The Roar
The Roar

Matt Somerford

Roar Rookie

Joined March 2017

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Back in Perth after 12 years in the UK covering everything from the Ashes to the Premier League and Olympics. It's good to see the sun again.

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Agree 100%. Some people just want to be unsatisfied, which must get very tiresome.

A close grand final does not a classic make

Cahill starting. Looks like we’re relying on him in a big game…who would have thought.

History suggests Socceroos fans set for nervy night

It’s parked forever. A baffling array of arguments, but enjoy your life the best you can.

History suggests Socceroos fans set for nervy night

I’m sorry you feel the need to make a personal attack. I have never been a Hawthorn fan!

History suggests Socceroos fans set for nervy night

I’m sorry Marcel but Australia doesn’t readily identify itself as a football nation (or soccer). It is a multi-code nation and, whether we like it or not – football is down the pecking order. It’s just a fact.
Participation has always been high amongst junior (and has been for a long time) but football is hardly at the front of the nation’s concious.
That is just a fact, no matter how uncomfortable it is for football fans – of which I am a proud one and have been for a very long time.
Your ill-conceived remarks about my knowledge, and passion, for football is frustrating but at the same time understandable given the blowhorn of abuse football fans get in this country. Please don;t fall into the trap of turning such abuse on anyone you think might sit across the code divide.
You may not agree with my opinion on Cahill – and I understand why – but in our hour of need, in a campaign we struggled for goals without him – we turned to him and he delivered. He has delivered for over a decade. I was in the stands at Kaiserslautern when he delivered against Japan in 2006. the man is big time and we still haven’t filled that void.
What I was stating was clearly true – that football sits in a crowded sporting landscape inside Australia – and outside too – and that the majority of people would not identify our country as a football nation. That is changing but I’ve lived overseas for a long time and when you say you;re Australian people want to talk rugby, cricket, basketball and enquire ‘what the hell is Aussie Rules’ before they think about football.
That is just fact. We know it’s changing and matched like tonight will only help take us closer to a point where more people appreciated the intricacies of the world game.
If previous World Cup playoffs are an indicator, tonight’s game will run the nation through a full list of emotions and – as we look to get more casual observers to understand the game – that kind of drama can only be a good thing.

Also a key point. I never ever suggested anything about race, religion or gender in my article. I honestly can’t see the link you have made to that or why you would do that.

History suggests Socceroos fans set for nervy night

Was in Copenhagen earlier this year. Great country and very happy to see Sweden, Iceland and Denmark at the World Cup finals. A favourite part of the world up there.

History suggests Socceroos fans set for nervy night

In my opinion we rely on Cahill.

In his absence (you are right he has laregly been an absent figure for most of this campaign) but without him we haven’t directly qualified from Asia for the first time and lacked the punch in front of goal to win games……and if it wasn’t for him we would have gone out against Syria. We turned to him in our hour of need. Seems like a pretty big reliance. Whether you like it or not that’s a fair opinion to have.

Worth noting this was just one sentence in a story depicting the emotional torment of World Cup quailfication playoff matches & how Australian fans know that despair (and joy) all too well. I’m sorry you missed that. Hope you enjoy the game. #goroos

History suggests Socceroos fans set for nervy night

Spot on. It’s why these games are so excruciatingly brilliant.

History suggests Socceroos fans set for nervy night

Entertain me.
Let me know the apparent inaccuracy of reporting and where I’ve suggested the football community is not part of the ‘real’ Australia. (I’m keen to delve into your mind and how you came to this conclusion).

It should make for entertaining reading for anyone who logs onto this page.

History suggests Socceroos fans set for nervy night

Australia conceded one goal in that 2010 campaign. They didn’t need to go out and score goals. It was tactically a different team.
Simply grabbing stats without context is NOT research. This team has needed to score goals because they are defensively inferior. They have not been able to score enough goals to win enough games and secure direct qualification – as the 2010 and 2014 teams did.

History suggests Socceroos fans set for nervy night

I think you must have read a different article.

History suggests Socceroos fans set for nervy night

A really disappointing reply. I’ve covered football in Europe for the past decade – including Roos games. I steer clear of writing on them on here because of these unneccesarily spiky rebukes. I have merely depicted the emotional rollercoaster of a night we are returning to after 12 years. In a perverse way I’ve missed these games. #goroos

History suggests Socceroos fans set for nervy night

Sounds like you’re already pretty anxious. Thanks for reading.

History suggests Socceroos fans set for nervy night

A bit of sarcasm big man.

Simpson deserves respect as goodwill dries up

Excellent counter argument. All as relevant as what I wrote in the story.

Is the Eagles' fortress being demolished before schedule?

Agree with you Scott. Fingers crossed for them this happens. Any team with that such impressive key position players at both ends has got to be a huge chance – if they get the midfield right and therefore also sort that inside-50s count issue which is clearly their Achilles heel this season.

Is the Eagles' fortress being demolished before schedule?

Yep every club has what-ifs….that’s why I did’;t state any what-ifs in the story…only facts. The debate can start from there and certainly your point about WCE missing their two guns is particularly relevant. Again tho, another what-if they played? They didn’t.

Is the Eagles' fortress being demolished before schedule?

Thanks mate.

Is the Eagles' fortress being demolished before schedule?

Thanks for reading Don Freo. Great feedback and I hope for the Eagles sake they can match your ambitions for them this seaosn. I’d would contend the article did not say anywhere that Gaff is slow – that was your conclusions – and that moment mentioned was purely a way of highlighting how much sharper Port were on the day rather than on an individual. Clearly Gaff had no time to get rid of it, but again, that was to Port’s credit. I also didn’t ignore Barrass. I spent a paragraph stating how he is a good young player stilllearning his craft. Also I never mention anything about me wanting the coach sacked – only that there is clear angst among West Coast fans. I’ve tried to highlight why that might be in the article. I don’t give my view on his employment anywhere, and never would I. It’s up to the reader to decide and I think there’s balance in the story in terms of the youth he has tried to promote and that it is a focus clearly on his radar – he just might not have the cattle due to drafting. Again, the reader can decide on facts presented.

Is the Eagles' fortress being demolished before schedule?

Thanks for the feedback. Agree on potential of young players you mention, but there’s a lot of what ifs and maybes and that is a situation of WCE creating by not turning to youth. I’ve just put some facts out for readers to decide of their own accord. Would like to add the nine players coming in is correct – through the avenues I mention – National Draft, Rookie Draft and Pre-Rookie Selections – Venables, Rotham, Rioli, Waterman, Gorter, Petrie, McInnes, Bayok, Watson. Of those, as I say, only Petrie has made his West Coast debut this season.

Is the Eagles' fortress being demolished before schedule?

I’m not entirely sure why Fyfe’s record with the MRP has become the focus of debate after this article, but if that’s the course of the thread I think it’s worth mentioning any time you describe a bloke with a man bun as ‘dirty’ or a thug then you are perhaps undermining you’re own argument. Call me old fashioned.

Fyfe deserves sympathy amid modern-day contract drama

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