The Roar
The Roar

Jesse Wray-McCann

Roar Rookie

Joined October 2012

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Melbourne journalist. Football coach, player and all-round tragic.

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“Once again, I am left with an unfulfilled longing to see a true technician appointed to lead a team I care deeply about. I want a coach who can pioneer and revolutionise the national team. I want a coach who will leave a legacy for the national team. I want a coach who can teach our young players.”

I largely agree with your sentiment here, but I think you’re looking at the wrong role. I’d argue you should be focusing on the role of the FFA National Technical Director (currently Han Berger), and not the national team manager.
The Socceroos manager only spends about 2-3 weeks total time with his players each year, and in that time you can do next to nothing to improve the technique of a player. And it’s most definitely not enough time to permanently revolutionise the team.
The change/improvement you’re asking for is long-term stuff, goes well beyond the national team itself and is therefore not within the gamut of the Socceroos manager role. The Socceroos manager is there to shape the team’s tactics, mentality and preparation. Where as it is very much the responsibility of the FFA National Technical Director to establish the nationwide structures (like what Fuss mentioned the German FA has done) that will lead to techinical improvement that will eventually filter through to the Socceroos, because in most cases 80-90% of a player’s technical development happens before the age of about 20.

Why an Australian coach was not the best option

This.
Oar can be an incredibly unintelligent player at times when playing wide on the left – which is exactly what we saw tonight. A verrrrrrry frustrating performance from him. He just kept lumping crosses in without any aim. Dribble, dribble, dribble, cross. Dribble, dribble, dribble, cross. Dribble, dribble, dribble, cross.

Australia vs. Iraq: Socceroo player ratings

Age also doesn’t concern me – but only if I’ve got a shortsighted focus.

If the Socceroos were to come to an end after the World Cup next year, then of course we should be selecting the best players, which will include many of the guys aged over 33. But they will continue beyond the WC and, more importantly, they have a more achievable trophy in the Asian Cup. So I’m saying we need to build towards the AC because it will benefit Australian football significantly more.

Socceroos need to give up on World Cup

The headline would indeed be a stupid thing to say, but only if you assumed it had just the one interpretation – that interpretation being that the Socceroos should give up on QUALIFYING.
But if you had read the piece, and therefore put the headline in context, you would see I used the phrase “give up” in the sense that the Socceroos SHOULD qualify for the WC but not aim for success at all costs in Brazil. If we go to the world cup with the ageing players, then we’re setting ourselves up poorly for the Asian Cup and the years beyond.

To put it simply, the World Cup finals should be used by the Socceroos as a major part of the transition from one generation to the next, and not used as a bookend or farewell to the golden generation.

Socceroos need to give up on World Cup

Unfortunately it seems a few people, including yourself Kaga and, Fussball, have misread the piece (or in Fussball’s case, not at all).

I in no way said the Socceroos should not qualify for the WC. In fact, I said the likes of Neill and Co. are needed so that we can qualify. It would be horrible if we didn’t qualify and set the game back in this country. So we must qualify.

What I was saying is that we mustn’t use it as a farewell campaign for the old players. The Socceroos and football in Australia would be much better off if we must, like I said in the article, “use it [the World Cup] as a tournament to blood youngsters ahead of a vastly more achievable trophy at the 2015 Asian Cup.”

Socceroos need to give up on World Cup

J Binne, I think there was actually one clear reason he left Brisbane for Victory – he wanted to prove himself back in his home town. After success with South Melbourne in the NSL, he wanted to show to those in Melbourne that he could replicate it in the A-League era.
And I suspect another huge part of it centers on Postecoglou’s Asian Champions League ambitions. He would see Victory, with its greater resources, as better placed than Roar to campaign effectively in the ACL – a competition that Postecoglou is desperate to conquer.

In Adelaide United we do not trust

Hey Fussball,
I actually did make sure to mention the change of ownership. Seventh par from the end…

“Since then, despite a change of ownership, the “crap” remains and club has failed to get its grip on any silverware.”

In Adelaide United we do not trust

I’d suggest Fellaini is actually much more accustomed to playing the holding/defensive midfield role he has in seasons past at Everton and Standard Liège (and the man himself continues to say this on many occasions). When Felli is on song as a defensive mid, there are few midfield destroyers in world football that can better him. He is an incredible tackler and has the strength and skill to deal with close attention in the middle of the pitch. His match against Man City (which Everton won 2-0) on Jan 16, 2010 was one of the most dominant defensive midfield displays I’ve ever seen. He completely tore apart almost everything City tried to bring through the centre, and topped it off with a ridiculously good pirouette tackle on Craig Bellamy.

HOWEVER, I do agree that the Toffees are better with Felli having replaced Cahill behind the striker. I still think he’s a better defensive mid than attacking, but in this Everton side right now it’s more beneficial for the team to have him up front. He can do what Cahill did and get on to the end of crosses into the box. But what he offers that Cahill didn’t is the ability to create chances. Timmy is very much a finisher, where as Felli can also use his slick foot skills (and that incredible ability to control a long pass with his chest) to create opportunities for Jelavic and Everton’s other attacking players like Mirallas, Baines, Pienaar, Naismith and Osman.

Everton a better team without Cahill

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