“If God had meant football to be played in the air he would have put grass in the sky.” – Brian Clough
Not quite grass in the sky, but we do have something special to witness this week in Sydney.
After two solid results of an away draw to group leaders and rising sons Japan and a foursome thrashing of Jordan, the Socceroos are just two halves of a football match away from qualifying for their third straight World Cup finals appearance if they can beat Iraq at ANZ Stadium in Sydney tomorrow night.
Remember Argentina 1993, Iran 1997 and Uruguay 2001. Australia had been in a World Cup finals wilderness for 32 years and now is set to play its final 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualification game against Iraq to make it to our fourth.
A win against Iraq would make it a certainty to appear at Brazil 2014, a draw would mean we rely on Oman’s result and goal difference and a loss is not worth thinking about.
After a disappointing home draw against Oman a few weeks back, the Australian team is finally relishing the green, green grass of home and making the home ground advantage pay.
There were complaints about the state of the grass at Docklands Etihad Stadium last Tuesday, but the team put that aside and brushed away the Jordanian threat with four well taken goals and a clean sheet at Schwarzer’s end.
There’s usually the odd complaint about the surface and the lack of atmosphere at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. But this time the ANZ Stadium has not had a rugby league game played there since the June 5 State of Origin game and the surface should be good.
Let’s hope that the grass becomes nothing more than a footnote in the match report.
South Sydney even moved their weekend home game from ANZ all the way up to Cairns in North Queensland. I’m not sure if that was at any request – or just coincidence – to keep the surface at its best for football. The NRL have always been very cooperative in assisting the FFA, so we must be thankful.
The match was announced as a sell out over the weekend and the Socceroos will be greeted by a packed stadium, so if the atmosphere is even as half as uplifting as the Uruguay game of 2005, then Lucas Neill and the boys should have nothing to complain about.
Initially a modest crowd was predicted, but the historic significance of the match following the Saitama and Melbourne results, has made this Socceroos fixture the hottest ticket in Sydney on Tuesday night.
Yours truly missed out after leaving my run late, and will be at a pub.
Holger resisted playing the ball in the air too much against Jordan and left players like Josh Kennedy and Brosque on the bench.
On the other hand you wouldn’t call Tim cahill an out and out striker, something that the Socceroos desperately lack at the moment. He played Tim as a lone striker but still got the results he wanted against Japan and Jordan.
I’m not sure how Brian Clough would have approached the next game against Iraq, but I can’t see Holger making any wholesale changes for the game and expect the same XI to line up for the kickoff.
Maybe you could give us all a little treat there Der Kaiser’s former assistant and let Tommy Rogic have more than five minutes game time.
Whatever the team selection, tactical formation or attacking options, we’re all very confident Australia is going to win and we’re going to Brazil in 2014.
ian
Guest
And so they should South America is full of brilliant football nations. By far the hardest way to qualify is through the S american group.
Football_Wunderkind
Roar Pro
I don't think we had a choice in the matter.
Football_Wunderkind
Roar Pro
Forget all the other factors of sponsorships, media and junior registration, for arguments sake, let's focus on gate receipts and prize money. The prize money is announced on Wikipedia as $8 million for group stage $9 million for R16 $14 million for 1/4 Final Using your figure of $10 million for 2 big matches How do you think the bean counters at FFA would weigh it all up if the boss came to them and said "do a mathematical analysis to figure out our most profitable path of qualifying" It would be an interesting process and answer. E.G. * Qualifying automatically by beating Iraq = 100% chance of $8 million, 50% chance of $9million. * Finish 3rd and chance 2 play off's = 100% chance of $5M, 75% chance of $10M, 45% chance of $18M I am sure mathematicians could come up with some sort of formula that would show the most profitable course in terms of risk weighed against profit. *
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
No worries, she'll be right, good as gold and green.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
Yes we all remember Septic Bladders broken promise. We got screwed for the 2022 WC as well - easily corrupted by oil money.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
I hope we both do and the Aussies and Kiwis make it to the WC Finals again. NZ have a good chance over 2 legs against a team like Panama or Honduras.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
What a freakin tough group to qualify from. I'm glad we joined the AFC and not the South Americans.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
Absolutely right F_W if we finish third and have two more playoff rounds and then qualified, it would add to the FFA's coffers by at least $10M. However, would you take a win tomorrow night or risk playing 2 more rounds of qualifying against Iran and then Uruguay home and away? The prizemoney will be increased again next year and will be around USD10M just for qualifying. Then you also have to add sponsorships, merchandise, TV, media etc etc not counting positive impact on A-League, junior registrations etc etc, future media deals sponsorship of A-League and junior football etc etc and so on and so on . . .
Football_Wunderkind
Roar Pro
This Uruguay situation is even uglier when you consider that Brazil is not playing. They would be hovering around 6th and 7th.
Football_Wunderkind
Roar Pro
Football_Wunderkind
Roar Pro
If we went down that path of playing Iran and then Uruguay then that would be white hot tension. I am secretly cheering for it even though ultimately I want WCQ. If I knew in advance Australia would play Iran and then Uruguay for a WC berth and that they won through, I would take that in an instant over automatic qualifying through Iraq. Imagine the papers, the story, the drama. Play Iran at the MCG to exorcise the demons. Uruguay at Stadium Australia. But in the end it wouldn't be so bad if we got to the play Uruguay again but lost. Purely on gate takings Australia would be in front financially of qualifying for the World Cup group stages. $8 Million USD for making the group stage. I think a full house at Stadium Australia rakes in at least $6-7 million USD in profit. Times that by 2 and you got a tidy profit. I suppose a bird in the hand is always better than 2 in the bush but it would make for an interesting risk assessment exercise just for financial purposes. Play off's and beating Iran = $14 million minimum (more if a match is hosted at MCG) World cup group stage = $8 million World Cup Round of 16 = $9 million World Cup 1/4 Final = $14 million The ultimate financial combination would be Play offs and qualifying = $14 million + $8 Million The question is... are the Socceroos more likely to beat Iran or make a 1/4 final at the World Cup.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
That's true. I just didn't want to go through all the permutations. Let's just win and nail it.
Football_Wunderkind
Roar Pro
Read above... It is rotated around the confederations. Last time around the Americas played off. Costa Rica v Uruguay. There is no politics here... they quite fairly rotate the play-off fixtures around. If they wanted to rig it then they would have had NZ v Uruguay last time around and NZ would have been spanked. Costa Rica would probably have beaten Bahrain also. Asia didn't play South America for the 2006 World Cup. It was Australia (still in Oceania) v Uruguay Stop clutching at straws and just check a few facts.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
If we come third we could have to play Iran and then Uruguay to get to Brazil. Brings back bad memories and what a disaster that might be, so we better win tomorrow night, I'm confident we will. Its great that we are making our own destiny and if we win we are through irrespective of what Oman does.
Football_Wunderkind
Roar Pro
They rotate it around the confederations. 2006 = OFC v CONMEBOL = Australia v Uruquay AFC v CONCACAF = Bahrain v Trinidad & Tobago 2010 = OFC v AFC = NZ v Bahrain CONCACAF v CONMEBOL = Costa Rica v Uruguay 2014 = AFC v CONMEBOL = ??? v ??? = OFC v CONCACAF = NZ v ???
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
We don't get to play NZ in qualification this time. AFC split into two groups, top two in each group qualify automatically. Third team in each group play off. Winner of third placed AFC playoff plays fifth placed CONMEBOL South American group (currently Uruguay or Venezuela) for the final place. Oceania group winners (NZ) playoff against fourth placed CONCACAF North/Central America (Panama or Honduras) for another WC spot.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
The game was on live here. I was cheering Venezuela the whole way, dammit.
Australian Rules
Guest
Touche
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Haha well play Fussball!
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
I just get nervous full stop. We don't have the best track record against Iraq. It's time to take the game to them and destroy them.