Football Federation Australia is often criticised, but one thing it has got right is the venue for next month’s World Cup qualifier against Japan.
The choice of Suncorp Stadium is a tactical masterstroke against a team used to playing in front of vociferous atmospheres.
With no disrespect to our other Asian neighbours or friendly opponents Denmark and Scotland, the clash with Alberto Zaccheroni’s high-profile Samurai Blue is the highlight fixture of the year and deserves to be played in front of a jam-packed stadium.
And with more than 50,000 fans sitting right on top of the action, I can think of no more intimidating a venue than Brisbane’s showpiece rectangular ground.
That’s an important factor against a Japanese side possessing an abundance of natural ability but one which rarely plays its best football away from home.
And with Japan facing Oman and Jordan in quick succession at their equally intimidating Saitama Stadium before coming to Brisbane, the Socceroos are well advised to have a fiercely parochial home crowd on their side.
I certainly hope tickets are flying out the door for this one because football fans in Australia will not experience a better international atmosphere this year.
I fondly remember watching international teams like England in qualifying action on the old World Soccer show and dreamed of the day Australia would play meaningful fixtures at our very own version of Wembley.
Well, we may not have a dedicated national stadium – indeed, we don’t need one – but we certainly play meaningful fixtures now that we’re a member of the Asian Football Confederation.
And to imagine the likes of Yuto Nagatomo, Keisuke Honda and one of the world’s best players in the impish Shinji Kagawa coming to Brisbane is a world away from watching the Socceroos smash hapless Oceania opponents in front of empty stands.
I’m not privy to the confidential commercial agreements that dictate which games are played where, but I can imagine the temptation was great to play such a marquee fixture in Melbourne or Sydney.
But I was at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in June 2009 – not to mention Yokohama just a few months earlier – and I can honestly say I think the atmosphere in Brisbane will trump both grounds by virtue of it being a more intimate venue.
There’s also something to be said for Queensland’s sports fans and their ability to turn up the intimidation factor when required.
Sitting high in the stands at the A-League grand final last month I was taken aback at just how ferociously the Roar fans got behind their team.
Factor that in with the Socceroos’ army of visiting interstate fans and the roof could be lifted off on June 12 – to say nothing of Japan’s loud and sizeably large travelling support.
About the only other thing worth mentioning in terms of the choice of venue is the name, with the ground reverting to its corporation-free moniker of ‘Brisbane Stadium’ for international fixtures.
I’ve heard a few muffled criticisms of that attending AFC Champions League games this year but I simply see it as representative of our football taking place on the world stage.
So what if the ground is called Brisbane Stadium or the signage advertises Pocari Sweat or Nikon or Qatar Petroleum?
It’s merely symbolic of the fact we’re playing in an international arena in front of a global television audience of millions.
Clearly the game itself will be won and lost on the pitch.
But if Socceroos coach Holger Osieck wants a raucous atmosphere against a team rapidly becoming one of Australia’s fiercest rivals, he’ll certainly get that in Brisbane.
Football fans are in for a real treat when the national team runs out for a showpiece showdown next month.
Like any self-respecting football fan, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.
Match details: Socceroos vs Japan
Tuesday 12 June, 2012, Suncorp Stadium (referred to by FFA due to AFC regulations as Brisbane Stadium)
Kick-Off: 8.00pm (AEST)
Tickets
ItsCalled AussieRules
Roar Rookie
Are you stalking me? I'm going to take out an AVO against you soon.
bart
Guest
exactly what it feels like. At regular Roar games the Den is just amazing, its only when those that are not regulars start to take most of the seats and then just stay seated and not get involved that the game seems quiet. Everyone should just get involved as best they can....and then some.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
That last statistic is amazing - do you have a link to those stats? The other interesting bit about the cultural and historical significance of the MCG is that it hosted the very first international lacrosse game in Australia, in 1907, when Australia played Canada in front of 30,000 fans. The MCC Lacrosse club has had a very strong influence on Victorian lacrosse for over 100 years, and this might also explain why two lacrosse players are represented in the MCG Sporting hall of fame.
Red
Guest
If Melbourne built a stadium like the westfalenstadion, then no-one could really argue that all games should be played there. I’m from QLD, been to plenty of great games at Lang Park including the 3 GF's, SOO, Rugby Test matches, Super 15 final etc. I agree Lang Park is great, and Brisbane don’t get many (if any) great matches for WCQ. The reason being it can "only" fit 52k. I have also been lucky enough to go to the MCG and its a great stadium; the atmosphere, the noise is fantastic when I watched a couple of AFL games including the last ANZAC clash with 80k +. I don’t know what it was like for Soccer, but I can imagine the distance from watching the game and how it could possibly affect the intimidation factor The problems I see is we don’t have a "ideal" Rectangle stadium for great Football Matches. Australia needs an intimidating 75K plus Rectangle stadium such as westfalenstadion. Put one-eyed chant happy Victorians in there and you have recipe for an ideal Parochial crowd. Imagine where the terraces are almost on top of the ground and the sound reverberates back at the players.All they can see is a sea of green and gold and not empty arces of billboard and grass unused. This is what we need and so far, the closet we have is Lang Park.
totti
Guest
i'm glad your laughing but you can get your own coffee.
totti
Guest
sounds like more fiction from you. when are you going to stop making things up just to big note yourself?
Australian Rules
Guest
"i only went to the MCG on a tour." Well, there you go then.
Australian Rules
Guest
I don't live in Mlebourne, but I can certainly admire "The People's Ground" and acknowledge it's Australia's Wembley. Axel, my list would have been: - first ever game of Test Match cricket (Eng v Aus) - 1877 - first ever Ashes Test Match - 1883 - first ever ODI Crciket match - 1971 - Cricket World Cup - 1992 - biggest cricket crowds every year anywhere in the world (Boxing Day) - Olympic Games - 1956 - Commonwealth Games - 2006 - first ever game of Australian Football - 1858 - AFL Grand Finals (including 121,696 crowd in 1970) - Bledisloe, State of Origin, WC Qualifiers and a myriad of other events/concerts. But perhaps the most significant statistic, is that in 2011 the MCG held 18 OF THE TOP 20 sporting crowds in Australia (the other 2 being SoO II, and the NRL GF).
Axelv
Guest
- MCG has over 150 years of history. - Has had Sir Donald Bradman play on there - Hosted 1956 Olympics - Hosts the biggest Ashes matches - Hosts every AFL Grand Final - 100,000 Capacity -Hosted the Cricket World Cup final The volume and noise that this stadium makes is amazing, the atmosphere does not just hit you, it goes through you. Your condescending comments about the MCG show your ignorance. The only con for the MCG is that is it far away for Soccer, however it is definitely the Wembley of Australia.
Ian
Guest
according to victorians it is. please don't speak on behalf of everyone just because there are other great stadiums in australia.
Ian
Guest
have you been to a sellout at Lang Park? obviously not. i'm not knocking MCG for size and the occasion but it is that big the distance factor for people in the cheap seats must be great. i only went to the MCG on a tour. saying that I'd see a match there to find out for myself the exact atmosphere. all stadiums can have good points and bad, but just because its smaller doesn't make it worse. intimidation is the best adjective to describe Lang Park/Suncorp Stadium/The Cauldron. its been built very well to get the 52000 all on top of the action. and it is a pity this game starts at 8pm.
Australian Rules
Guest
Australia's Wembley (or spiritual home of sport) is the MCG. The spread of this country means that it can't be close to everyone but there is no other stadium that has the history, the size and the cultural importance. It is also the location of the National Sports Museum, housing our greatest sporting treasures.
Australian Rules
Guest
Ian, I live in Qld...but to say that Lang is a "better venue than the MCG" is beyond parochial...it's borderline delusional.
Australian Rules
Guest
8k in 2010/11 12k in 2011/12 4.5M people, in the city which declares itself "the home of football" in Australia = dismal
tk
Guest
Pity about the 8pm kickoff ...no good for kiddies who want to go. otherwise I'm happy and have my ticket.
ItsCalled AussieRules
Roar Rookie
Sydney homes on average have bigger TVs, warmer lounge rooms and more comfortable lounge chairs. More Sydney homes have PayTV than anywhere else. We are the bggest TV advertising market in Australia and get all sports from Australia and round the world live into our loungerooms every day.
ItsCalled AussieRules
Roar Rookie
The money Australia spent on four failed and one successful Olympics bid would buy 10 WC bids.
ItsCalled AussieRules
Roar Rookie
No No. I'm not accusing Axelv of anything. When someone bags Sydney for its low attendances, they are usually from Melbourne - its the city rivalry thing, that's all and they usually say that Melbourne is the sporting capital of Australia. I've been to Melbourne a lot and to me its just an AFL town. They even have AFL teams on underwear and condoms. I know Axelv is a football fan and welcome his comments. I agree Sydney crowds should be better, but Sydney football fans aren't dismal - wrong choice of words.
Ian
Guest
i will say my family was sitting next to The Den, so i thought it was noisy, on a couple of occasions I thought they were quieter than normal. sometimes the away supporters can really make a lot of noise (for all teams)
Ian
Guest
that's what i thought - you just don't like Queensland.....good for you!