Why I'm optimistic about the Socceroos' World Cup chances

Impressive True9 :)

in the squad. its not likely 3 will be on the field at any one time (referencing your Feyenoord comment).

Yep, it's based on the past few of "meaningless"friendlies. 2 of which were pretty niggly and in the case of the 06 friendly resulted in some public post match whinging from the KNVB. I would also think that they didn't enjoy losing to us at home. Friendly or no.In the three matches that I know of that we've contested the Dutch are yet to win a game. But I don't know MelbCro maybe they quite like playing us. What do you think?

MF Do you realise you hardly ever post on the AFL Tab, just an observation.

Good post and points.

F$&@ing iPhone posting in random spots

@ peterhen Logic and plain reality dictates we probably won't get a point let alone make it out of the group.. That's the easy part.. Doesn't take a brain surgeon.. Yes it's a results based game but it's also a job.. We make actual money being there.. We qualified.. So while we are there getting paid it's logical that we develop - not park the bus for 270mins.. You half agreed to this point already.. (And yes the team is copping pay cuts-they're still getting paid tho) You can't compare league football and in particular an historic institution like Liverpool to a national team/football.. *That* my friend is apples and oranges.. I think it's safe to say everyone should face reality and shut up about The golden generation.. It's in the past.. At least Ange is one of those 1st generation-ers you're talking about who would die for the round ball.. He's making a concerted effort to bring a respectability back to the national team.. So then why do you hope the media crucifies him for picking an inexperienced defense? (I mean we can't invent players out of thin air to take to brazil) Do you think he should've taken ogenovski and Neil? What should happen in the media, if and when this inevitable whipping you speak of, unfolds with the old guard there? Does he still get his crucifixion? Seems either way ange is bearing a cross.. (U gotta agree the 2 pumpings we copped in those friendlies exposed Neil..) Which then begs the question... who should we have played in those friendlies instead? That's a seriously legitimate question.. coz u said "whoever organised those games should be taken out and shot"..by your reckoning a full strength brazil and France isn't the right decision nor is an under strength South Africa..I think you called it a farce.. Trolling is easy.. Going to watch football games at the camp nou or anfield or having a mate that works at ffa doesn't make you an expert.. Stating the obvious doesn't make you insightful or interesting to listen to.. I don't claim to be an expert.. I'm just genuinely curious to know if you actually give a sh&t about football or not.. Or if you're able to maintain any coherency to your argument(s)

@ peterhen Logic and plain reality dictates we probably won't get a point let alone make it out of the group.. That's the easy part.. Doesn't take a brain surgeon.. Yes it's a results based game but it's also a job.. We make actual money being there.. We qualified.. So while we are there getting paid it's logical that we develop - not park the bus for 270mins.. You half agreed to this point already.. (And yes the team is copping pay cuts-they're still getting paid tho) You can't compare league football and in particular an historic institution like Liverpool to a national team/football.. *That* my friend is apples and oranges.. I think it's safe to say everyone should face reality and shut up about The golden generation.. It's in the past.. At least Ange is one of those 1st generation-ers you're talking about who would die for the round ball.. He's making a concerted effort to bring a respectability back to the national team.. So then why do you hope the media crucifies him for picking an inexperienced defense? (I mean we can't invent players out of thin air to take to brazil) Do you think he should've taken ogenovski and Neil? What should happen in the media, if and when this inevitable whipping you speak of, unfolds with the old guard there? Does he still get his crucifixion? Seems either way ange is bearing a cross.. (U gotta agree the 2 pumpings we copped in those friendlies exposed Neil..) Which then begs the question... who should we have played in those friendlies instead? That's a seriously legitimate question.. coz u said "whoever organised those games should be taken out and shot"..by your reckoning a full strength brazil and France isn't the right decision nor is an under strength South Africa..I think you called it a farce.. Trolling is easy.. Going to watch football games at the camp nou or anfield or having a mate that works at ffa doesn't make you an expert.. Stating the obvious doesn't make you insightful or interesting to listen to.. I don't claim to be an expert.. I'm just genuinely curious to know if you actually give a sh&t about football or not.. Or if you're able to maintain any coherency to your argument(s)

Yes you did say that peterhen, but as someone else, you've blown your cover again. Settle down Mr Football and stop being Missus Nuisance.

I thought I just read somewhere that they are facing a pay cut.

The wonderful thing about being in Group B is that we'll be playing the best in the world & there's no shame being beaten by the best. The shame would be telling yourself "you are the best athletes in Australia" & then getting your hotpants pulled down by a group of amateur Gaelic footballers - guys, who are farmers, bankers, accountants, etc. love a Guiness & are still better athletes than the best in the world ARules players Australia can produce. :-D The amateurs from Ireland run faster, jump higher, kick with more accuracy, are better balance and, above all, smarter tacticians than the ARules guys, despite all those PEDs pumping through their vascular system.

Well, there's stronger, and then there's out of this world. I'm reminded of what the NZ manager said back in 1982 after copping a 4-0 shellacking from Brazil: it was like playing in the 21st century. How right he was. One day in the 21st century, we might finally come across a team which is as good as that Brazilian one. But this year, this is what we know: as socceroo fans we are facing the prospect of the mother of all shellackings (la madre de todos barnices).

Reports from Terrigal say the Aussie lads have immediately got down to hard work & working beautifully together. Ange's system has been embraced & no one wants to miss out on the trip to Brasil. This group of 23 footballers will be the envy of every sportsman in Australia. Whilst they're playing their suburban matches against the same opponents week after week, year after year .. if you're the best football lads in AUS you get to play in Brasil where the eyes of the world will be upon you. No other sport will ever give players that buzz. And the players will get a minimum of $150k for their efforts over 270 minutes of football ... if they move out of the Group Stage, the remuneration shoots higher. For kids watching the message is simple ... choose football & test yourself against the rest of the world; or choose local sports & test yourself against people from WA, SA, Vic & Qld.

I can't believe that people on here are actually arguing that Spain, Netherlands and Chile are stronger teams than Australia. You people don't know the first thing about football. Please go back to your other inferior sports like curling and lawn bowls.

That is at least a realistic proposition - it is reasonable to enter this tournament praying to jag a draw somewhere a long the line - with three games to play - it's always a possibility we might walk away with a point through some inexplicable twist of fortune (even if the other two games comprise almighty losses).

Arguably - line for line - that NZ team was much stronger than this Socceroos squad - certainly it was far more experienced. Also, their group was nowhere near the strength of the this year's group B - and no - a post-championship hangover flakey Azzurri does not really count for a lot.

Peterhen that's the point isn't it? Heerenveen are streaks ahead of every A-League team by a country mile. But the point I am making is that you will never, ever see three mids from Heerenveen in the Dutch team - never - for as long as we're alive - you will never see it - but - here we are with 3 mids in the Socceroos from the Victory - a team that was incapable of making the top two in a fairly weak 10 team comp. That is precisely the point!

There's plenty to be optimistic about look at Rick Herbert's New Zealand they walked away from the 2010 World Cup undefeated 3 games 3 points and the reigning World Champs Italia controlled by M Lippi eliminated in the group phase that also consisted of Marek Hamšík's wait for it " Slovakia " who incidentally plied his trade in Italy. Although obviously our Nat Team are stepping up hugely in grade compared to that pot, with having the World Cup Finalists of 2010 with Chile also in our pot. I just cant see and have been involved with Football for 30 years hiding after hiding I just cant see it, expect a couple of possible 2-1's losses and possibly a draw ,although I do have concerns " if " the Spanish our last group game do have to chase down a big goal difference that could really be the tricky match. As I've stated above our pot is largely different to New Zealand's tilt with Italy and Slovakia in their group phase of 2010, but are we worse in any sense to New Zealand Football ?. No . If we were to play New Zealand in any occasion anywhere we'd win 9 out 10 times so there is room for optimism statistics show this. Also I'm really looking forward to all the other Nations there from the likes of cote d'ivoire whom I believe have never advanced out of a group stage at a FIFA World Cup, we have, to the likes of the Argentines with out Maradonna as Gaffa this time and also to see the progression of American Football's Stars and Stripes team whom should do Ok, will England get out of the group phase for instance, will the French plan another coup,will Joachim Löw be lifting that Trophy on what most of us believe to be the spiritual home of World Football. Where in for one hell of a tournament plots and sub plots galore,cant wait. I do gamble on Football I'm what they call " laying " meaning cant win Brazil , and have the Germans and Argentines equal favourites then the Spanish ..

Ben I agree, Then I look at our defence. Franjic seems half the player he was 12 months ago, Spiranovic is a ball playing defender just not quite fast enough or aggressive enough to keep raiding Dutch, Spanish and Chilean forwards at bay. Mind you the way Melbourne Victory's youth, under Ange, dominated ball possession for long periods against Liverpool gives me much hope.....

Well you can't do much about stupidity,absolute joke to play an opponent who's players are in holiday mode not pre tournament mode,we will not learn much from it.You have stated though our game against Ecuador was "meaningless" as was the recent Holland v Ecuador where I disagree.As I stated before a World Cup coach is looking for strong performances from his players you cant just jump from 20% to 100% in a few weeks.