A 1-1 draw with Japan was ultimately a fair result for the Socceroos and keeps Australia in the hunt for World Cup qualification. The question now is how to get fans to turn up at the final two qualifying games.
For nine glorious minutes, it looked as though Holger Osieck’s team might do what many thought impossible and beat the Samurai Blue in front of their vociferous fans.
A stubborn defensive performance lead – not for the first time – by 40-year-old goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer had kept Japan’s attack at bay, before Tommy Oar’s hopeful cross-shot arched improbably over Eiji Kawashima and into the top corner.
Cue a surge of optimism that Australia’s gut-wrenching attempts to negotiate the fourth round of Asian qualifying hadn’t been in vain, before Matt McKay’s outstretched hand brought us crashing back down with a thumping dose of reality.
The equation is now thus: take six points from the final two qualifiers against Jordan in Melbourne and Iraq in Sydney and Socceroos fans can start blowing up their beach balls in readiness for Copacabana Beach.
Anything less conjures a whole other bunch of permutations.
In a way, it’s practically a dream scenario for Football Federation Australia from a marketing standpoint because they now need to do very little to try and ‘sell’ the final two qualifiers to the general public.
Two games that some might reasonably have expected to be dead rubbers have suddenly taken on the utmost significance.
There are many things Australia can learn from Japanese football, one being that teams tend to be inspired by playing in front of big crowds – a fact which shouldn’t be lost on anyone who watched the Socceroos’ turgid 2-2 draw with Oman last March.
And with the Japanese fans their usual deafening selves on Tuesday night, it’s time for Australian supporters to once again pack out our own grounds and turn up the volume.
To that end, it’s a good thing next Tuesday’s match against Jordan is being played in Melbourne.
The passionate event-going public of this sports-mad city is likely to turn out en masse for one of the most significant World Cup qualifiers Melbourne has hosted since another Asian team in Iran knocked Australia out in 1997.
Docklands might be an unloved ground at the best of times, but it’s certainly a more intimate venue than the Melbourne Cricket Ground and in this case its higher capacity than AAMI Park is justified.
Any doubts about Jordan’s toughness are readily dispelled by the fact the Middle Eastern outfit beat the Socceroos 2-1 in Amman last September.
It’s been no surprise to see practically everyone involved with the national team spruiking tickets for this clash, from Socceroos’ social media tweeting about ticket sales around six seconds after full-time in Saitama, to the likes of Lucas Neill and Mark Milligan practically begging fans to turn up.
A harder sell might be the final clash against Iraq in Sydney – mainly because it’s at the cavernous Olympic Stadium in Homebush.
Should Australia claim all three points against Jordan, FFA would do well to draw a parallel between qualifying for Brazil against Iraq with the unforgettable scenes eight years earlier against Uruguay at the same venue.
The problem there is one of familiarity – that Uruguay squad included names like Lugano, Forlan and the irrepressible Alvaro Recoba – whereas most Socceroos supporters would be hard-pressed to name a single Iraqi player.
That’s a fact which is not going to change any time soon, so selling these games as the chance to be part of history is an obvious thing to do.
The advent of the new Terrace Australis supporter group is proof that the need for noisy, active support of the national team has officially been recognised.
Fans now have the chance to play their part in two of Australia’s most important qualifiers in years.
Now all FFA needs to do is ensure they turn up.
Connor
Roar Rookie
Good luck to the Socceroos! We'll get over the line, in the end.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
All I can say is you lucky, lucky buggers. As I live overseas I rarely get the chance to see the Socceroos live. Come to think of it I've only ever seen them live overseas, never in Australia as when I was in Australia I lived somewhere that the Socceroos didn't, and still don't, frequent. I have my seat reserved in front of a telly and will encourage some mates to join. The same scenario is regularly played out in regional Australia, NT, Tasmania, SA & WA. So for those of you who reside in or near Sydney & Melbourne, get off your arses and don't take the Socceroos for granted just because you know they'll be around again sometime soon. There are Socceroo supporters all over the country that would love nothing more than to be at the ground, regardless of the weather, but can't. So from the concrete slab of Manila I will be cheering the Socceroos on in full voice and adorned in green and gold. They won't hear it; only you lucky few can help them get over the line. The opportunity to support the team in such an important fixture is a privilege; don't abuse it.
Brick Tamlin of the Pants Party
Guest
Has anyone bothered to take into account the 10s of thousands of Ex pat Englishmen,Asian or African football supporters that follow Liverpool or United that might not be going to the Australian Qualifiers?
Bondy
Guest
Kaga What's wrong with you ?. You suggest your going to the WC Qualifier on Tues, what for you hate the sport ?. I hope your wearing Green and Gold Kaga.
Midfielder
Guest
AR Just on comparison's ... cause and effect... chicken and egg .. The coverage the Socceroo's match received in the lead up to the Japan match in NSW & QLD was less than a club competition NRL match and by light years behind the SOO... An example on Saturday night on the ABC news in Sydney did not include the Socceroo match in Melbourne... The talk back radio sports shows ... most of the established shows have scant discussions about Socceroo matches... please tell me because the Soceroo when promoted do not rate well .... But to my compare that the Socceroo media coverage as a ration to the ratings and then compare NRL / AFL media coverage to ratings .... HHHHHHMMMMmmmmm Assume a 15 to 1 page ratio and a 1 hour to 100 hours on talk back radio .... I wrote an article sometime back where there is a ratio between general coverage and ratings... The Socceroo's rating was with minimal coverage and almost no general articles to the great unwashed of pertinent information about the game.... whether this will ever change I have no idea but it sure scares the pants off some key folk at the NRL & AFL... that one day football's story will be told in a meaningful and constant way often ....
1860melbourne
Guest
I think we will get an idea of the pulling power of the roos. The build up to the game has been much better than last week. Media outlets seem to have jumped on board as have the fans. The game being televised in prime time will make a huge difference. Total viewers to nudge 1.2-1.3 million not out of the question. Outside of SOO most watched football match in the last 7 days!!
Australian Rules
Guest
You expect the most important match of the year for the Australian national team to have bigger ratings in Syd/Bris than an Ess v Carl match? Um, yeah...I think everybody would. But the fact that you regard them as comparable is quite telling. The FTA ratings in Sydney for the Japan game btw were 172k...despite what creative multipliers you might like to manufacture to get 294k. The 'purest' comparison you can use, however, are the Fox ratings for each event, made more interesting by the fact that NSW and Queensland have easily the highest subscription rates for all the states.
Allan
Guest
Terrace Australis, can't wait to see you guys in action !
Jukes
Guest
Well for a start, this wont be a dead rubber if we win in Melbourne. I am expecting nothing less than a win against Jordan and then a full house in Sydney.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@Australian Rules The JPNvAUS match was on 1 hour delay. The match was broadcast at 9:30 p.m. and finished at 11:30 p.m. on a Tuesday night. The AFL match was LIVE at prime time on a Friday night Regardless, I don't expect Football to be more popular than AFL in MEL, ADE or PER. I expect football to be more popular than AFL in SYD & BRI and, unlike AFL, I expect football and the A-League to have equal "per capita appeal" in every city across Australia. JPNvAUS - on 1 hour delay screened at an odd time on a Tuesday night - had ratings in Sydney on FTA TV that were 5-8 times HIGHER than the AFL match ESSvCAR. When we remove the errors that underestimate OzTAM ratings on SBS, we find around 294k people watched JPNvAUS in Sydney. PS: when we remove the OzTAM error for the 5-city audience we find the delayed broadcast of JPNvAUS match - broadcast outside prime time - attracted the same TV audience 778k as AFL in prime time. That's what advertisers & sponsors will notice.
AZ_RBB
Guest
i think 50k is a reasonable expectation. maybe if it's a perfect day and night weather wise they might get up near 60 000. not too fussed about the crowd anymore. just want the boys to get through!
Australian Rules
Guest
You're changing course there...but let's go with it. Comparison of Aus v Jap (biggest match of the year): FTA (5 cap cities) - 458k Fox - 291k Total - 749k Ess v Carl (p*ssant sporting comp): FTA - 778k Fox - 312k Total - 1.2M These conversations are biggest inane and I support the Socceroos as much as the next guy (I was in Germany and Sth Af)...but if you're intent to bag out the quaint little Aussie footy comp, I'm always happy to provide the figures for you.
Matt F
Roar Guru
They don't open up the top level unless they expect sufficient demand for tickets. If the ticket sales go well then they will make those available
kylesy sky blues fan
Guest
I don't think we'll crack 60k, I think we could get into the 50k zone in Sydney but above that no way, people still haven't forgotten how the FFA screwed us over in 2008 by playing an Olyroos team against China when 70k+ turned up for a dead rubber.
Midfielder
Guest
The TerrOr in their paper edition have today reported the SBS ratings where 709, 000 with Fox rating at 294, 000.. or just over a million... the article has not been put on the online site...
Martyn50
Roar Rookie
Level 6 is normally where the rabble congregate. Buy mixing them with the normal people they can easily be seen letting of flares and flares
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@AustralianRules FoxSports figures for A-League is not indication of the level of support for anything in AUS - neither A-League, nor AFL, nor NRL. The simple fact is the majority of Australian & the majority of sports fans do NOT have access to FoxSports. FTA TV and, perhaps, online viewing will provide the most accurate picture of the viewing interest in any event - sport, politics, drama, comedy, etc. etc. Next season, SBS Friday Night LIVE opens with SFC v NUJ. A team from Sydney vs a team from a regional city in NSW. I guarantee the FTA TV ratings in Melbourne for this non-Melbourne match will be higher than any AFL Home & Away Ratings in Sydney. In 4 months, we can finally compare "like with like" when A-League TV is accessible on FTA TV.
Australian Rules
Guest
Hang on I'm confused. 2 questions: 1) You'd expect "huge ratings in Syd or Bris for MVFC vs MHFC". Ok let's look at that game from last season. Game 1, opening round of the new season...the *national* TV audience was 129k. Let's be generous and say half that audience is from Syd/Bris. Is 65k from 2 cities "huge ratings"? Because if it is, then 90k must be astronomical! 2) Do you really think the Sydney Swans are the equivalent of Barca or Bayern? Cos I sure don't. Not really sure anyone with an IQ over 10 would actually. In Australia, they're the equivalent of the Mariners and the Storm. So if you want a comparison, that's where you start.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
"why would there be huge ratings in Syd or Bris when there was no Syd or Bris teams playing" Same reason I'd expect huge ratings in Syd or Bris for MVFC vs MHFC. If a competition is truly popular around the nation, 'classic matches' between rivals are riveting & fans will be glued to the TV. The SYD derby attracted 40k in Sydney on FTA TV in prime time - most likely the lowest ratings in SYD for that time-slot; lower than ABC & SBS programmes. After 10 rounds, audiences in Sydney for Swans matches average is 54k (data only available for 7 matches, which means 3 matches rated so low OzTAM didn't publish the figures). Remember, Swan are the current AFL Champions of the World. They're the equivalent of Barcelona or Bayern Munich. GWS ratings are just over 20k on FTA TV in prime-time.
AZ_RBB
Guest
has anyone mentioned the fact that they're not selling tickets to Level 6 at ANZ Stadium. http://premier.ticketek.com.au/dbimages/sfx100405.gif pretty sure that limits the possible crowd to 50k or so.