Writing for The World Game website, Foster says Australia’s under-17 coach Jan Versleijen “has to go” because in their four games in the tournament, the Joeys failed to control possession, failed to build from defence and failed to employ combinations – all central tenets of the National Curriculum.
Arguing that performances are more important than results in youth football, Foster claims Versleijen – also Australia’s under-20 coach – likewise failed to develop “tactical concepts” for his crop of young players and suggests the quality of play on show in Mexico was “unacceptable.”
It’s typically hard hitting stuff from one of Australian football’s most outspoken analysts and a player who represented Australia at an under-16 World Cup.
Yet as we know, only a select few from the hundreds of players representing their respective countries in Mexico will go on to have long professional careers in the game.
And if results are largely academic, what exactly is the point of the under-17 World Cup?
The chance to introduce youngsters to international tournament football is an obvious benefit, as is the opportunity to develop a tight-knit squad over a number of years.
And the temperaments and mental capabilities of young talents are no doubt tested by playing at the highest level available to them.
However, virtually the same opportunities are available by playing regular friendlies, and the fact FIFA also runs an under-20 World Cup arguably makes the younger age-limit version redundant.
That’s especially the case if the tournament serves only to reinforce bad habits, one of which was the sort of ill-discipline we saw from the Joeys in their 4-0 second round thrashing at the hands of Uzbekistan last week.
Interestingly enough, Australia celebrated a rare double success in tennis last weekend when Luke Saville and Ash Barty lifted the boys’ and girls’ junior Wimbledon titles respectively.
Yet, Tennis Australia’s investment will surely only be judged once the pair reach senior ranks.
And other than acting as a means of bringing international football to regions unlikely to host a senior World Cup in the foreseeable future, it’s hard to see what tangible benefits FIFA’s youngest underage international tournament actually brings.
The same can’t be said of the Women’s World Cup, currently going gangbusters in Germany.
More than 73,000 fans turned out to watch host nation Germany’s opening clash with Canada, but for Australian fans the most important statistic is the number of points Tom Sermanni’s team ends up with in a tough Group D.
A 3-2 win over Equatorial Guinea overnight put the Matildas in the driving seat to qualify for the second round, although they need to avoid defeat against Norway in their final group-stage game to do so.
And they’ll also need defender Servet Uzunlar to overcome her nightmare performance against the gritty Africans, after she was robbed of possession twice by Anonman to concede two costly goals.
Some dreadful refereeing aside, the Women’s World Cup has proved thoroughly entertaining to date and from an Australian point of view, I’ve been just as intrigued to view Sermanni’s tactics as I was Versleijen’s.
It’s not quite a case of boys against women, but the contrast between FIFA’s two on-going tournaments is an interesting one.
And with the under-20 World Cup kicking off in Colombia later this month, it’s hard to see what long-term value the under-17 World Cup brings to the beautiful game.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Anyone, who wants to understand the point of having an u17 FIFA WC should sit down and have a look at this morning's Semi-Finals: URU v BRA and GER v MEX. The quality of football - technical & tactical; the individual brilliance of players; the combination play; the mental toughness to dig deep in oppressive conditions of heat and high altitude - was as good as, if not better than, the majority of senior professional football matches at club level from the best leagues in the world. These kids I saw today were simply unbelievable and a professional career in football beckons IF they maintain the passion to succeed.
PeterK
Guest
How about the wonderful through balls deep into the corners -- so hard for our boys to defend against!
PeterK
Guest
Hear! Hear! Roarchild.
PeterK
Guest
Thanks Qantas, I too enjoy it all -- win, lose, or draw, but possibly more importantly, for me at least, I enjoy watching the poor performances too. After all, if a performance is poor, then there is more room for improvement than if it was good! I enjoy winning more than losing, but I just love to see our countrymen (and our ladies) of all ages playing our wonderful game.
PeterK
Guest
Should a nationwide U16 cup help in selecting the best U17s for the following year? If so, it should NOT be a KO cup, but run rather like the U17 (and other) World Cups, with qualifying games before the tournament proper for the "final 16" (or so), and with a "Group Stage". Could we get 16 by having each "Soccer State" enter its best two teams -- after a preliminary comp within the "State". By "State" I mean that Nthn NSW and NSW (and ACT) are separate "States". How many such "States" do we have in Oz? (The 3 I mentioned plus Qld, Vic, Tas, NT, SA, and WA, totalling 9? -- maybe one or two won't want to take part, or will want to enter just one team, or maybe we need to eliminate 1 or 2 teams in a few more matches, possibly by having the second-tier teams play off, perhaps in two geographical groups?) There's a nice ring to the phrase: the best 16 teams of 16s!
Uncle Bob
Guest
Finger's crossed they stick the boot back into Kewell and Mandic.
Bondy
Guest
Melbourne Victory press conference today at 2.00 pm ,shown live on Fox Sports News .
CleanMatch
Guest
Millions? Really?
cyril
Roar Rookie
Has for and against. I would rather watch other domectic leagues than u17's. Exceptions are always there eg, jap bra game. Boys by 17 havent matured yet or attain injuries which explains why many don't make top senior level. If you research further, not many top grade juniors become regular socceroos. On the other hand I like tourny play, especially in the offseason it gives an advert for the game and gives juniors something to aim for.
Uncle Bob
Guest
"Yet as we know, only a select few from the hundreds of players representing their respective countries in Mexico will go on to have long professional careers in the game." The point of underage internationals at such a young age as this may well be well intentioned. Mind you with FIFA I sometimes wonder. It could just be another cynical stunt to stage a junket and justify themselves. They seldom produce talent.
BigAl
Guest
The confusion was caused by the keeper wearing the same colour shirt as the rest of the team - I thought that was not allowed !
William McInnes
Roar Rookie
An Under 17 World Cup is a great idea. It gives players a taste of international football to decide if they really do want to continue with their footballing careers. It also gives them a chance to prove themselves to big clubs who may be looking to pen a deal with a young player. It also gives players a chance to play more often and really bond with their future teammates.If they develop a chemistry with their team mates now, they have a much better chance of succeeding in the future.
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
Bondy - mine is a question, not a statement.
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
"Me fail English? That's unpossible!"
Atawhai Drive
Guest
Sorry to be a pedant, Mike, but you've changed it to "tenents". The word is "tenets". Excellent piece, though.
apaway
Guest
JP I did think of Graham Poll, but I was at the game in Stuttgart in 2006 and was not even aware at the time that he had erred. Whereas Stevie Wonder living in a basement could have seen the EG player catch the ball right in front of the goal. Incredible.
GrecoRoman
Guest
Hahahahha!! Love the commentary - going overboard to not seem biased, perhaps? "Well, Leena Khami is perhaps saying it caught the arm of the defender, perhaps?" "And ah, we've just seen a defender handball. Unless I'm seeing things? Did she, just, handball?" "Well, it looked like the arm was out, and it collected the, the arm..."
GrecoRoman
Guest
Ben, I think this is the essential point when determining the success of the u/17 development program. There are very big question marks about basing it at the AIS and I personally don't think the program is structured right. Surely as part of the A-League we can now place the emphasis on professional national development there and help each club develop its academy system further? I realise that there are areas where there is no professional A-League 'franchise', but surely academies can be developed in critical areas (Western Sydney, South-Western Sydney, Wollongong, etc. for starters) and once 'franchises' are developed in those areas they will be assisted by already having good junior structures in place? Better IMO than just parachuting in a team into some area just because they have a 'good business model'.
GrecoRoman
Guest
As you point out James, the article alludes to the junior tennis tournament at Wimbledon. Last time a female won that was 1980 with Debbie Freeman. Debbie who?
Bondy
Guest
Mike you've got an unusal mind , is somebody suggesting that if we dont win or runner up in this tournament, then theres no validity to the tournament then ? I have another issue and thats whether Australian players can be taught correctly how to play a 4 3 3 , technically i dont think so certainly not out of this tournament . Footnote - i didn't notice the girl last night with the hanball immeadiately, it looked to ridiculous to make a descision at that time ,upon closer examination the girl should have recieved a yellow and a pen awarded . Fortunately my local radio station 2ky the hosts informed me that cheating went on in that game and they saw the cheating take place it's a pitty they didn't watch the game , which they informed the listener that they didn't watch ' but they new someone was cheating somewhere at football. Congratulations to the Mariners and Celtic 17,000 to a game of football on saturday night in sydney with very litle marketing outstanding, the N.R.L,.would have signed of on that number anytime , but i must be conditioned to remember that those 16 ,900 were foreign who only just arrived for that game and left the country straight after the game . Because the sport is foreign remember .