minibiographies over past socceroos players to the 50s to present day. Craig Johnston wrote the forward to the book and it seems to me it was written by someone with genuine love and respect for the Australian game.
He seems to me as someone who was young and rebellious and not playing for Socceroos was his way of saying FU to the Australian Football Federation after they refuse to pay for his airplane home (which IMO wasn’t a bad decision). Then when he is older and retire, start to learn about the history of the football game in Australia and learnt about the type of sacrifices that players in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s to represent their country that quite frankly dwarfs any type of potential sacrifice that Craig had to make if he chose to represent Australia (some people lost their jobs, livelihood, good heath and sometimes their marriage playing for Socceroos). When he learnt about all that, he now regrets his decision in the past and wish he was part of the rich history of the socceroos.
I’m quite sure that Craig Johnston is genuine that he regrets playing for the socceroos and really all is forgiven for me (after all I was too young to follow football in the 80’s to be piss off about him). However what is done is done and you can’t take back the decision you make in the past. He is not an Australian football player due to his choice to represent England and therefore this PFA Alex Tobin award is undeserved especially when you look at the only 2 other recipients of the Alex Tobin Medal, Johnny Warren and Joe Marsden who both represented and Captain the socceroos with distinction.
Shahsan said | November 16th 2009 @ 10:01am | Report comment
Well argued, Dasilva. Sad for him, but it’s true.
Midfielder said | November 16th 2009 @ 10:12am | Report comment
Das
You have a point ya we forgive but do we also honour … with the highest award … as I said I have mixed feelings…
Another point that is not well understood in the rise of Australian football over the last few years and lets go back to Melbourne 1997..
IMO you can trace Australia rise in the public mind to the rise of Harry Kwell and latter of Dukes… But Harry at Leeds them Liverpool and now Gas….What affect could CJ have had playing for without doubt the best team in the world at the time … but arguably one of the best of all time…He was a very quick right mid and run all day HMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmm could he have lifted the game in Australia … who knows but he was the best known Australian footballer at the time ..adds to my mixed feeling does this aspect..
vladimir said | November 16th 2009 @ 10:21am | Report comment
you have no idea of how to construct a sentence do you?
Shahsan said | November 16th 2009 @ 10:17am | Report comment
Wasn’t Tony Dorigo Australian-born too? We should give him an award as well.
dasilva said | November 16th 2009 @ 11:19am | Report comment
This is what Frank Arok said about Tony Dorigo
http://www.fourdiegos.com/farok.htm
“I met Dorigo in England to try and get him to commit himself. He was adamant that first he wanted to try and get into the Italian national team. If he failed then he wanted to try the English national team, then Scottish, then Welsh, then whatever so I said to him thank you very much and forget it. “
vladimir said | November 16th 2009 @ 10:23am | Report comment
give ivan ergic one too…
an utter disgrace…
Roger Rational said | November 16th 2009 @ 10:36am | Report comment
I disagree.
Craig Johnston being celebrated by the Australian football community is no different to, say, David Pocock being celebrated by the Zimbabwean rugby community. In both instances, we have a man moving on to bigger and better things that he could not, in his wildest dreams, have achieved by playing for his native country.
Moreover, he blazed the trail for Australian footballers in England and Europe. He made it easier for the likes of Kewell, Viduka & Co to earn a shot in the EPL a decade or so later. Without Johnston, those guys would have found it much more difficult to earn a crack. Whether he played for Australia or whether he didn’t, there’s no doubt that Australian football has been a huge beneficiary of his trail-blazing.
No one deserves it more.
vladimir said | November 16th 2009 @ 10:46am | Report comment
absolute rubbish.
fine celebrate him but not as an australian footballer… he’s was an english footballer and apparently a mercenary (frank arok), no amount of tears can change that… just like ergic, simunic et al are croation footballers…
i’ve always been suspicious of this trail-blazing argument… what specifically made it easier for later australian players that johnston did? he certainly paved the way for the likes of jamie mcmaster though…
kewell and viduka etc made it because they had enough talent and determination…
further, i don’t appreciate rugby analogies on a football forum… that game is the pits…
Justin said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:11pm | Report comment
The rugby analogy doesnt work, its true but not or the reason vlad gave.
Pocock and his family HAD to leave Zim or face the prospect of being killed! Slightly different and Vlad the game isnt the pits you probably just dont understand it, which is understandable
Shahsan said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:15pm | Report comment
Vladimir, please don’t knock what you cannot understand.
Robbos said | November 16th 2009 @ 10:46am | Report comment
Lets get a few facts right.
He was born in Sth Africa to Australian parents, his parents had English background, but they were Australians.
His nickname was Skippy, based on the fact that he was Australian.
I lived in England in the 1980s in the English premier League there was only 2 Australians plying their trade, one was Craig Johnston the other later in the 1980s was Joe Dorigo. There was no Alston, Patikas, Mitchell, Farina and Krncevic. They were either playing in lower divisions, playing is smaller countries or later in the piece. CJ was a pioneer, not since Joe Marsten had we had a player winning the highest honours of the day at club level, Champions League, FA cups, English premierships. He played for the greatest team in England & close to the best team in the world.
Yes he did not play for the Socceroos & I think he regetted it, but to me living in England during the mid 80s, he represented Australia everytime he played for Liverpool. I’m not a Liverpool supporter, but I jumped for joy when he scored the winner of the FA cup or when he won the Champions League.
He was my hero, he was an Aussie.
You cannot compare him to Simunic, he is one of many Aussies now plying their trade in the top leagues in Europe. CJ was all alone & he reached the top & no Aussies have come close to his achievements.
Dasilva, thanks for this article, I see your point, but having grown up in the that era, I totally disagree. I recommend you read his book ‘You’ll never walk alone’.
Plus I hate to think a decision I made at 17 years old would be held so grugdingly against me 30-40 years later.
vladimir said | November 16th 2009 @ 11:41am | Report comment
“not since Joe Marsten had we had a player winning the highest honours of the day”… who do you mean by “we”… i don’t hold any decision he made against him… the point is he is not an australian footballer and so should not be eligible for such an award… further i won’t be lining his coffers and further ny purchasing his litereary masterpiece…
Robbos said | November 16th 2009 @ 12:10pm | Report comment
You have yours & I have mine. I was a young Australian living in England & Johnston was playing at the highest level & he was Australian, I felt proud.
You can borrow it from the Libray. Great read.
dasilva said | November 16th 2009 @ 9:07pm | Report comment
There’s one thing to add as well
Although none of the players played at the same level as Johnston
Mitchell did play for Rangers FC and Feyenoord and Eintracht Frankfurt. Not as big as Liverpool but they were still major clubs playing in good leagues (SPL, Eredivise and Bundesliga).
He was a rotation player for the club (maybe because of punishment for his involvement with the national team) and I doubt those clubs would have been happy for him to play for Australia.
Patikas played for AEK Athens, Farina – Club Brugge, Krncevic – Dinamo Zagreb, Anderlecht. This is probably more of the case of playing in lesser leagues like Robbos mention. Nevertheless these aren’t small clubs in those leagues.
They might have all have less pressure from their clubs then CJ but I’m quite sure those clubs will have been putting heavy pressure on these guys to play for Australia.
K B said | November 16th 2009 @ 11:14am | Report comment
Dasilva,
congratulations on a very, very, good piece and I was of the same view of Craig Johnston and with all of his short comings when he gave excuse, after excuse, to why he didn’t represent Australia… I had heard all of his excuses before, when Frank Arok was in charge (I believe Frank’s version to be the correct one) The excuse that, his sister being involved in a car accident that, led him to his early retirement from football, so he could come back to Australia to help look after her, then to hear him say it was his grandmother’s illness or something like that, that brought him home to Australia on TWG, alongside Basheer and Craig Foster, left me scratching my head…
The tearful, emotional, Johnston, then went on to explain how he was forced to train all by himself in the Middlesbrough car park to get up to speed with the rest of the Boro boys, without the knowledge of the then manager, Jack Charlton, hiding in the corners of the Boro’s club corridors, so Jack Charlton wouldn’t see or know he was still at the club, are all very sorrowful stuff… I am not that gullible of a person to believe any of those obstacles he had to face or overcome at the club…
I believe the club looked after him very well as a youngster, and he just couldn’t handle criticism from his manager… He only had one thing on his mind as a young Australian footballer (even if his birth cert states South Africa) that his prime objective was to play for Liverpool and England, and never for Australia…
But in saying that, he had real natural Football ability… There’s something going on here that we don’t know; maybe it’s his current state of mind and he definitely needs the love from what I could tell… And so, I do support his award, nothing wrong with it, as he seems to be on a verge of a nervus break down… If this awards helps him feel better about himself, then it was worth it to keep him in good mental health, we have lost one of our favourite sons, Paul Williams, due to depression… I would hate to see Craig fall victim to it as well…
~~~~~~
KB
vladimir said | November 16th 2009 @ 11:43am | Report comment
what going on is that he hasn’t managed his finances very well so expects the public to pick up the tab… boo hoo
dasilva said | November 16th 2009 @ 12:05pm | Report comment
Thanks for the compliment
To be fair on Craig. I believe his retirement due to his sister getting injured was at the end of his career
He said that during Middlesbrough he grandmother getting ill, he went back to Australia and then returned to england and then he ended up losing his place in the team. So he was talking about a separate incidence. I don’t think he is lying about it (although he may have been exagerrating why he lost the place in his team)
Robbos said | November 16th 2009 @ 12:16pm | Report comment
Read his book KB. Yes he didn’t play for the Socceroos, but he represented Australia to me & to many young players that went on to greater things than myself. That picture of him jumping for joy after scoring the FA cup winner, must have adorned the wall of many young Australian kid who aspired to be a footballer.
A True LEGEND.
K B said | November 16th 2009 @ 5:02pm | Report comment
Robbos,
yes I shall do that…
BigAl said | November 16th 2009 @ 11:17am | Report comment
He was also quoted – something along the lines of … ‘playing football for Australia was like surfing for England’ !!!
Robbos said | November 16th 2009 @ 11:31am | Report comment
Yes he did. This was in 1980 & he was 18 years old & in those days he got it pretty well right.
AndyRoo said | November 16th 2009 @ 11:25am | Report comment
It is a PFA award, so I guess there is the fact he has done a lot to help Australian professionals through his work off the field that plays a factor.
Robbos said | November 16th 2009 @ 11:29am | Report comment
I agree Andy Roo.
vladimir said | November 16th 2009 @ 11:37am | Report comment
what exactly has he done to help australian professionals?
AndyRoo said | November 16th 2009 @ 12:00pm | Report comment
“In 1993 in conjuction with the Australian Sports council and The Drug Offensive he created the National soccer skills development program called Roo-ball. Roo-ball is basically small sided games of football. Which he brought in way before the FFA did. It was used to get young kids into football at an early ages”
And he helped out KB united by playing for them in the off season…not to mention that it was a lot easier for an Aussie to get a sponsership deal with Adidas while CJ was involved with the predator boot program.
vladimir said | November 16th 2009 @ 12:03pm | Report comment
do you have a figure on how much he made out of roo-ball and the predator boot?
from memory the latter was part of his financial failure that saw him whingeing incessantly to the media…
AndyRoo said | November 16th 2009 @ 12:11pm | Report comment
I would guess he made zero since it was a Government program.
He spent A$ 5m of his own money on the English version (which is what actually made him go broke not the predator boot).
vladimir said | November 16th 2009 @ 12:19pm | Report comment
fair enough re the predator boot but i find it hard to believe that he never got paid by the government… that makes no sense… the government can’t just co-opt someone’s invention and not pay… who elses money should have he spent apart from his own…? plenty of people work just as hard as him for much less reward in football and other walks of life… that excuse ridden sob story on sbs yesterday was utterly revolting and an indictment on the nepotism that is rife in that network…
AndyRoo said | November 16th 2009 @ 1:05pm | Report comment
The Australian one would have been him dontating his time and know how.
The English one I think he expected to get paid. I am not proposing you should invest with the guy that is for sure
dasilva said | November 16th 2009 @ 12:08pm | Report comment
I’m all for rewarding people for off the field factors
I will give Guus Hiddink an honourary Australian citizenship (although I wouldn’t give him the Alex Tobin medal though) for his short role with Australian football
However he wouldn’t have won the award purely on off field factors. Clearly this award is based on his career as a footballer and in my opinion his career as an english footballer
AndyRoo said | November 16th 2009 @ 12:14pm | Report comment
Off field seems to be one of the criteria of the award. i dont know if itls enough by itself but then before CJ got it I didn’t know it existed so that’s a good little bit of PR for the PFA award.
I wouldn’t have a problem if he wasn’t elligible but hey gave it to him so I don’t like to see him being attacked because now whenever he talks about how he missed out on playing for Australia it enriches the Socceroo jersey to me.
dasilva said | November 16th 2009 @ 3:58pm | Report comment
Craig Johnston was already in FFA Hall of fame for a couple of years already.
I actually don’t mind that and maybe even support it.
This is because the hall of fame includes people like Les Murray, Rale Rasic, Andre Kruger etc
These are people who helped the game off the pitch and therefore are rewarded for that effort. I’m quite sure there are some foreign people who perhaps represent other countries who are on that list for their assistance for the Australian game.
So for Craig Johnston to be in the FFA hall of fame is ok if its for off the field achievement
However the PFA Alex Tobin Medal is different as it’s from the players association, I felt it was inappropriate as performance on the field and for the socceroos should be a large component for that medal.
Midfielder said | November 16th 2009 @ 12:07pm | Report comment
KB
Good obversation on the what CJ looks like…
K B said | November 16th 2009 @ 5:06pm | Report comment
Midfielder,
of course I hope I’m wrong… But men’s depression is a real concern…
Rellum said | November 16th 2009 @ 2:04pm | Report comment
Maybe we should throw stones at him every time we see him in the street. Making a mistake as a 17 year old is offense that seems only punishable by exile.
If the Professional Players Association, full of players who did make those sacrifices that everyone likes to point out, deem him worthy of their highest honor, who are we, with all our experience of playing professionally in Europe, to tell they have got it all wrong.
dasilva said | November 16th 2009 @ 2:19pm | Report comment
Rellum
This article was written as a criticism of PFA selection criteria and not of Craig Johnston.
I don’t really care if Craig choose to represent another country especially a country where he migrated to.I wrote before he had the right to play for England (by the way he played for the B team at 21, and selected for national squad at 28). I doubt he was 17 when he was asking Australia pay $7k a week to represent the socceroos.
I just believe the PFA has unwittingly slapped themselves in the face without even realising it. Really most of the players who selected were of the generations after Craig Johnston. Most of them played in the 90s and I assume they were the generation who were watching Craig Johnston when they were a kid. I wonder what the older generations of the 60s, 70s and 80s think of this decision.
Robbos said | November 16th 2009 @ 2:46pm | Report comment
Do yourself a favour dasilva, read his book ‘You’ll never walk alone’ written about 15-20 years ago.
Great photo at the end of his book with him & Mark Richards, 4 times surfing world champion from Newcastle, same as home town as Craig Johnston as they were on some rocks with surfboard under their arms about to hit the waves & the caption read ‘Did I ever tell you about the FA cup winner I scored’ Just Brillant.
dasilva said | November 16th 2009 @ 3:39pm | Report comment
I make sure I’ll pick it up one day. I don’t know if its going to change my mind but I’ll give it a read.
Shahsan said | November 16th 2009 @ 3:35pm | Report comment
How about giving him a surfboard with the Union Jack painted on?
vladimir said | November 16th 2009 @ 2:19pm | Report comment
rellum
what a load of dribble : almost as bad as yesterdays whine on sbs…
Rob said | November 16th 2009 @ 3:02pm | Report comment
Hi Das,
I too have been feeling a little uncomfortable about the whole deal and I think youve nailed it precisely with your article..well written.
Its a shame to see the guy down on his luck, which he clearly is… but that doesnt excuse all the revisionist history taking place…. Basically we have a guy who as an unknown teenager didnt get a free summer holiday off the ASF( who were perpetually broke anyway)….and then chose to hold a grudge for half a lifetime over it !
Now that his business deals have gone tits up he is just looking to leverage the oz connection to see if it gets him any opportunities. As for putting something back into the game locally, well hearing him speak on TWG i would suggest that hes exactly the sort of tactical dinosaur that the game is trying to rid itself of.
dasilva said | November 16th 2009 @ 3:37pm | Report comment
Thanks Rob for the compliment
However to defend Craig for a sec here. Craig was part of one of the most attractive and attacking footballing sides in the 80s. That Liverpool team was not kick and rush and long ball football. Craig mention the admiration of Arsenal and their style of play. Also he tried to introduce Roo-Ball program in Australia which is a small sided games back in the 90s. He also lamented the lack of street football being played in most western nations (hence that’s why he is a SSG supporter as it’s an emulation of street football).
His comments about long ball and direct football was just saying that there’s nothing wrong for a team to play it. That clubs have the right to make the most of their limited skills and play a more direct game to win. We shouldn’t criticised clubs to do that. I seriously doubts that he wants Australia to emulate Graham Taylor philosophy in coaching. I just think he’s being moderate to the more extreme Foster militant anti-direct football opinion.
I think Craig can be a valuable asset to the Australian game.
Mick of Newie said | November 16th 2009 @ 3:22pm | Report comment
Das
Ultimately the PFA can decide what they give an award for and perhaps amongst professional footballers he was particularly influential. Your view is equally valid.
For those that don’t know his story his biography “Walk Alone” is a great read. He had his flaws some of which are debated here, but he was also a pretty unique character. He played in the best team in Europe, won the big trophys and then walked away at 28 because his sister had sufferred a severe injury and he was homesick.
Good luck to him.
Rob said | November 16th 2009 @ 4:47pm | Report comment
Hi Das,
Another Rob here. I am a fan of Craig Johnston and HAVE read his book. Sure, he made mistakes, but, as per the criteria listed for the Alex Tobin Medal:
“It is to be awarded annually by the PFA to a current, or a former, player based on four attributes demonstrated by Alex Tobin throughout his career and which reflect the philosophy of the PFA. Leadership, achievement as a player, commitment to ones fellow professionals and service and dedication to the game”.
Now, as an Australian playing abroad he won everything there was to win in England and Europe. On his early retirement, he developed the Roo-Ball system (as a youngster I still remember the photo of him on the Roo-Ball promotional posters, in his all-red Liverpool kit), which is clearly a demonstration of his service to the game. It also points to his dedication to the game, as does his development of the Predator Boot, even thought his was a commercial venture, it was an innovation in the sport and shows his dedication.
So, on those criteria, he is clearly worthy.
Your comparison with Simunic is also inappropriate, because, unlike Simunic, CJ did not attend the AIS at taxpayer’s expense and then turn his back on the country that funded his final stage of development into a pro. He just said, stupidly, that playing football for Australia was like surfing for England, as a young kid. To compare the two is like comparing chalk and cheese.
I normally like your articles, Das, but this one wasn’t your best. It certainly wasn’t researched thoroughly enough. I can’t believe you would comment on his receiving the award without having read his book.
dasilva said | November 16th 2009 @ 5:35pm | Report comment
Why should I have to read the book?
Sure I would have found out more about Johnston motivation in skipping the socceroos but would it change the fact that he represented another nation and rejected the socceroos. I seriously doubt that in his biography he talked about how pay disputes was the reason why he rejected a socceroos call up and that he demanded AFF to pay similar wages that Liverpool payed him as alluded by Frank Arok.
Even if it was insurmountable for him to play for Australia without throwing away his club career (it wasn’t). That doesn’t mean he had no choice to represent England. He represented England so despite the way Australian fans want to reinvent that he was representing Australia playing for Liverpool, in cold hard reality he was representing England.
To be honest, with Josip Simunic, I couldn’t care less whether he is an AIS graduate or not. People graduate from university which are subsidised by the governments all the time and then move overseas which benefit other country. Simunic is no different then any other people. My usage of Simunic is simply that he is a high profile Australian citizen who rejected Australia to play for another country. Therefore the comparisons with Johnston is fair.
If the PFA awards was purely about his off the field contribution to the Australian game then perhaps I would be sympathetic to the award (such as FFA hall of fame). However on field performance is clearly a criteria. Therefore he should not be eligible. As despite the fact that he is an Australain citizen, he is an English footballer having a successful careeri in the EPL and not an Australian footballer.
To say that Craig Johnston was representing Australia when playing for Liverpool is like saying Simunic is representing Australia for playing for Hertha Berlin (by the way Simunic actually said that as well, that he believed he was representing Australia and Croatian football wherever he plays). I don’t believe that.
My argument is that the PFA award Alex Tobin Award should have a criteria that excludes any player who represent another country or never represent Australia for whatever reason.
midfield general said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:37pm | Report comment
Dasilva,
I’m in my early 40’s and old enough to have watched Johnston’s career unfold during the eighties. For all the controversies surrounding his international allegiances Australians took ownership of him anyway in those days and I can’t remember a bad word being spoken about him, probably because I was an ignorant kid. But I do know that he inspired a generation of football tragics like me, and I remember being totally mesmerized at the sight of an Aussie playing against Roma in 84 European Cup final, the ill fated 85 final and of course the 86 FA cup final. I don’t think I would have turned out to be a Liverpool fan if it wasn’t for the presence of an Australian in the team. Maybe guys like Tobin, Foz and others in PFA feel the same way. And come on, didn’t he offer an apology for the `surfing for Australia’ comments and express his regret for not playing for Australia? The Arok comments might be true, but it was 25 years ago – give the man a break. Nothing wrong with celebrating and recognizing the achievements of a man who inspired so many.
Rob said | November 23rd 2009 @ 10:03am | Report comment
Yes, but the point is, Das, that it doesn’t. Therefore, he deserves it. If your argument had not been based purely on what strikes me as a personal attack (which I acknowledge you have backed away from), and a spurious comparison to Simunic, then perhaps your argument might have made sense. If you had stated that your point was that the Alex Tobin Award should exclude any player who represented another country more clearly, I would suggest your point is valid.
And the Simunic point still stands. Yes, people study at university and then live overseas, but generally temporarily before returning to Australia to live, where they contribute the most. Simunic, however, will NEVER return the investment while a player, having turned his back on Australia after recieving significant benefit from this country (unlike Johnson) to assist another nation reach World Cups, etc.
your point about Bosnar is a good one, and fair play to the guy for sticking on principle to his desire to play for Australia. Reading his book would at least give you a sense of what he was thinking at the time, the reasons for his decision not to play for Australia and all of that. That’s why you should read his book. Rather than judge a person before hearing all sides of the story, at least take a look at what he has had to say about the situation beforehand. Not to do so is poor form.
I tend to enjoy reading your work, Das, but this one was not your best work.
Shahsan said | November 16th 2009 @ 7:55pm | Report comment
What is the use of Dasilva’s reading his book? Surely it would not be objective? It would be purely CJ’s point of view and would teach Dasilva nothing?
The reality is Johnston had the chance to be the real beacon for Australian football, way before Viduka, Kewell et al, in the years when the Socceroos were struggling to get back into the World Cup and could use all teh quality they could get. He was by far Australia’s best player; he was the first footballer — of any code I believe — to make $1million a year, so what is a bit of sacrifice to play for your allegedly beloved country?
Why the urge to play for England? He was already near (while at Boro) or at the top level in England (with Liverpool). All this belated love of Australian football sounds like just a flag of convenience.
Yes, Ron and Robbos and Roger Rational, he may have been your hero in the 80s because he was an Australian achieving great things, but the fact he kept turning his back on his country, despite being asked personally by coaches more than once, showed how much he cared for you all.
Rusty0256 said | November 16th 2009 @ 6:25pm | Report comment
Always had a bit of a grudge on Johnston what with him sitting smug, making superior comments in the ABC commentary box at the ‘85 World Cup playoff Scotland v Australia.
We had pros Davey Mitchell (Rangers), Alan Davidson (Notts Forest) and the rest were pretty much part timers in the NSL. Would Johnston’s speed and skills have made for a different result (0-2 in Scotland, 0-0 in Melbourne)? Maybe, but after that night he was always ‘Pommy Basket’ in my book.
dasilva said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:39pm | Report comment
I’m curious can you give me some examples of these smug comments. Was he talking down Australia saying they were rubbish or what? Or was he talking himself up?
He always seems humble whatever interview I’ve seen him so it’s a surprised to hear about this.
Brian Munich said | November 17th 2009 @ 12:43pm | Report comment
I remember his commentary and can’t recall him sounding it smug or superior. What I DO remember is that he was actually put on the spot by the ABC commentator (Peter Wilkins, I think) about what was stopping him playing for Australia (he hadn’t committed elsewhere at that stage). Johnston was clearly embarrassed and his reply was vague and non-committal without ruling out the possibility. In subsequent years I never heard him provide a credible reason for shunning the national team, although it was clearly something he came to regret.
Midfielder said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:38pm | Report comment
I still have mixed feelings … TBH when I saw CJ playing for Liverpool he was for me representing Australia… the very sad thing is CJ at Liverpool was a player a class or many classes above any other player we had at the time and only Harry has risen to the same hieghts that CJ did… In fact Joe Marsden, JC, Harry & Dukes sort of stand out from everyone else…
I also take Rob’s point above about the requirements for the Alex Tobin award .. it is a good point…
Maybe we need to understand the award … even so I still question an award given to a non Socceroo … I guess a lot comes down to feel … if it look like a duck, walks like a duck etc, then it is a duck…. I always considered CJ to be an Australian at Liverpool I am in my mid 50’s maybe it’s my fault because inspite of everything he said and did as a young man I still considered him Australian… so I still have mixed feelings ….
David V. said | November 17th 2009 @ 9:45am | Report comment
…all means nothing to me as an Everton supporter. Just a player on an opposing team that I despise.
dasilva said | November 17th 2009 @ 10:30am | Report comment
Come on David V.
What does it mean as an Australian then? (are you Australian by the way?)
Mick of Newie said | November 17th 2009 @ 12:11pm | Report comment
David Lowe, a former socceroo and by all accounts a good pro, wrote a good piece in this mornings Newcastle Herald on Johnson and particularly playing with him during his guest stint with Newcastle KB United.
http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/sport/football-soccer/david-lowe-deserved-recognition-for-craig-johnston/1679007.aspx
He got a pfa award and it appears he had an impact on those pros that were growing up in the 80’s.
dasilva said | November 17th 2009 @ 12:26pm | Report comment
Craig Johnston is surely a great player.
I’ll concede one thing that this issues isn’t black and white. HE was probably an inspiration to people growing up in the 80’s. SInce I wasn’t really around that era I don’t have that emotional attachment and I just see it as rewarding someone who represented another country.
Judging by response by people who were been around even longer and who were following socceroos from the 60s and 70s such as KB and a few people from other forums. They didn’t have nostalgic memory of growing up following Craig Johnston as a youngster as well and their response were different as well
It’s just that this PFA awards were pretty much awarded by people who were pretty much all socceroos growing up in the 80’s. I pretty much just saw Craig Foster, Tobin, Awaratife etc. I kind of wish they had a bit more diverse demographics of ex socceroos there. If I hear someone like Ray Baartz, Peter Wilson, Adrian Alston or perhaps the socceroos of the 80s such as Farina, Krncevic, Mitchell who played for the socceroos whilst Johnston didn’t support Johnston PFA medal then I will be willing to say that he deserves it.
I think what Craig Johnston status in the Australian game will always be different to different people
dasilva said | November 17th 2009 @ 12:33pm | Report comment
I think I meant that Craig Johnston status in the Australian game will always be controversial
Midfielder said | November 17th 2009 @ 1:05pm | Report comment
Tnaks Mick I enjoyed reading that article.
Pippinu said | November 22nd 2009 @ 5:54pm | Report comment
das
really interesting piece and perspective.
As Mid menions above – it was a different time – Johnston was probably 10 or more years ahead of his fellow Australians, recalling that he was a regular with Liverpool and scored a goal in a winning FA Cup team at a time when there were no, or very, very few other Australians playing overseas.
Back in 1980-81, when we were struggling to get past NZ on the road to the 1982 WC, it would be another 13 or 14 years before we were to start thinking seriously about how we got professionals playing with big clubs back in Australia to play for the Socceroos.
In other words, that a player like Johnston would actually turn out to play with part-timers in the Socceroos was just never given any serious consideration at the time.
From his perspective – he was living his life-long dream of being a professional footballer – he wasn’t going to give that up for anything.
But does he deserve to be viewed as a great Australian Footballer 20 years on?
Well, yes and no.
One thing’s for sure – he never turned out for the Socceroos (and he could have if he really had wanted to), nor did he go out of his way to try to at any point during his career – even in the twilight of his career he would have been welcomed if he had wanted it.
Mick of Newie said | November 23rd 2009 @ 10:30am | Report comment
Pip, I agree with most of what you say.
It is important to note that Johnson never cemented a first team spot at Liverpool. He was always playing for his spot despite being there for 8 years. In the 80’s there were no international windows and foreign players were still a bit of a novelty in the English First Division. I would have loved to see him play for Australia but it is totally understandable if he felt that making himself available for Australia may well have been the end of his Liverpool career. He made that choice.
One point though which makes Johnson somewhat unique and interesting is that he did not have a twilight of a career. He walked away not only from the biggest club in the world but also football whilst fully fit at age 28 and never kicked a ball in anger again. Not many have done that.