Just when the A-League is starting to fulfill its raison d’etre of becoming a showcase for young Australian football talent, just when the A-League season is reaching fever pitch and producing games of high quality, just when…
Why am I getting all steamed up, you ask?
Those painful Olympic qualifiers have come around again. This February the campaign is heading off to Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates.
It is also the time where Olyroos manager, Aurelio Vidmar, will once again be snatching young players from defenceless A-League clubs like the child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
The FFA, in its infinite wisdom, has limited selection to three players per club in the final 18-man squad that will make the trip. That’s right, an onerous three players.
Even though the two matches are 17 days apart, the FFA has decided to make one round trip to West Asia. This means the players who embark on this Olympic misadventure will be missing a whole critical month of A-League action.
Of course, the FFA’s spin made out that they were Mother Teresa.
“The impact on the A-League clubs is something we always take into consideration when developing the under-age national teams program,” said FFA National Technical Director, Han Berger.
“As a result, the A-League clubs can plan with some certainty for the period when the players will be away for these very important Olympic qualification matches.”
You can imagine the phone calls from Vidmar to A-League managers Graham Arnold and John Van’t Schip.
“G’day, Arnie. Congratulations on a fantastic season. You are on the brink of winning a well deserved A-League premiership for the Central Coast Mariners. But I’m afraid I will need to borrow three of your best young players for a month.
“As long as they are injury-free they’ll be chosen from Bozanic, Amini, Ibini-Isei, Ryan and Sainsbury. Your country thanks you.”
“G’day, John. Congratulations on a fantastic season. You are on the brink of claiming Melbourne Heart’s first ever place in the finals series. But I’m afraid I will need to borrow three of your best young players for a month.
“As long as they are injury-free they’ll be chosen from Dugandzic, Hamill, Babalj, Good, Behich and Hoffman. Your country of employment thanks you.”
The FFA reminded us yesterday that “the AFC Asian qualifiers for the 2012 London Olympic Games are not scheduled on FIFA dates reserved for international fixtures, meaning overseas clubs are under no formal obligation to release players.”
I am not alone in finding the imposts placed on A-League clubs to be totally unacceptable.
Here is my challenge to Aurelio Vidmar and the FFA. Use your powers of persuasion and relieve the burden to our A-League clubs by getting on the phone to Europe. We have eligible talented players there who can do with a three week sojourn to West Asia.
Here are two to get the ball rolling.
Matthew Leckie has been finding it difficult to break into the first-team squad at high flying Borussia Mönchengladbach. Tommy Oar has been on the outer at since Jan Wouters took over at FC Utrecht. Their clubs have no reasonable excuse to not let them go.
But, I’ve got even more bad news.
I welcome you to read this piece again after the Olyroos finish second in their qualifying group. This will mean the Olyroos will have to play the runners-up from the two other Asian groups at a neutral venue in the last week of March. The winner of this group will advance to play the fourth-ranked African team for a spot at the Olympic Games.
How convenient. Smack bang in the middle of the A-League Finals series.
If we can’t get our best overseas players, then why sacrifice the A-League by sending our best young domestic players?
In the end I can’t see what the big deal is. Apart from the host nation, only three European countries will be taking part in the Olympic football tournament – Spain, Switzerland and Belarus.
And I can’t see the Germans and the Italians jumping off bridges for failing to qualify for London’s five ringed sporting jamboree.
Athas Zafiris is on Twitter @ArtSapphire
Lucan
Guest
Couldn't disagree more. * the tournament puts these 23s in the shop window * the "Kids" get to play against HIGH QUALITY opposition * the player gets more experience in a high pressure tournament situations A 23s player worth his salt should grab the chance with both hands, and if they happen to lose their 1st XI spot, they should be strong enough to fight their way back in. Any coach in the Australian league who shuts the door on an individual player for participating with one of our national teams should be stood down.
peter care
Guest
For decades this has been a prickly issue, the battle of club v country For my money, country must always come first. Certainly it can be a tough call for the player as it is the club where they earn their living; especially so if the player is not guaranteed of a first team place. The cards are all in favour of club managers and owners, and it is this that must change. Really the only solution is for FIFA and the various confederations to take a draconian stance; i.e failure to release a player for official tournaments or qualifiers (without medical clearance) will result in the club forfeiting all points won during that period. This will reverse the incentive for clubs not to release players, as it is the club that will suffer the non release, not the player (as is currently the case). If this rule were in place Aurelio Vidmar would use a mix of European and A-League player for the qualifiers. This would also benefit small nations grow the game in non traditional countries and regions.
Realfootball
Guest
The Olympics are, in my house, synonymous with a yawn, so I'm biased when I say that in my view Olympic football qualification is a complete waste of time. Any Olympic age players who are good enough will already be playing, or in the squads at least, for the senior NTs, so what is the point for the rest of them in football terms? Certainly the U17s and U20s have a point, but if you aren't playing in first team A-League as a regular by 21 at the latest, then you've hit the glass ceiling and the Olyroos are just a bit of tinsel in the window. The current team that Vidmar has been starting is a case in point. There is not one player, aside from Behich (perhaps) who has any real chance of becoming a regular senior Socceroo. Yep, and I'm a Roar supporter and, sorry, I just don't think that Mitch Nichols,despite his gifts, has the pace for the top level (hope to be proven wrong, though, and he is out of form right now - but in any case he was in the last full Roos squad, so case proven). So, given that the future of these players is club football, they would be much better off at their clubs. But, having said all this, no doubt FFA has no choice but to field a team, and if you field a team, it has to perform. Not that ours is. They've been pretty damned bad, which makes it all the more pointless.
Roarchild
Guest
I think Olympic football hurts the kids careers though. They should be playing first team football and missing games gives other layers the oppurtunity to take their spot. If you are a first team A league player I feel your better of saying thanks but no thanks.
phutbol
Guest
CCM knocked over Victory without Amini and Ibini starting. They can manage for a few weeks without them...
Walt
Guest
5 years ago? What, 2007? I can think of an even bigger tournament Australia took part in a year earlier. Dean, the Olympics is what the Europa Cup is to the Champions League. As for Messi, well, it was summer, Barca wasnt playing and he could afford to play in Beijing. Lets see if he would have pulled on the Argie shirt if the Olympics were held in March...
Dean - the UEFA U/21 group stage acted as Oly qualifiers. The games were mainly held during FIFA dates usually at the same time the seniors were playing. The top 8 teams then competed on the Euro 21 finals in June 2011 in Denmark to determne the 3 teams to go to the Olympics. This was during the European off-season. None of the big teams in the big European leagues were impacted by these matches.
AGO74
Guest
Personally, I enjoy it. Attending the 2000gold medal match between Cameroon and Spain is one of my best footballing memories. I guess my point as much as anything relates to two things. Firstly that these qualifiers are on non-FIFA dates and secondly that due to the vast traveling distances our a-league clubs ( and fans) willl be without their best young players for over three weeks. All it needs is a bit more common sense in it's organisation and it would happen much more smoother. However as this is organised through a combo of AFC, FIFA and IOC blazers I think I am asking for too much....!
I'm not whacking Vidmar over this. His name just happens to be the Olyroos manager. It's not personal. The headline is just a play on the Pink Floyd song. ;)
AGO74
Guest
My point was that 5 years ago the Olympics was the biggest stage we competed on. Now they are a distant 3rd. Also I suspect that messi didn't play in qualifiers which is primarily what this article is about. Being the best player in the world probably also allows you to pretty much do what you want!- especially if the tournament is on FIFA sanctioned dates.
Johnno
Guest
Some good points you make AGO74, but do you think this leads to a bigger question. In your opinion do you think the Olympics should get rid of outdoor soccer , on the basis that is clogs the international soccer calander up too much, and causes to many conflicts between club and country with regards to qualifiers, and the Olympics itself interfering with pre season training, and recovery from the past season.
Dean
Guest
The best footballer in the world (Messi) rates the Olympic Football tournament very highly and insisted on playing for Argentina in Beijing even though Barca said "no"; but Aussies have bigger fish to fry? It's not just the AFC. I'm pretty sure UEFA underage competition qualifiers are not FIFA dates. Later this month the best clubs in the world lose their African players for 2 weeks for the African Cup of Nations.
AGO74
Guest
I dont disagree with the great memories you list but only a little over 5 years ago the Olympics were important because we realistically thought that it was the highest level we would see an Aussie team play on. Now we have evolved and can realistically see us qualifying for world cups on at least a regular basis. Added to that is the Asian cup which we did not have previously. Even previously when we would passionately follow the 20's and 17's for success we now generally follow them for future development purposes. It's not that we don't care it is just that we have evolved as a footballing nation and our priorities have changed. Anyway, whether you agree or disagree I have one question - why do the AFC put these games as well as senior Asian cup qualifiers on non-FIFA dates?
Johnno
Guest
Olympic soccer is important, TV RATINGS FOR olympics soccer are massive, the olympics would struggle financially with out the tv ratings form Olympic soccer. And as other shave mentioned to say that aussies don't care about olympic soccer is nonsense. Remember how happy we were in 1992 when Ned Zelic got the goal vs holland to qualify. Cameroons gold medal win at sydney 2000. Remember the sold out crowd at the MCG to watch Vidukes play Italy. Loved watching australia VS Argentina in 2008 which included Messi in the team. Loved the Olympic qualifer vs north Korea in 2008 , when in a freezing pyongyang Graham Arnold's team got the 1-0 winner and had to put up with an onslaught of pressure form the North Koreans. SO if tv ratings are anything to go by lots of people, love Olympic games soccer under 23's, with the allowance of 3 over age players. I think it is a winning format and the Olympics would not be the same with out soccer.
langou
Roar Guru
Worst on ground, three votes Bondy.
langou
Roar Guru
Disagree with the article and most the comments. One thing we can not do is assume that Australia is going to make the World Cup every year. Moving into Asia will result in a fairer chance to qualify but will also result in us the likelihood we will miss out in some instances. We have to do everything we can to give ourselves the best chance of qualifying. This includes having a strong national competition but also includes having players with experience playing in Asia. If we have kids coming into the Socceroos squad for World Cup qualifiers with experience playing in Olympic qualifiers this will be a huge benefit to the Socceroos. Of course there are also huge benefits to the game of football in this country if Australia makes the Olympics. Firstly there is the experience of getting pressure games into our young stars and secondly there is the exposure that the sport will get from people who watch the Olympics but may not ordinarily be football fans.
Bondy
Guest
Walt. I look forward to healthy debates in the future then . I'm not mugging you off mate but i hope your not one of those types that change their name every few days here . Enjoy your Soccer Walt .
Bondy
Guest
Where is the Rower .
Walt
Guest
Are “most Australians” bothered whether we compete or not? - nope, case closed. Bondy, I have played and followed soccer for over 30 years. You know nothing about my soccer knowledge and would be embarrassed to write what you did if you knew otherwise. And yes, I will reciprocate your behaviour by not posting on Rugby Union or League threads.
Lucan
Guest
Allow me to quote: "Aurelio Vidmar, will once again be snatching young players from defenceless A-League clubs" Defenceless? If the FFA had said they'll take two only, the HAL teams might be in trouble. That they're talking about 3 (its a magic number, afterall) actually gives a team like CCM or MH plenty of DEFENCE. In fact, it gives them the backing of FIFA. If the HAL teams have agreed to this in return keeping things friendly with FFA and Foxtel, then the commerical decision outweighs the football decision at franchise level. No need to whack Vidmar/FFA over this. * If anyone wants a reason to whack Vidmar, the 1997 WCQ at the MCG is plenty enough reason.