I think the Socceroos need to play more games before the World Cup together than we have currently planned.
I think particularly that the A-League players should play as a team more together.
And I have a devious plan.
It is probably a pipe dream at this late date, but boy it’d be amazing if it was picked up by FFA.
It would be amazing even if part of it could be implemented.
The reason why we are not playing more games is that the rules for releases to national associations requires that outside of the allowed FIFA dates, a “club is not obliged to release a player who has been called up if the friendly match in question is to be held on a date outside the coordinated international match calendar. In accordance with Article 36 Paragraph 4, a player shall only be released to the national association if his club agrees to his release.”
But what if it wasn’t necessary.
What if we could bag two or three additional games outside of the FIFA dates, as well as whatever ones we organise inside the FIFA dates?
We should be trying for more games. Even if it won’t work, it’s worth the effort. And here’s how I’d make it happen, if I had the power.
Step #1: FFA asks the A-League to agree for clubs to release their Socceroos players to play two matches mid-week on a two occasions in January-March.
A-League clubs are very accommodating generally, as the success of the Socceroos leads to their success.
I think they’d go for it.
Step #2a: FFA sends release requests for all Aussie players. This would probably mostly be accepted in off-season leagues and rejected in active leagues. Hence we simultaneously do Step #2b.
Step #2b We send invites to play us to countries whose leagues are not currently in season.
(This also helps national associations to be onside so that clubs are less likely to object to step #2).
We seek to get an Asian / Nth American team to travel to us and agree to travel to a European opponent.
From a basic search of the season dates below (which may not be even correct), some of the leagues that could accommodate this could be:
Asian/American League examples
J. League (Japan) March – December
K-League (Korea Republic) March – November
Major League Soccer (USA/Canada) March – December
Uzbek League March-November
European League examples
Norwegian Premier League: March – November
League of Ireland: March – October
Russian Premier League: winter break from mid-December to mid-March
Bundesliga (Germany) (winter break of one to two months)
Allsvenskan (Sweden): March-Early April – late October-early November.
Now of course, there may be other reasons why these countries can’t send a team to play us, or may not want to, but there are probably others who could.
Step #3 Hopefully something like the following is arranged.
Warm-up game versus New Zealand in New Zealand or at home.
The first (warm-up) game and least optimal option (as we would want them to play higher-ranked teams), though a possibility, would be a box-office success at least.
We could play New Zealand, as there are far more A-League players in the All Whites First Side than in the Socceroos.
Against Mexico, they had 11/21 in their squad from the A-League, plus they could ask to field NZ-based players also.
Game #1 versus An Asian or CONCACAF opponent in Australia (eg. Japan, Korea, Uzbekistan, USA inter alia)
These would be a good challenge for us, except if we played Uzbekistan. We would also get any of our players playing in the countries out of season (eg. Japan, Korea, Uzbekistan, USA) to pick from also.
Game #2 versus A European opponent in Europe
We then use whoever we can get released of our European players (including ones from the out-of-season countries Germany, Norway, Ireland, Russia, Sweden) for this match alongside any Aussie players we can get released to travel to Europe to play a European opponent.
What do you think Roarers? Do you like the idea enough to contact FFA to push for it?
Da`
Roar Rookie
A good suggestion, RE: whether teams come from the league or not. I did think about it, but didn't want to complicate the article. I think though with most of the leagues mentioned above that they would mostly have their own players in their leagues. Thanks for your thoughts.
Daniel Hackett
Roar Rookie
I like it... A new coach has come in with a new game strategy- 2 matches before deciding upon our squad for the World Cup (the holy grail of the game, the thing that everyone plays the game for) is simply not enough. Thus it's clear that we need more games I don't think anyone could argue that. And in terms of your strategy.. targeting leagues that are out of season is highly logical. The thing that I would add though is that you must think about whether a nations players actually come from that league or are overseas based i.e you mentioned the Irish league but not a single member of their national squad will be from this league. But yes I think it's a good idea. Shame New Zealand didn't qualify actually otherwise I'm sure they would have agreed to a few matches.
Dylan Arvela
Roar Guru
What do you think Roarers? Do you like the idea enough to contact FFA to push for it? No.
Cameron
Roar Guru
Jbinnie, The point i'm making is that for the points in this article to be addressed, there needs to be a separation between the FFA and the A-League. There is currently, or as it would seem, no focus on the Socceroos and we have less than 6 months till the WC. As the WC approaches watch the attention shift. FFA can't have their cake and eat it too.
j binnie
Guest
Cameron - I think you are on a separation of responsibility for football bodies here which is not really the point the writer was trying to achieve,though time & probably attitudes from overseas, probably shoot down his detailed suggestion. Soon Ange is to take off on a world hopping exercise to see how his overseas contingent is performing. Can someone please explain to me what this actually achieves,for if a player is sitting on the bench he is not playing well enough to get a starting call for his coach. Does that say something?.What does Ange know about the standard of play in the many differnt leagues in which our overseas contingent play,or is this the real reason for his trip. Whatever the reason I see it as a complete waste of valuable time,time that we don't have ,& with our HAL supposed to be of an ever increasing standard, perhaps it is time to pick out 20 or so HAL players & put them to the test as to what physical & mental heights they can achieve.Time is of the essence if we are to optimise our Brazil potential & to me that time is not being well used.jb ps Don't disagree with your observation about ruling bodies. jb
Cameron
Roar Guru
Now that the Socceroos have qualified and played their small amount of practice games, the FFA are done with them and now are focusing on the A-League again. With all ths money that's, been made by the FFA i've seen nothing done with it to promote the game even more,or say hey A-League clubs,, let's go for,a Wayne Rooney or someone of that calibre. The A-League needs a separate body so the FFA can focus on the growth of the game from bottom to top and also focus on the Socceroos. I would like you and everyone else to start taking notice what happens when the Socceroos are the focus, watch the interest in the A-League drop and vice versa. Football in Australia has a long way to go but if they can do the right things and get their stuff sorted then more growth can occur. The type of growth that provides sustainability.
eric
Guest
What do you think Roarers? Do you like the idea enough to contact FFA to push for it? No.