When I saw the headline ‘Australia given group of death,’ I could already here the tokenistic responses from Socceroos players that would flow.
Things like ‘what a great challenge’, ‘an honour’, ‘we’re up for this’, etcetera.
There would be the inevitable column inches about Australian ‘grit‘ and ‘determination,‘ like there is no other country on Earth that values these qualities in their humans.
The truth is, these cliches matter very little. We have zero chance of getting out of the group stage in Brazil.
But this does not mean that the World Cup should be an exercise without excitement or true meaning for the development of our national team. In a way, drawing this group releases some of the shackles on Ange Postecoglou.
Expectations for the Socceroos have hit an all-time low; I’ve had multiple friends already send me expletive laden texts or instant messages that clearly indicate that popular public opinion also espouses the view that we will be the Melbourne Demons of Rio De Janeiro.
So, I asked myself what I would like from this World Cup and found my answer was quite modest.
A goal or two, a retention of dignity, players like Tom Rogic, Tommy Oar, Rhys Williams, Mat Ryan and perhaps even a small A-League contingent placing themselves in the world’s biggest shop window.
Most importantly, the Cup could lead to a stylistic evolution that looks to be tracking toward something that could deliver us the 2015 Asian Cup.
Postecoglou now has room to experiment.
There is no fear of failure as failure is expected.
Finally, now we can throw out the pretence that the remaining members of our ‘golden generation’ – bar Cahill, who has well and truly earned his third World Cup – are needed to guide us through a group phase that we could hypothetically get out of.
We are not getting out of this group stage.
It is now time to blood a team that learns a system against the best, tweaks their game against world champions and comes back from Brazil with the notion that they could very possibly be lifting silverware in Sydney a mere six months later.
Lucas Neill, Mark Bresciano, Luke Wilkshire, Brett Holman. I’m sorry. Your time is up.
Josh Kennedy survives due to a lack of viable alternatives. Axing Neill won’t be controversial – nor Wilkshire.
Holman caught fire for 18-24 months then promptly returned to his own peculiar brand of play.
Bresciano is the one that will hurt; assuming he was free to play, he still possesses the team’s greatest vision, passing range and composure on the ball.
But we need to move on, and these three games present an opportunity to smelt a team in the fiercest of kilns.
I won’t be buying into the idea that a complete and utter failure in Brazil will destroy the Socceroos’ confidence.
I prefer to look at the flipside of the coin; that it will instil a ferocious desire to win.
Furthermore, Postecoglou gets to test his theories on footballing aesthetic against the very team that redefined it for the modern game in Spain and the team that gave birth to beautiful football (and one we look to emulate) in Holland.
Throw in Chile, a strong team in a continent where football is stylish and technical, and we have the perfect group not for results but for the future development of our team.
There will be pain – but hopefully we will come back having learnt what it takes.
Ben
Guest
Did anyone see chris herd play for Aston villa. Had a fairly decnt game in centre back. I would really like to see him given a go. He's only about 23/4 years old too.
cliffclavin
Guest
i too have this positive view of the opportunities this draw gives us. Even If we get spanked with young and youngish players but a core of these steps up to lead us for next 6-8 years then this will be worth it. I also think Holman still has it, and a trip back to Europe for 6 months regular game time in a low or mid-table Holland team may help him get there. Remember in Holland he was easily one of the better players in a top 5 team. But of course this is up to him, his lawyer and his Mid-East club!!. The next 6 months are going to be great fun for speculation and close scrutiny of our boy both here and abroad. And lets not forget we have the AFC under-22 Championships in January which might prove interesting - if not for Brazil, then certainly January 2015.
mahonjt
Guest
That's the spirit!
Sam Clark
Roar Rookie
I wholeheartedly agree Miro, with the fitness base. One area where the quality of the opposition doesn't matter is in physical fitness. Guus preached it before 06' and look where it got us. Ange should be flogging them! Particularly with the climate/altitude issues that Brazil will present.
Miroaust
Guest
OK Sam, well said, but considering we got 4 points and were viewed a great success in 2006 and then got 4 points again in 2010 to be considered failures, only a point in 2014 will not go down too well with most people. Me, you and Fozzie et al may recognise great progress but, the campaign will be viewed a failure. I want four points again! We have to be the fittest team in our group by a margin so we can impose Ange's style, basically a "full court press" for 90 minutes. We were the fittest team in Germany and Guus pushed our boys to the brink. He broke Stan Lazaredies and for a few weeks he made Viduka one of the best players in the world. So Ange, bring in the best fitness coaches and start in May. Make the Socceroos the fittest team in Brazil. Impose your style and stop the others from playing. I am not saying be defensive, quite the opposite. Close them down in their own third to begin with. Yes, I know they will have skill to keep the ball, but do not give any player more than a second on the ball. FULL COURT PRESS. And he should rethink on Holman, only 29 and capable of returning to the form that made him our best player.
Sam Clark
Roar Rookie
Look, it's not as if Holman is past it. He is technically in his prime, and whilst he was playing in Europe.. or at least in Holland, he was a more than valuable contributor to the team. But his move to Aston Villa saw him stymied and now his move to the middle-east has seen his value to the team drop well below that of others. I'm not sure what it is about the middle east - it seems to cruel players. Brosque, Ognenovski and now Holman have shown a dramatic loss of quality after their moves to this locale. In regards to our WC prospects, I think we need to face it. They are rock bottom. We scarcely could have drawn a worse group results-wise. But as I said - and I can't believe I'm agreeing with Craig Foster - for a longer term view, this group could actually be a blessing. There will be a lot of attention on our group; Chile, a South American smokey and the re-match of the 2010 final. Our players, if they take the chance, have a big opportunity to turn heads. They may not necessarily take even a point home, but they can still make an impact.
Miroaust
Guest
Why does Holman ALWAYS get tagged with the veterans. He is 29 for Christ sake. He is also a very effective player. I also think our 2010 "failure" needs a little perspective. Yes hammered by Germany who also hammered Argentina and England by similar margins. Should have beaten Ghana (remember Kewell's absurd red card) and finished with 6 points. So yes we were pathetic against Germany but could easily have gone through. I have not written us off for 2014 UNLIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. Beat Chile and we'll make it. But Chile are good, bloody good. It is an opportunity for Ange and our players to make a name for themselves. Interesting, the ONLY person not to write us off is the Dutch coach. He remembers our results in recent years and admits Holland have never beaten the Socceroos. No I am not getting carried away, but everybody thinks our WC prospects are rock bottom. There is only upside for us.
The Bear
Guest
Well said. This draw has paved the way for development. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
The glass is half full attitude! Hopefully AP and the team take the same attitude and play without the pressure and expectation to succeed.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Very refreshing and lucid approach Sam, well done. IMO you have written the most balanced piece/comment about the Socceroos at the WC thus far (on the roar).