The Roar » Matthew Wilson

Socceroos now need to walk the walk

Matthew Wilson — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:36:15 +0000

Finally Australia has reached sixteenth place on the recent FIFA Rankings, a personal best for the team. It’s where we deserve to be as we had a great run on our road to the World Cup.

We finished top of our group, we were the second team on the planet to secure our spot in Africa for 2010 (second only by a couple of hours, mind you), and with the great Mark Schwarzer between our posts, we also managed to keep an amazing seven games clean sheet.

On these facts alone, we deserve every ounce of this great achievement.

However, I am embarrassed to remember that there are countries such as Portugal, Cameroon, Paraguay, Ivory Coast, and so on, that are ranked below us.

These are countries that live and breathe football.

You walk out into the street or on a local beach and you will find kids in the hundreds playing the beautiful game. The football passion that these countries have makes us look like were supporting a game of golf.

Football is the number one sport in these places, while our dominate sporting codes are rugby and AFL.

I hope that one day we become a dominant football nation. It’s time for football fever to really hit our land!

Roaring Hot

Yesterday’s most commented articles

The real story of how John O’Neill turned Manchester City down [67 comments]
Australian teams at Super disadvantage [58 comments]
Does the A-League need an injection of humour? [43 comments]

Most read articles last 3 days

Article link: Socceroos now need to walk the walk. Written by Matthew Wilson, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Beautiful Barca and magic Manchester battle it out for the best of Europe

Matthew Wilson — Mon, 18 May 2009 21:07:47 +0000

After a 0-0 draw with Arsenal and Real Madrid’s 3-2 loss to Villareal, United and Barca have managed to claim champions in their own leagues without much effort in their recent games. But the two have bigger trophies to hunt, with this year’s massive Champion’s League final just a stone’s throw away. The two teams [...]

Article link: Beautiful Barca and magic Manchester battle it out for the best of Europe. Written by Matthew Wilson, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Is this the end of an era for Newcastle United?

Matthew Wilson — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:32:24 +0000

The black and white stripped club looks to be at the end of an era after a 0-0 draw to Portsmouth on Monday. Michael Owen had the best chance for Newcastle, but Portsmouth keeper David James denied the England striker’s penalty with his legs. The Magpies were desperate to take all three points in this [...]

Article link: Is this the end of an era for Newcastle United?. Written by Matthew Wilson, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

A-League will always be a hopeless competition

Matthew Wilson — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:14:59 +0000

I go to as many Sydney FC games as I can and have done so since their first ever game. At first I thought, “give it time, it’s only the first season, I’m sure it will get better.” Boy, was I wrong. I’m purely there for the atmosphere now. As we go into season five, [...]

Article link: A-League will always be a hopeless competition. Written by Matthew Wilson, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Cashed up Europe will leave our NRL at second best

Matthew Wilson — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:17:24 +0000

Mark Gasnier and Sonny Bill Williams are the first to pack their bags for a little fortune. The previous St George and Bulldogs stars left the NRL for lucrative deals to play rugby in France. Gasnier and Sonny Bill are both paid around a reported $800,000 to $1 million per year. The real question is [...]

Article link: Cashed up Europe will leave our NRL at second best. Written by Matthew Wilson, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Is this Karma or bad luck for Brett Stewart?

Matthew Wilson — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 22:25:32 +0000

Just when things started to be looking up for the reigning premiers their star fullback is told he is out for up to 12 weeks. After a boozy season opening Stewart has alleged to have sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl outside her family home. The state of origin fullback was given a four match suspension [...]

Article link: Is this Karma or bad luck for Brett Stewart?. Written by Matthew Wilson, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Teves admits it’s time to leave United

Matthew Wilson — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:06:40 +0000

Manchester United’s Argentinean star Carlos Tevez has admitted it’s probable he will be leaving United in the summer. The 25-year-old has said he needs to be playing regular team football and wants to be selected for big Premier League clashes. The Argentinean forward has started half of United’s Premier League games this season, with a [...]

Article link: Teves admits it’s time to leave United. Written by Matthew Wilson, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Reborn Carlton to give Swans run for money

Matthew Wilson — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:14:08 +0000

History will be on Sydney’s side when they take on Carlton at the SCG. But coach Paul Roos and the TAB haven’t taken that into account for this Saturday’s clash. The Swans have beaten the Blues in their last eleven encounters. This year also marks the century when the old South Melbourne club beat Carlton [...]

Article link: Reborn Carlton to give Swans run for money. Written by Matthew Wilson, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Odds look good for a Manchester United win

Matthew Wilson — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:11:11 +0000

Defying the odds and becoming the first ever English team to beat FC Porto on home soil, Manchester United would feel like they can achieve anything at the moment. The reigning champions are due to face Portsmouth in a game that can give United some breathing space from Liverpool. The Reds are trailing a very [...]

Article link: Odds look good for a Manchester United win. Written by Matthew Wilson, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

The Magic of Macheda keeps United at the top

Matthew Wilson — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 23:06:43 +0000

Two crucial goals in two crucial games. The Magic of Macheda has kept Manchester United’s title dreams alive. The 17 year old made his debut with a stunning injury time goal against Aston Villa last week and the former Lazio youth academy player has done it again. United travelled away to Sunderland expecting an easy [...]

Article link: The Magic of Macheda keeps United at the top. Written by Matthew Wilson, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

What will the 6+5 rule do to the top European clubs?

Matthew Wilson — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:53:08 +0000

FIFA’s 6+5 rule has been overwhelmingly approved by 155 of the organisation’s member nations, but is it really in the interest of the world game? The 6+5 rule is designed to restore the national identity in football clubs which have a high number of foreign players in the squad while also reducing the gap between [...]

Article link: What will the 6+5 rule do to the top European clubs?. Written by Matthew Wilson, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

England has the best League in the world. So what?

Matthew Wilson — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 22:49:22 +0000

The Champions League Quarter Finals have come around and, once again, three out of four games contain an English team. This dominance by English teams has been consistent. In 2008, for instance, three out of the four teams were from the UK. 2007 was the same. However, Italian giants AC Milan claimed the Champions league [...]

Article link: England has the best League in the world. So what?. Written by Matthew Wilson, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

NBL is dead, so scrap it and start over again

Matthew Wilson — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 22:28:18 +0000

Financial difficulty, lack of interest and poor leadership. That are just some of the things wrong with the basketball league in Australia. So just how long will it take for this code to fall flat on its face? Sydney Kings were formerly one of the competition’s heaviest hitters but in June of 2008 the club [...]

Article link: NBL is dead, so scrap it and start over again. Written by Matthew Wilson, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Soccerwhos?

Matthew Wilson — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:28:19 +0000

Australia are one point away from claiming their entry rights for the 2010 World Cup, but quite frankly they are no were near World Cup material. I was at the Australia Vs Uzbekistan game and, to my surprise, I found our European players quite terrible on the field. Don’t get me wrong: Kewell, Bresciano and, [...]

Article link: Soccerwhos?. Written by Matthew Wilson, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Don’t underestimate Manchester United

Matthew Wilson — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:42:13 +0000

It seems that what looked like a clear cut win for the Red Devils to claim the EPL this season has now come down to the wire, with Liverpool now only a point behind. But even though it seems all odds are against United to claim the title, they will overcome the bad patch and [...]

Article link: Don’t underestimate Manchester United. Written by Matthew Wilson, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Manchester City’s £32 million man may be benched!

Matthew Wilson — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:50:04 +0000

Manchester City’s £32 million spent on Robinho may be the most a club has ever paid for a bench warmer if the Brazilian star doesn’t start showing some form. City’s Martin Petrov has spent much of the season on the sidelines and it’s believed that when the when the Bulgarian is fit again Robinho will [...]

Article link: Manchester City’s £32 million man may be benched!. Written by Matthew Wilson, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Should Western Sydney have an AFL club?

Matthew Wilson — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:44:44 +0000

Western Sydney Football Club Ltd is the name settled on by the AFL for the second club to be based in New South Wales. AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said the team will be formally introduced to the competition some time after the 2010 season. But is Sydney’s West the right spot to run the [...]

Article link: Should Western Sydney have an AFL club?. Written by Matthew Wilson, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Tevez should start for Manchester United

Matthew Wilson — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:49:51 +0000

The ongoing battle between Tevez and Berbatov continues. Berbatov, a former Spurs player, came to United this season for a massive £30.75million. But the Bulgarian hasn’t delivered. Berbatov has a total of twelve goals for the red devils this season in 27 games. Yes, Tevez has only three goals to his name for United in [...]

Article link: Tevez should start for Manchester United. Written by Matthew Wilson, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

EPL is so predictable, it’s time for change

Matthew Wilson — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:44:31 +0000

Once again we see United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal leaving all the rest behind. Aston Villa looked like they were breaking into the top four this season, but have fallen behind the pack. For the last four seasons, it’s been the top four sides fighting for the top four places. The only time where it [...]

Article link: EPL is so predictable, it’s time for change. Written by Matthew Wilson, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion