But, of course, having learned from their 2007 failures, the Socceroos won’t be talking about winning the title just yet.
They’re remaining focussed on each game as it comes, and so they should. It is the best way to deal with the challenges which lay ahead and we know there will be tougher games as we enter the knockout stage of the tournament.
Socceroos skipper Lucas Neill said after the Bahrain win: “We’re not going to kid ourselves it wasn’t the best performance today and it won’t be acceptable in the next round. If we play like that then we’re going to make it very hard for ourselves.”
It’s a fair assessment. The performance was lacking fluency and Australia’s midfield broke down. Up front, we failed to be clinical again. But the positive was the defence held up, under some pressure and with a number of stand-ins.
It was a resilient and dogged performance from Australia to hold on and goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer was at his brilliant best helping out with several key saves.
Some might point to the pressure the Australian defence came under as a worry, but the concentration and focus the Socceroos showed to graft out the win was impressive. Especially considering the win wasn’t necessary to progress.
This appears a team determined to achieve its goals and take no shortcuts. Finishing top of Group C was the target and they achieved it. Okay it came with some luck but it’s good stuff.
As Neill pointed out before the tournament, the pain of 2007 remains for several of the Socceroos who’ve carried through to this Asian Cup, and they are desperate to put that right as they near the end of their careers.
“The previous tournament was disappointing for us. The negativity and experience from that, we’ve turned into a positive. Therefore our preparation has been extremely good and very thorough,” Neill said.
“Our mindset is to concentrate on game-by-game. The desire is no different, there’s still a dream and a want to win the tournament. In the back of our minds we’re in this tournament to try and win but we’re going to take it step-by-step.”
Neill has been saying all the right things. And the way senior players like Tim Cahill have been talking shows they are very much focussed on winning the Asian Cup.
From afar it appears several senior Socceroos have realised this could be their final chance to win some silverware in the green-and-gold, and with the added motivation of putting right 2007’s disappointment, they’ve got a steely focus about the job at hand.
In fact, the way Cahill was talking pre-tournament about keeping himself in good shape at club side Everton for the Asian Cup shows where his priorities lay.
Indeed, the Socceroos leaders such as Neill, Cahill and Schwarzer are saying all the right things. And while the performances haven’t convinced, they are still achieving the outcomes desired. That’s a positive.
The question is will that determination and graft be enough against tougher opponents in the knockout phase?
I don’t think it will be, so the performances do need to improve. But I believe this team has the quality to step it up a gear like they did against Korea Republic when it was required.
Along with that, though, having that steely determination is something we didn’t have four years ago and it could make a difference as this team searches for inspiration to go all the way in Qatar.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
there seems to be a little bit of steel about the Samurai Blue. That's the second game they've gone to 10 men with a phantom red yet have come back to win the game.
Twatter
Guest
I think our supposed failure at the last asian cup was down to the fact that we had never played in the Asian Cup before , against teams where weren't use to, their was an interim coach in Graham Arnold when we didn't win a game he blamed the players saying publicly they don't want to be there (intelligent). We appeared shaky against Bahrain where in fact we only had to avoid defeat ,how many games of football does that generaly happen in. I think the team are relaxed and i feel they're not concerned about being knocked out of the tournament and the supposed ramifications that come with it. In saying that i feel all of the favoured nations at this point in time can all be knocked out of this tournament I.E.Sth Korea , Australia,Japan. 15 minutes before the Japan vs Qatar game of to betfair.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
Whiskeymac, I believe it is a reference to certain techniques employed in some of the less salubrious bars in Pattaya :)
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
I think the simple answer is yes. However that means we need Kilkenny next to him to make up the deficiency.
davelee
Guest
Group A was quite garbage too. although i think Qatar improved as the tournament has gone on. Uzbeks I dont rate that highly
davelee
Guest
i dont follow, whiskeymac
Art Sapphire
Guest
Gazz, if he scored every game, we'd completely ignore his deficiencies :)
gazz
Roar Pro
Is Jedi's lack of passing quality outweighed by the goal threat he's presented in Qatar? He's been quite handy with his goals.
gazz
Roar Pro
floppybottom u gagstar. think we need the Sherriff
gazz
Roar Pro
as well it seems the big stars, like Lucas Neilll, Mark Schwarzer, Tim Cahill are doing alot of the big extended interviews. not such Harry kewell which is interesting
gazz
Roar Pro
havent been that impressed by Iraq. i must say i thought group D was easily the weakest at the asian cup. neither north korea or UAE knew how to score goals. quite hopeless. so on that, i think we should be more than good enough to beat Iraq
Tageskarte
Guest
Lads? Been to England lately?
floppybottom
Guest
now your talkin daddyo!
dasilva
Guest
Interestingly enough they asked Lucas Neill before the final rounds of fixture of group d about who he preferred to play in the next round and they asked whether he preferred Iran or Iraq. lucas Neill answered Iraq to make up for the last time they played Iraq in the WCQ qualifiers and the 2007 Asia Cup. I guess Lucas Neill wasn't playing that fateful day against Iran for him to be really motivated about making up that lost. I wonder what Kewell would have answered to that question (as the sole player remaining from that match)
BrisbaneGrowl
Guest
This has to be one of the best comments I've seen on the Roar thus far. Actually made me laugh out loud.
Roarchild
Roar Guru
Since we don’t have one good left back we can try and make up for it by playing 3, 4 maybe even 5 people there. We have plenty of spare spots we don’t really like to use i.e. Midfield. Could set the team out like this ____ __ Cahill __ Kewell ____ __ __ Holminho Spiranovic Mckay Carney Oar ____ Neil __ Sasa ____ Wilkshire _ _______ _Schwarzer
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
The lesson for the football world, after that win by Greece in Euro2004 is simple ... ... beware any National Team, who has a German manager, plays "untidy" football ... but, manages to get results. ;-)
RedOrDead
Roar Guru
Yeah Bad, especially being Greek, I kicked myself extra hard! lol I know someone who put a lazy $100 on Greece at $501 and someone else who put $50 on them because he thought "$100 is too much to waste"...well I'm sure he's happy with $25k, but the guy who put $100 on them laughed all the way to the bank...whilst I cried! :'-(
Roarchild
Roar Guru
Fussball, I think you gave up way too early. I would have suggested they were celebrating because they just qualified for the Confed cup... just like Australia celebrated qualifying for the world cup as much as any individual game at the event proper :)
whiskeymac
Guest
wld calving them up involve veterinary gloves or is it a reference/ comparison to bull fighting as is sometimes (maybe) enjoyed by those short barca players (unimportant fact: barca are the shortest team in europe at an average of 5 ft 9)?