Let’s face it – 2013 has been a terrible year for our nation’s sporting teams.
The sackings of Mickey Arthur, Robbie Deans and Holger Osieck reflect the year from hell that we have undeniably experienced.
For the national cricket team, the Wallabies and the Socceroos, it’s been the same problem – a case of performance not living up to potential.
Arthur’s dismissal was a necessary, if ill-timed, one. The problems with him at the helm went far deeper than on-field results.
While the 4-0 series loss obviously had a lot to do with his sacking, it could be argued that the ridiculously-named “homework-gate” scandal was what ultimately brought him his demise.
Respect from players is only given if it is delivered by those giving orders. In the case of Arthur, it clearly wasn’t.
It wasn’t that writing the homework task was difficult – it was the ridiculousness of it that raised the ire of Shane Watson and Usman Khawaja.
Michael Clarke and his teammates had had enough of Arthur’s methods and Cricket Australia responded by saying “see ya later” to the only ever non-Australian cricket coach.
The Australian public were frustrated with Arthur because he had a team full of world-class players that were not performing anywhere near their full potential.
Clarke is the best batsman in the world , Shane Watson (on his day) is unstoppable, Steve Smith is a young dynamo and Peter Siddle is one of the most dependable quicks going around.
Australia’s best XI should never lose 4-0 to India. It’s that simple.
A similar trend occurred with the Wallabies this year.
Before this year, Robbie Deans’ career as Wallabies coach had come under fire, mainly due to an inability to beat the All Blacks or perform at the Tri-Nations or World Cup.
This was Deans’ year to shine. Three Tests against the British and Irish Lions were the perfect opportunity to show that Australia had the right stuff.
The first two Tests went a long way in proving that. Despite the loss in Brisbane, the general feeling was that the tough, resilient Wallabies of old were back.
Then came the Sydney Test.
Though the scoreline showed a 25-point loss, it felt worse.
The scoreline wasn’t the problem though. With all due respect to the Lions, this Test, unlike the previous two, produced a feeling that the Wallabies could have performed much better.
There is nothing worse in sport than producing far less than your best.
It’s not that the Wallabies weren’t trying – it’s knowing that they, like the Australian cricket team, have great players capable of producing performances of a far higher quality.
Finally, we come to Holger Osieck and the Socceroos.
It would be easy to make excuses for the consecutive 6-0 losses.
“Brazil and France had good days.”
“What do you expect? Football’s their most popular sport.”
However, as Ned Zelic and Craig Foster pointed out on SBS yesterday, no one is expecting the Socceroos to beat these nations.
What we do expect is that we put in a respectable performance.
Take the 2-0 loss to Brazil in ’06 for example. That was a performance that all Australians can be proud of.
While we didn’t come close to winning, we played the absolute best that we could against a better opponent.
It’s a cliché, but it’s also true – there is no shame in losing to a better team. It’s the way that you lose that counts.
Unfortunately, the current Socceroos, and Osieck, don’t seem to have this mentality.
The underlying theme tying the three aforementioned teams together is that none of them have performed to their full potential in a very long time.
When that happens, we can be happy regardless of the results.
Blue
Guest
The Xenophobes must be loving this.
CR
Guest
A 'team full of world class players'? Not this Australian cricket team. Clarke is one and several of the bowlers have the potential to be world class but that is it. Watson has over promised and under delivered for too long to be considered. Arthur had to go as his methods were not working but he was behind the eight ball from the start due to the lack of talent.
Evan Askew
Guest
There isn't a major lack of talent coming through in soccer. There is just not enough talent coming through compared to the generaton that produced Zelic, Okon, Kewell, Viduka, Cahill, Neill, Culina, Brescian and so on and so forth. But that is thus far our best ever generation of soccer players. With Players like Kruse, Beyer Leverkusen, Oar, FC Utrecht, Williams, Middlesborough and Holland at FK Austria Wien, not to mention the likes of Leckie, Bozanic, Vidosic and Ryan who have all started very well this season in Europe we have some player tarting to come through that are probably as good as the Arok generation of the 80s and early 90s. That generation didn't qualify for the world cup but that was due to the unfairness of the draw where they played againsgt countries fron Oceania before playing of against Scotland, Israel then Cololmbia had they progressed and Argentina. THe problem now is the coach isn't playing them and when he does he doesn't play them in the right position and then says they are not good enough. That is one of the reasons why I am gald he is going. We wll start to see whether the measures taken to stem the black hole of talent by FFA have taken any effect in about five yeas when the players raised on short sided games start to come through.
rami
Guest
Support the diamonds! Get behind our national netball team sometimes, at least they'll be holding the flag up high for Oz.
hemi
Guest
at least yous won the netball
Johnno
Guest
The other big reason why OZ sport is failing is competition. Other countries are spending big on sport, and more countries. So it's a numbers game. Golf,Tennis,Rugby, etc. And soccer, cricket, it goes on and on. Athletics,Swimming.
sheek
Roar Guru
Redbur & Nordburg, You both make some compelling comments. One 6-0 loss can be dismissed as an aberration, but two 6-0 losses suggests a trend that no-one wishes to adopt. Australian sport is struggling on a number of fronts. There is clearly a lack of talent across ciocket, rugby union & soccer, & unfortunately, three foreign coaches have paid the price as scapegoats. Right or wrong, we sometimes need these distresses because it forces us to concentrate on what's right & what made us better in the past. Cricket & rugby union have deviated from what made them successful in the past. A drop in talent has only magnified those other problems. Soccer saw this 'black hole' of talent coming, but has been unable to stem it thus far.
Matthew Skellett
Guest
It has been a relatively ordinary year for Australian Sport although the Diamonds won back the Constellation Cup , both the Kookaburras and the Hockeyroos have qualified for the finals of the World Series as well as the next FIH World Cups . The Kangaroos are surely hot favourites to win the RL World Cup this year and the Youth football teams of both sexes are constantly improving in their performances . Did I mention the A-League is headed for a exponential season of success as well ?. The point is that in general Australia has got too habituated to success to tolerate losing for any length of time so it looks like a great Summer of Sport ahead guys and girls :-)
NORDBURG
Guest
The talent is the biggest problem.The cricketers and the Wallabies have not faired any better since the demise of their respective coaches and i dare say the same will happen to the Socceroos.Anyone who thinks S.Smith will be a long term player in the cricket team is brave. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.