Rellum & Rob – yes.

Rusty>>Would Johnston’s speed and skills have made for a different result (0-2 in Scotland, 0-0 in Melbourne)?
Definitely. We were woeful at finishing plenty of opportunities that night …

>>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.

As you say, your perspective depends a lot on what you grew up with – but for this GenXer he will always remain an absolute inspirational legend.

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=219720.msg4304907#msg4304907

All I can say to the (surprisingly) bitter naysayers is that I was searching for a copy of the 1986 FA cup final to show my roo ball playing son and daughter an example of football playing at its sublime best, complete with (arguably) the best club team ever, and the best Australian footballer ever (so far) …

And yes – I’ve read his book … and seen his surfboard in the museum at Anfield …

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

What does it mean as an Australian then? (are you Australian by the way?)

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.

He always seems humble whatever interview I’ve seen him so it’s a surprised to hear about this.

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 ….

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.