We all know of the many hardships football has had to face in this country and we will not dwell on the past in this post as we have in others. Needless to say, Australia’s national football team wasn’t always as successful and well run as today.
Few football fans truly appreciate the quality of the Socceroos on and off the pitch and following the recent 3-0 win against Oman in front of nearly 25,000 people in Sydney. I thought it was about time we recognised and appreciated out national team for all that it is worth.
On the field the Socceroos’ results speak for themselves and despite the lesser caliber of opposition on should not discredit the hard work applied by the Aussies to keep a consistent record.
People often forget how easy it is to lose a game of football. It’s what makes the game so exciting, knowing that both teams have a chance at the start of the game.
The Socceroos haven’t lost a game this year, and in a country that prides itself on sport and almost expects to win every international match wins are often forgotten and work begins on the next encounter. This quiet achievement has seen the Socceroos climb up the rankings with a team of relatively unknown players on an international scale.
This brings up an important point regarding the Socceroos. The squad that once lacked in depth during the 90’s golden generation now has incredible competition for spots. Stars such as Harry Kewell and Mark Schwazer can be replaced by the likes of Matt McKay and Adam Federici.
Possibly the most overlooked fact about the Socceroos is their constant over-achievement. Two consecutive World Cup appearances, pushing for a constant FIFA top 20 ranking and the recent appearance at the Asian Cup final have been achieved with a relatively unknown squad playing out of a non-football country.
The Socceroos are pulling crowds and results, they have truely become a national team that represents Australia on the biggest international stage. All the best to them and let us hope that they continue to prosper and move forward.
David Heidelberg
Guest
Considering that we pasted the English and Dutch on their home grtounds last time we played them, they have little to laugh about.
qwerty
Guest
Sorry for that lengthy rant, but as far as I am concerned everything on there is the honest truth. The self-styled revisionists like Johnno can either swallow or choke on it.
qwerty
Guest
To lay it on the line, I *tried* following the NSL - I supported Carlton in the hope that if it was more successful than Collingwood Warriors was, it might inspire more AFL clubs to follow suit in football (as I supported Essendon back then - I don't follow AFL at all anymore - naturally I wanted them to give it a go). After Carlton folded the league effectively lost me - I lived in the Melb eastern suburbs at the time so neither remaining Melb side appealed to me geographically nor could I develop a real attachment to either, as I am not of Greek or Croatian background. I simply couldn't feel like I genuinely belonged at South Melb games when I tried to adopt them as my new team. I know many potential converts to the league/game in general felt exactly the same way. Some may say that is racist, but to say so is beyond the pale when in reality these clubs are closer to being 'racist' than me. What does it matter for these clubs to have players not of that club's 'background' (the first defence the ethnic-club fans bring up) but all their supporters are? What have these clubs done to reach out to the wider community in their 50-year existence? Have they/do they even want to do so, or are they happy to preserve 'their' identity like some racial-eugenics thing? That alone implies the game's best interests are not high on their list of priorities! Don't kid yourselves, the A-League had to happen and the fact that in six short years it has already become a greater part of the Australian sporting landscape than the NSL ever managed in 30 years is the ultimate vindication of this. Move on people - this is Australian football's New Dawn. Embrace it or be crushed by it!
pete4
Guest
I'm not sure where you are going with this however not all players/fans who played or support football with a club of Croatian heritage have an axe to grind. Just so you know there are still 36 clubs of Croatian heritage in Australia today in every state (except NT). I have been a Mariners member for a number of years and supported the A-League from Day 1 so I guess "I'm buying it"
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
If you were a Croat, I wouldnt expect you to - its Само слога Србина спасава/Samo sloga Srbina spasava ... "Only unity saves the Serbs". Once you take the Croation royal arms as your colours, you buy into all of that, and thank you, but I'd prefer to leave all of that as far away from my sporting clubs as humanly possible.
pete4
Guest
Ian - I am of Croatian heritage and grew up supporting Sydney United when I was a kid and I'm not sure what you mean by "4S"
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Having watched AU in person sunday arvo, I don't think you're going to need that much...
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@ Nathan of Perth You're right ... I should have prefaced my "jump on board" invitation with the comment: "learn the LOTG, read about the history and culture, have a basic grasp of the technical and tactical aspects of the Game" ... and then jump on board! :-) I was distracted when writing that post - I just heard that Mehm is rushing Carlos back into the team and it looks like he's also bringing Solarzano in for Danny, which means MVFC literally has a Dream Team attack tomorrow to play AUFC of: Archie, Solarzano, Rojas, H & Carlos!
clipper
Guest
Johnno, the Hakoah club is moving down to White City in Paddington. Maccabbi Tennis club is there also. Don't know how far the development is.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
"Of course, if netball, basketball, Rugby, ARF cricket, etc. fans want to join our FOOTBALL family … …. excellent – jump on board" Change of policy, Fuss? :D
apaway
Roar Guru
Johnno, our "resident NSL historian..." This is an article about the progress of the Socceroos and I don't want to turn it into another NSL v A-League comparison piece. But I couldn't go past what you said in an earlier post - "Sydney olmypic,sydney united,melbourne knights, south melbourne, i do not hear any ethnic names there. They would have mainstream appeal." Why do you think those three clubs would have the mainstream appeal today that eluded them in the 26 year history of the NSL? The old Soccer Australia hierarchy and some of the clubs thought a simple name change would broaden their appeal, but in a lot of cases it served to simply alienate a lot of the founding fans of those clubs.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@ Johnno I refer to them as the Australian National Football Team or, simply, AUS (Australia). The "Socceroos" is the nickname for the Australian National Football Team - just as The Samurai Blue is the nickname for Japanese National Football Team; Les Bleus is the nickname for the French National Football team; and Les Éléphants is the nickname for the Côte d'Ivoire National Football Team. So, I'm very happy to refer to the sport as "football" - it is rather apt for a game where the outfield players control cannot use their hands.
Johnno
Guest
Well i was once a member of the HAKOAH club fuss, but not jewish just used to eat at the bistro there when i lived down in bond beach. The HAKOAH club has closed down and is looking o relocate to another part of eastern sydney. Frank Lowy was president there in the 70's. AN di went to zero old NSL matches, and zero NSW premier league matches yet. I was down in canberra earlier in the week for a bit of work and flew back to sydney on tuesday only 30 minute flight incurable. And as the plane was going over sydney saw the old st george ground, vintage old NSL stuff. If belmore oval was in bad condition, st george's old ground could sure do with a renovation.
apaway
Roar Guru
And of course having Olympic, United and the Knights in the A-League might have changed Pim's mind, do you think, Johno?
Johnno
Guest
Fuss did you go and watch the homeless world cup won by Afghanistan held in Melbourne i watched a a bit on TV looked great atmosphere. And i will make an effort to watch some of the W-league. And soccer or association football as it is officially called is truly the world game no question. And fuss would you prefer if Assocationa football changed it's name ot be officially called soccer. And do you think fuss the soccer's should change there name, to footballroos, or some other name.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@ Johnno "resident historian of the NSL" ... you? You're kidding, right?! We've got guys like "apaway", who actually played in the NSL posting on The Roar, together with a multitude of other posters, who religiously attended NSL matches. By contrast, from what you've told us in the past, it looks like you attended few - if any? - NSL matches. I can't imagine too many intelligent people placing too much credence on your views of SOCKAH history in Australia.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@ Johnno For starters, we can't call it the NSL b/c the "S" has changed to an "F"! You've already mentioned you are a Rugby fan first and then a football fan and, thank heavens, the FFA has finally realised its number one priority is keeping FOOTBALL fans happy. Of course, if netball, basketball, Rugby, ARF cricket, etc. fans want to join our FOOTBALL family ... .... excellent - jump on board for a ride that can take you to every country on earth - as a player or as a spectator; male or female; super wealthy or homeless; young or old.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Johnno, Pim Verbeek was an idiot for ignoring A-League players. The New Zealand team that went so well was cored around A-League players, plus *a* central defender from the Premier League. As to the NSL clubs not being ethnically based, do Melbourne Knight's red-and-white coloured squares mean nothing to you ? How about 4S ? Thats meaningless as well, right ? I'll give you a clue. Google "croatia blazon of arms" and see if you can see the Knights' colours.
Johnno
Guest
And qwerty sicne i consider myself the roar's resident old NSL historian i say this to your comment rephrasing without he 10,000 crowd. Give some of the old NSL clubs a license with all the benefits of the A-league and see how it it would go. Modern pay tv deal, now pay tv has gone maisntream in australia far more than when pay tv came into the old NSL Asian champions league spots bigger crowds, a better stadium, moor money made form merchandise,corporate boxes,advertising,, internet streams, on line advertising. It would do so much better, to get 10,000 for a bunch of amateurs they could pack 30,000 easy at a renovated new stadium at belmore.
Johnno
Guest
Yes qwerty i would agree with pIm. The old NSL" God love it", would still get rubbished under Pim. But i want a new modern NSL. Why is that so outrageous to bring the name NSL back. We have AFL,NBL, NRL, why not NRL. To many bad memories for some maybe. Did people on here really dislike the old NSL that much,and never thought of rebranding it with keeping the same League name NSL just rebranding it. Would of done wonders for me. Sydney olmypic,sydney united,melbourne knights, south melbourne, i do not hear any ethnic names there. They would have mainstream appeal. But Pim would still critics it and rightly so, why should the head coach of a national team sugar coat the national league and basically lie about where it stands in comparison now with the rest of the World then. The FFA obviously want a yes man, and Pim was a NO man then , or just told the truth like it is not what we as a nation want to hear. I far prefer those type of men to yes men. And maybe Holger is being to much of a yes man in my opinion, not actually being honest about the standard of the A-league compared to the big Euro leagues. SO who is in the wrong now, Pim, Hoger or the FFA via Frank Lowy and Ben Buckley.