The European grind takes another Australian casualty

Simunic is up there. But don't forget Johnston and Dorrigo who are also traitors. I remember watching the Oz v England friendly back in 91 and both Warren and Johnston were on the panel commenting on the game and you could sense the didain and hostility of Warren towards Johnston. I understand that back then it was difficult for players to play for Australia if they played in Europe, had Johnston not played for Australia because his contract wouldn't let him then that would be fine. And if he got rubbed up the wrong way by the incompetence of the then Australian administration then one could understand that too. It was difficult for Australian in Europe to play for Australia back then. Just look at the number of appearances that Mitchell, Krencvic, Farina, Katzlantsis and Patikas m ade for Oz once they went overseas. But to play for another country and to denigrate Australian football publicly like Johnston did is unforgivable. Everyone seems to show anger towards Simunic but Johnston and Dorigo should be shown the same hostility. The fact that they played for England doesn't make their treason any less grave. And the fact that the likes of Vieri and Simunic cop more crap thatn Johnston and Dorigo do annoys me as well.

Evan, It’s the arrogance that gets me. No one can deny that being a football fan in this country isn't exactly an easy path to find yourself on, but growing up as a ‘skip’ in a Junior Soccer team forever being told that my country was sh-t at football by Greeks, Serbs, Croats, Poms, Italian background kids, I can assure you, it brings great pleasure to be able to use that time honoured Aussie response of “Scoreboard” to many of them thesedays after beating Croatia in the Cup of 06, Serbia in 10, the Poms in a Friendly in 03. Now if we could just get the Italians, Scots and Greeks (they’d both have to make the World Cup first:)) it would be a complete set of arrogant Euro taunting thrown back in their face:) The best bit about beating these nations in the World Cup is that they can’t pull the old “It was only a friendly” excuse. It has been a great time to be a football fan in Australia as a new professional league is developed and the National team has steadily improved and climbed the world pecking order to be a very respectable opponent across the globe. In any list of sports biggest traitors, Simunic deserves nothing less than to be #1. No matter how anyone spins it. He betrayed the country he was born in and lived in(which gave him - at taxpayer expense a great football springboard from which to make a bucketload of money in Europe). Dog act.

I think you'll find the reason why Australian football fans are annoyed over Simunic's choice is that he spent time at the AIS at the Australian taxpayers expence and then elected to play for another country. Not to mention the fact that he was born here and grew up here yet still chose to play for his parents land. Regarding the National team of 1974, it is true that a lot of that team were born in other countries but all of those players had immigrated to this country and by making that choice became Australians. It is not as if the Australian federation was hunting around for players whose parents had immigrated to other countries and being developed in those countries and then pursuading them to play for Australia. Which is essentially what Croatia have done quite extensively. I find the supercillious and arrogant attitudes displayed towards non European football by Europeans to be ammusing. Considering the aggressive attitudes of countries like Croatia, Poland, Serbia, Turkey. Scotland, Wales, Ireland, England and France to recruitment outside their borders. So while Simunic is more than entitled to do what he has done, in the interests of free speech, Australian football fans are also allowed to criticise his decision and the implications it had for the sport in this coutnry. PS, i think with Culina's 3 Dutch league titles that croatia would have like to have got their hands on him as well.

Congratulations to Australia qualifying for the round of 16 at the 2006 World Cup. I never said the Croatian national team was better than the Australian national team. After I got over the "tears, sadness" and my "uttter disbelief" I found it quite comical how it was Simunic who got the three yellow cards. Re-read my comment and you'll see I was only arguing it is unfair for Simunic to be criticized for playing for Croatia. Its funny how no one cares that half of the members of the Australian team during the 1974 World Cup were born overseas. Double standards..

@ Aussie Born Croat It's attitudes like yours that made me cheer that little bit harder and made the result a little bit sweeter in Stuttgart that wonderful night in June 2006. To see the tears, sadness and looks of utter disbelief on the faces of those poor deluded souls wearing red and white tablecloth shirts ... gave us, wearing the yellow shirts of Viduka, Culina, Kalac, Skoko, etc. utter joy! Poor Simunic played like a clown on the night and, perhaps, cost Croatia a place in the Ro16 with his constant fouling of Viduka, which led to the penalty and 3 yellow cards. Watching Simunic trudge off the field, swearing to himself in Croatian knowing he would never again play in another FIFA WC ... well, you couldn't ask for a better ending to a football match. Hope you've organised alternative holiday plans for June 2012? Just as he did in June-2006, "Aussie Guus" is likely to break the hearts of the Croatian NT again next month.

Out of all the Croatian players who played for Australia since Croatia's independence only Mark Viduka has been good enough to play for Croatia. If it was not for the Croatian diaspora than Australia would be the same as New Zealand in world soccer/football. There's nothing wrong with Simunic choosing to play for Croatia when Archie Thompson chose to play for Australia over his country of birth New Zealand. Nah jks Thompson is s**t compared to Simunic and has made no contribution to soccer/football whats so ever and I can understand why you "aussies" are all angry. Simunic would of been the best defender Australia ever had. But there's nothing wrong with Simunic choosing to play for Croatia when he has pure Croatian blood running through his veins. Its just like when those "Aussies" chose to fight for Britain in Gallipoli and France during WW1. Those theaters of WW1 had nothing to do with Australian interests yet the Australian government and those volunteers chose to fight because they wanted to prove their loyalty to their homeland and felt a sense of duty because of their pure British blood. What did Australia get out of those conflicts? Nothing. Did the Australians know their country won't be getting anything from their involvement? Yes. Why did they enter the conflict than? To prove their loyalty to their mother state Britain. So do not be hypocritical to Simunic for choosing to represent the land of his forefathers when Aussies did the exact same not so long ago (and is still celebrated today). Its even more funny considering Simunic only played soccer/football for his homeland yet those "aussies" took it to the extreme and risked their lives for their homeland.

I kind of get the impression that people from Apia wouldn't want to get back into top level football in this country. They weren't founder members in 1977 due to reluctance on their part to join the competition and they certainly made no effort from what I can tell once they were administratively relegated in 1992. And if Adelaide Juventus fell on their own sword in regards to NSL participation in 2003. It seems to me that South Melbourne, Melbourne Croatia, Sydney Croatia, Olympic and Marconi are the only "ethnic clubs crying foul over the disbaning of the NSL and the creation of the A league. I'm guessing you wouldn't find people at Brisbane City (Azzuri), St George, Brunwick Juventus or Sunshine George Cross crying for readmission into top flight football. Don't get me wrong, the 10000 crowd was awesome and it would be fantastic to see the NSWPL and the VPL averaging 2 to 4k crowds which would give them a claim to play in the A league, until then it is not going to happen. And judjng by their actions in playing in Singapore, SOuth Melbourne seem to be the only team actually doing something to better their current situation.

Johnno, No, No, a thousand times NO!..honestly, how many times do we have to go through this? The NSL was the past, the A-League is the way of the future, a pretty bright future IMO.

don't feed the troll GH:(

Great crowd for GF. What was the average crowd for the year across the whole state league?

Bring back Melbourne and sydney croatia i say. Right Fuss. And while there at it, pan helenic, south melbourne heallas, apia leichardht, sydney olympic, andelaide juventus. Olympic ,olympic,olympic. And brogan back adelaide juventus. Go the old NSL. Goota love that NSW state league crowd 10,000 undeniably the future good work.

Haha, mate, what a paradox. You can't be serious can you? If Croatia is the best, then surely neither the National Soccer League (of Australia) nor Sydney Croatia (a team from an Australian city) can also be the best because they're not in bloody Croatia.

I begrudge him. If I couldn't represent Australia because there were several better people who played my position I'd accept it. It's not as if you'd move school cause you couldn't be captain of the firsts. I couldn't imagine putting on the jersey of any other nation other than my own. Not even my parent's homeland (Scotland and Germany in my case).

Croatia is the best. The NSL was the best. Bring back Sydney Croatia

Lol Fuss, did Poll really make the mistake because of Simunic? Haha And I remember a video interview with him, it was like a pre-recorded video link interview, when TWG was on Sunday's afternoons, he was just explaining himself on why he chose Croatia, I can't remember if he mentioned whether he regretted it or not.

Seric was selected for the Croatian squad for three consecutive world cups. This is a great achievment but unfortunately for him he never saw one minute of game time in any tournament. Will Mark Milligan be the Australian equivalent if we make it in 2014?!

Joey was a Geelong boy and Cats man through and through. If I'm not mistaken, at one point he undertook some of his rehabilitation at the Cattery.

Yup, Šimunić was a top-shelf CD - would have loved him in the Aussie team. Also, we lost another AIS-trained footballer - Ante (Anthony) Šerić to Croatia. It was Venables last match in charge of the NT and both Australia and Croatia named Ante Šerić in their provisional squads for a friendly match prior to France98! In the end Šerić opted for the Croatia ... and, when they won 7-0 that day Šerić must have felt pretty pleased. But, 8 years later, in Stuttgart, our lads had the last laugh on a much bigger stage with Šerić an unused sub on the Croatian bench.

@ Griffo I'm pretty sure there was an interview with Šimunić after WC2006, where he talked about his mixed emotions that day playing against the country where his parents live and against a team comprising so many of his junior mates - maybe that's why he kept "hugging" Viduka that day, which led to the penalty? :-) Can't recall if it was an interview with Les on TWG or in a newspaper - will try to find it. @ Johnno Think you'll find Viduka played for GNK Dinamo (Croatia) Zagreb - Dinamo's biggest rivals are Hajduk Split ... of course, an old NSL-man like yourself would know that it would be pretty "uncomfortable" if you confused those 2 teams.

Craotia Kasey , fuss and others is a small coutnry Australia is much bigger country. They wanted croatia to pinch, Bosnich and Viduka to, but booze, and the V bomber stayed loyal, good men. They also wanted spider to but he stayed, as did culling, and ljubo who should of gone to croatia he would of been treated better there than the FFA have treated him. they also wanted skoko to. The v bomber Viduka in his Hadjuk spilt days was good friends without eh croatian prime minister at the time.