‘Que sera, sera. Best put some champagne to chill. ‘Cos we’re going to, Brazil. Que sera, sera!’ I sung this tune deafeningly loudly on Tuesday night, but will the fat lady swiftly sing a very different song to the Socceroos, come June 2014?
With the euphoria of Australia’s qualification slowly fading, attention is now turning to the squad’s chances come the World Cup Finals next year, and with it comes some negativity.
Many are predicting a very quick elimination from the tournament, with few raising positives.
I for one feel that while many arguments made have validity, a key aspect is being overlooked and Socceroo fans can look forward to the group games with a little optimism.
A great deal of criticism has targeted the Australian squad throughout the World Cup qualifying campaign, and understandably so.
From the lacklustre opening win against Thailand in Brisbane, performances have been uninspiring at best and seemingly apathetic at times.
Being so near to not automatically qualifying from a pool featuring the likes of Jordan and Oman, who while willing combatants would never be considered for a B-List invitation to the world’s biggest footballing party, certainly adds fuel to the negativity.
It has been a number of years since wins were achieved against quality competition including Ireland and Germany.
On-field, the ball is the quickest player in any team yet Socceroo transition from defence to attack has been slow, laboured and often directionless.
Deep-sitting defences have easily dealt with Australian attacks which have lacked speed, urgency and creativity – often resulting in hopeful, looping, shapeless crosses from in front of the box rather than even from the byline – with speedy counterattacks ensuing and dangerously exposing Australia’s slow, ageing defensive line.
It’s pretty negative and concerning stuff but in my opinion, now that we’ve qualified, is largely irrelevant to what Australia will experience in Brazil next year.
During qualification, Australia is a high profile, respected and feared nation in Asia.
Most opponents (outside of the likes of Japan, South Korea, Iran) with the utmost respect, are far smaller with far less pedigree.
They understandably and cleverly resort to tactics such as deep defensive lines allowing very tight space between that and their midfield, time-slowing and wasting tactics, with a sole focus upon counterattacking play.
Australian players largely currently lack the creative and technical abilities to counter these very effective tactics, resulting in the arduous and concerning qualification campaign.
This is not something Australia will face in Brazil – in fact, it will be very much the opposite, and will both play into Australia’s strengths and mitigate for their weaknesses.
On the world stage, it is very much a case of the ‘Soccerwhos’ rather than the Socceroos.
Australia is a very small player and sometimes rightly, although often wrongly, commands little attention and fear from competing nations, not just from Europe and South America but also from Africa and even North and Central America.
Consequently, opponents will not be sitting back. They will not be slowing the play. They will not be solely focussed on absorbing and counterattacking.
They will very much be focussed upon winning and earning the three points.
They will be pushing forward and attacking Australia, coming out at Australia and allowing a great deal of space in behind for Australia to expose and exploit.
At the World Cup, the Socceroos will get to employ tactics that were so effective in their recent away tie in Japan.
It will be able to itself sit deep, absorb pressure and then launch counter-attacking football into the spaces that their attacking opponents allow.
Due to the depth of the line, the slow and old legs of the Australian back-four will then be largely irrelevant, replaced by a very experienced, compressed and well organised defensive structure.
Holding midfielders Mile Jedinak and Carl Valeri, who will be playing regular first team football in two of the three strongest leagues in the world, could form a formidable barrier in front of them, further compressing the space allowed to attacking opponents – frustrating and luring them further forward, and creating more space behind their line for Australia to exploit on the counter.
Australia, in Robbie Kruse and Tommy Oar, now has the speed, width and talent to exploit this space out wide behind advanced wing-backs.
Tim Cahill has the ability to hold the ball up back-to-goal to act as a target man and additional source for feeding the quick movement of Kruse and Oar, and Brett Holman the work-rate and unexpected threat from distance to harass and worry teams.
Depth is of course a concern. Holding midfield looks Australia’s strength with Middlesborough captain Rhys Williams and Mark Milligan as support for Jedinak and Valeri.
Josh ‘Jesus Saves’ Kennedy can be thrown on up front in desperate situations. Young-guns Eli Babalj or Karem Bulut may be additional x-factor options.
Defence, centrally and wide, look considerable concerns as is back-up for essential talisman and creative fulcrum Mark Bresciano.
After a year in the A-League though, who knows, perhaps Harry Kewell may be a dangerous injection from the bench, along with Tom Rogic, to ask new questions of their opponents.
So don’t fret too much Australia and do have some optimism as June 2014 approaches.
Group draw allowing, thanks to the attitudes and tactics probably employed against them, the Socceroo’s may just get to surprise a few teams, fans and pundits alike, and progress from the Group stages.
As a final thought though, lets get a grip people. This is just the fourth World Cup Finals that Australia has qualified for in its history.
Just qualifying is an enormous achievement in itself, so naysayers should remember this and be thankful for the fact that we’ll get to enjoy what most Australian generations have never got to do – watch Australia compete with the very best, at the World Cup Finals.
dasilva
Guest
I think you should have picked a better headline For some people that's all they need to summarise the rest of the article.
Ballymore
Guest
Meh, people said this before 2006 & 2010 World Cups and with the exception of Durban were wrong both times. People say this every time we play Japan and have been wrong every time. People said this before the Germany & Holland friendlies and were wrong every time.
Ralph Nadeer
Roar Rookie
Cannon fodder? Depends on the Draw man and who we play, so too early to say. We are capable of beating teams above us and beat Germany and Holland recently.
Ralph Nadeer
Roar Rookie
Despite their recent good form Australia has slipped to 47 in the FIFA Rankings. A long way from 14 which was our best ever in Sep 2009 man, even though we bombed out in South Africa anyway.
Tex Redmund
Guest
Thanks dasilva, you nailed it, that was the crux of my argument.
sheek
Roar Guru
The match against Iraq, while achieving its objective of qualifying for Brazil, was a let-down from a performance point of view. Many fans, including me, thought that after the 4-0 demolition of Jordan, the Socceroos would approach something similar against Iraq. Because A happened, then B will naturally follow. Of course, life doesn't always work like this & someone of my vintage especially, should have known better. Lucas Neill nailed it I reckon, when the day after he revealed the emotional & physical drain he & the other players were feeling. The Japan game would have drained the players, then the return flight, then the emotional roller-coster of knowing they still need to qualify. It's not surprising that against Iraq the team was probably playing on heart alone, the mind & body both emotionally & physically spent. That Iraq played a team of youngsters is irrelevant. The Socceroos were facing their own demons, let alone a team of young guns with nothing to lose. The Socceroos might not be the best team in the world, or the top 30, but they are a good side nevertheless. The world cup will be a different gig altogether. And the team will do us proud, whatever the outcome.
Adrian
Guest
Floyd Calhoun Brazil , yes, Spain yes, Ethiopia? Hungary? Montenegro? Honduras or New Zealand? you don't know who in the world cup yet..and we don't know who in what group
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
If they took nearly an hour and a half to head a winner against a minnow like Iraq, then they are visiting Brazil (Brasil as Fuss so rightly spells it), just for the hell of it. Sorry, but thems the facts friends & neighbours.
Martyn50
Roar Rookie
A long way to go and lose 3 games straight.
dasilva
Guest
err. I think the article is saying that we would do a lot better than expected due to the different style of football we will face. In Asia, sides parked their bus and we have to break down a packed defence In the world cup, they will play a more open game and Australia will be able to counter attack with speed (similar to how we played against Japan)
Adrian
Guest
Team that are in world cup , and their ELO football ranting 2. Brazil 2039 25. Australia 1756 28. Japan 1736 (Japan ranting before Confederations Cup 2 loses was 1761 and 25th in world) 32. South Korea 1706 37. Iran 1688 AFC Play off (winner to play off with 5th place CONMEBOL) 49. Uzbekistan 71. Jordan UEFA leading group as of today 18. Belgium 1811 (Group A) 7. Italy 1921 (Group B) 3. Germany 2029 (Group C) 4. Netherlands 1983 (Group D) 20. Switzerland 1791 (Group E) 9. Portugal 1884 (Group F) 22. Bosnia 1782 (Group G) 52. Montenegro 1619 (Group H) 1. Spain (Group I) 2nd place and play off round 11. Croatia 1840 (Group A) 40. Bulgaria 1673 (Group B) 53. Austria 1616 (Group C) 42. Hungary 1667 (Group D) 81. Albania 1511 (Group E) 10. Russia 1853 (Group F) 23. Greece 1778 (Group G) 6. England 1922 (Group H) 13. France 1831 (Group I) CONMEBOL 5. Argentina 1980 8. Colombia 1891 12. Ecuador 1836 15. Chile 1825 Play off sport with AFC 13. Uruguay 1831 CONCACAF 21. United States 1783 29. Costa Rica 1727 19. Mexico 1807 play of with Oceania 50. Honduras 1621 Oceania Play of with CONCACAF 4th team 54. New Zealand 1608 CAF Third round 10 group winners from the second round drawn into five home-and-away ties. The winners of each tie will advance to the 2014 FIFA Team in 108. Ethiopia 1391 63. Tunisia 1568 15. Ivory Coast 1825 41. Egypt 1672 62. Algeria 1573 team leading there group 34. Ghana 1700 90. Congo 1463 36. Nigeria 1691 64. Libya 1559 70. Senegal 1547 African teams are always rank low by ELO ranting, which is maybe why African teams do so bad at world cups, because their team are not that good Australia don't want South American team in there group They want a African team in there Group middle of the road Europe team playing in South America would be nice to
Greg
Guest
Agree, I hope we don't have to play the top seed in our group first; unless its England!
Greg
Guest
Jedi The Crystal Palace captain, and not a peep of complaint by him in the media in the last fortnight about not starting/playing. A class act and will have plenty to do in Brazil.
adria
Guest
you don't even know whats teams will be in 2014 world cup, let the group teams Australia will face, and you already saying they can't make it every world cup, the betting markets (bookmakers) have said Australia will finishes last in there group, even 2010 world cup, where Australia played bad, and still almost made out of group stage ..10 men playing Ghana for 60 min at a world cup didn't help as well each world cup , Australia played, they have played much better then what the betting market (the view) say Australia will be, and i will guess, it the same this world cup... as for Australia making out of group stage, i like to see who in Australia group before saying a word
Sky Blue Ram
Guest
Rep. of Ireland! Quality opposition. Hahahahahahahaha.
Stevo
Guest
Now we drew with Japan recently in our away leg of the WC qualifiers. Japan lost to Italy 4:3 in the Confed Cup just a few nights ago. Does that mean we can also put 3 past Italy as well? Who would be our goal scorers? Tongue in cheek Qs :)
Jason von Stieglitz
Roar Rookie
I agree - I think we need to be thankful and celebrate the fact that we have made it to Brazil. There is nothing to be gained from setting our expectations too high. We have to be realistic about where our team stands. That being said - the great thing about football is that you always have a chance. If we get the right draw and avoid a tough opening game (like last time against Germany), then we might get the momentum and belief to get past the group stages. Either way - I can't wait!
Jukes
Guest
I suggested that one Ben. On a side note my younger brother used to go to school with Mile Jedinak in primary and later on in high school so I have got a lot of time for him and know how hard he has worked to get where he is. He was a freakish player when he was a young kid. Doesnt surprise me one bit to see where he is today.
Holly
Guest
Well done Tex - terrific article
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
The suggestion made elsewhere of having Jedinak partnerning Neill at CB isn't a bad one. It's a long way to go yet though.