If Tony Abbott thinks he understands pressure, he’d do well to actually learn the name of the Socceroos’ captain.
Mile Jedinak knows all about performing under scrutiny, and his courageous team has united the nation.
Australia’s gaffe-laden Prime Minister infamously called Australia’s national skipper “Mike” in a bumbling video tribute on the eve of the World Cup.
It was yet another measure of just how out of touch with everyday Australians the incumbent federal government is, with the notion that the Socceroos might be a multicultural outfit apparently lost on a former private schoolboy and his increasingly incompetent staff.
Yet when Jedinak stepped up to the penalty spot to face Dutch goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen from 11 metres yesterday, whatever anyone calls him was the last thing on Jedinak’s mind.
Not since John Aloisi sent the Socceroos to the 2006 World Cup has there been such pressure on an Australian penalty-taker, and Jedinak’s steely determination was practically etched onto his face.
When the Crystal Palace midfielder strode forward and smashed an unstoppable spot-kick into the bottom corner, he gave Australians everywhere hope that the Socceroos could beat one of the best teams in the world.
That they failed to do so was largely down to three pieces of poor defending and Tommy Oar’s inability to adequately get the ball out from between his feet.
But for all the plaudits Ange Postecoglou’s team received in the wake of one of Australia’s greatest ever performances, there’s one which bodes particularly well for our fast-developing side.
On the basis of the performances of Asian teams at the World Cup so far, Australia should fancy its chances of winning the AFC Asian Cup on home soil next January.
Granted, most teams have only played one game each, but the Socceroos have nevertheless looked the most impressive Asian representative by far.
The Japanese were bitterly disappointing in surrendering the lead during their meek 2-1 loss to the Cote d’Ivoire, where the introduction of the pedestrian Yasuhito Endo instantly killed whatever momentum the Samurai Blue had garnered in one fell swoop.
Iran were inexplicably negative in their scoreless draw with Nigeria, while Korea Republic fell to pieces as soon as Russia needed to chase the game following Lee Keun-Ho’s lucky opener.
That’s not to say that the likes of Japan and South Korea won’t recover, nor that results in the World Cup will seriously determine the heavyweights of the Asian Cup in six months’ time.
But what the results have so far reinforced is that Japan have a tendency to crumble under pressure, while the Koreans aren’t perhaps as strong as they’d like the rest of the world to believe.
When it comes to making a statement, it’s only the Socceroos who’ve done it so far.
It was hard not to sympathise with Postecoglou when he admitted to being “heartbroken” at losing a game against the Dutch that Australia had legitimate chances to win.
While everyone cried out for Oar to shoot when he had the chance, what most of the analysts missed was the fact that his poor second touch placed the ball between his two feet – forcing him to skew wildly into the path of the unsuspecting Mathew Leckie.
The latter has been one of the finds of the tournament – how on earth is he still playing in the German second division? – and if Oar’s ‘cross’ had landed at any height except for shin-level, we’d probably be toasting a famous Socceroos victory.
Instead, it’s yet another gallant defeat on the back of some painfully naïve defending.
However, even though Australia failed to collect all three points, for 90 minutes they unified the nation in a way our hapless Prime Minister can only dream.
What’s more, they did enough to suggest the Socceroos will be a serious force in next year’s Asian Cup.
pat malone
Guest
cant wait for the game today
Squizz
Guest
Great post Fuss - especially "The most exciting part of watching AUS playing NED was to realise the majority of the Starting XI are probably our “B-team”. Imagine adding: Franjic, Rhys Williams, Good, Sainsbury, Milligan, Kruse, Rogic, Josh Kennedy"
Squizz
Guest
"All of the golden generation have joined in on the free for all of ribbing the young socceroos." The notable exception has been John Aloisi
Post_hoc
Guest
I think it is a generational thing, I am involved in grassroots football and see the kids engaged, but they are sometimes first generation to play, their dad played Rugby League, and he still supports an NRL team watches the games on TV or at the game. The kid is likely to know who Hayne is rather than Mooy. But it is changing, and the more we talk about it, the more we evangelise (to nick a born again approach) the more likely they become engaged, once engaged the more likely they will watch a FTV match on SBS and then attend games because little Johnny or Jill asked for it. I think we shouldn't make light of the opportunity that the W League has in bringing families to our game, no other football code has what we have, females playing the game, and not as an after thought but as proper version.
Griffo
Roar Guru
Agree Evan. Read the Dutch rumour and hope it comes to that but at the same time he can crack the first time quickly. Also read that Ange is having some say in where players should go. He's not one for some Middle East leagues. Hope Matty McKay is in his ear a bit... ...one thing is for sure he won't be at the Jets for HAL10.
j binnie
Guest
Apaway - That was the North Korean team that went to England and beat Italy before succumbing to a Eusebio inspired Portugal after leading 3-0 and losing 3-5. jb
Patrick
Guest
Iran will be a big hurdle in 6 months
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
Rogic, has gone backwards since he left CCM..
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
Klose goal saves Germany's blushes against Ghana. The 36 yr old Klose came on for Germany about the 70min mark scores one goal to draw level and just missed another to win the game ... Now I could see Harry do this for Australia in both games against Chile and Netherlands. Oar has been poor as an attacking weapon. I can't recall him scoring a goal for Australia under 3 different managers.. The only players we have in team who know where the goal posts are---are Timmy Cahill and Bresh. Another experienced player on the bench like Harry would have helped.
j binnie
Guest
Fadida. To maintain the high degree of accuracy that these columns demand you will note that in the friendly 6-0 thrashing we got from France,Olger actually used Mitch Langareck in goal.As a matter of fact Ange has kept 13 of the players who were in Olgers squad that night and 6 of them started against Holland and another 2 substituted during the game.Also 2 of the "France squad", Kruse and Williams were also absent from Brazil; due to injury. Your pal? jb
j binnie
Guest
Evan- You are showing your age my friend.In 1945 Moscow Dynamo visted the UK and never lost a match in their tour playing a brand of football that registered the same amount of amazement as did the Hungarian visit some 9 years later. Playing in goal for them they had a tremendously agile goalkeeper with the name Tiger Khomich who actually kept Lev Yashin out of the Dynamo team when Lev was much younger but it is widely reported that Khomich actually took Yashin "under his wing" and mentored him into the top league. jb By the way Trautmann was taken PoW and worked on farms in Britain but when war was over chose to stay in England. jb
Evan Askew
Guest
And a question for the hell of it. Trautmanns chances of playing goalkeeper for Spartak Moscow had he being captured by the Russians instead of the British in ww2 and sent to a Siberian gulag. I imagine severely malnourished goalkeepers wouldn't be much chop in the Soviet league of the day. (I'd say he wouldn't have made it at Dynamo with Lev Yashin being in place.
Evan Askew
Guest
Who is Lance Franklin?
Mitch
Guest
Personally I'm very happy that Wilkshire was dumped from the final squad and in a fashion that left a bad taste in his mouth. I've never forgiven Wilkshire for that pathetic effort at tackling the Ghanaian right winger which allowed the winger to get to the byline and cutback for their striker to shoot past Schwarzer and forced Kewell to have to sacrifice himself for the team! Call it Karma for that asshole.
Mitch
Guest
I rather like it myself
Mitch
Guest
1966
Evan Askew
Guest
When asked what his plans were Matty Mckay said he would be staying at Brisbae ROar. On the offers that other players were recieving he said it was important that the players had good agenst and showed wisdom in where they chose to move. I hope the players listen to this advice because I believe it is good advice. With the type of players we are trying to produce and the type of way we are trying to play a move to England is counter productive in my opinion. Such as it is. We have seen so many players rush off to England at the first opportunity and for what? They come back in 2 to 3 years time havinf made a handfull of first team appearances with their career gone to waste. Leijer, Carney, Zadkovic and the guy who left Perth Glory in 2006 to go to QPR. Some people will no doubt say these players were s&^$ anyway but I hear that there is an offer for Taggart from a Dutch first division club. Surely it will be better to go to a Dutch club and get first team football in a league renowned for producing excelent players that go on to play in Germany, italy, SPain and England rather than going to the championhip which as far as I know has a record of squat of players going to the leagues mentioned other than the EPL.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
jb I don't think I've mentioned anything about a cleanout in my posting? My 2 main points were: 1) people were completely wrong about the style of football Ange was likely to implement 2) there are at least 5 players, who were missing from the Starting XI against NED, would most likely be better 1st choices than the lads who captivated the world during those 90' in Porto Alegre Totally agree: "it is surely in his turning of these players beliefs in themselves and what they are trying to achieve that he deserves the highest praise."
Evan Askew
Guest
I would wager that Holland is in the mix because of his experience with Austrian glamour club FK Austria Wien at champions league level. You can't beat that experience. The only chance I have had to see him at national team level was the game against Oman in Sydney where Holman scored the equaliser. He was less than impressive in that game it is true. But they don't continue to pick players at a club like FK Austria if they are duds. On Brattan, I would like to see him given a go. Since 2010-11 I have watched him play at Brisbane ROar games and I noticed his passing ability from the beginning. And they type of defence splitting pass that he can play is a good pass whether it is played in an A league game or a UEFA champions league game. Time will tell as this is only his first full season as a first teamer at Brisbane ROar.
Midfielder
Guest
whiskeymac You nailed it totally and it is SOOOOOOOOo true ... """"some media just have no other ideas in how to sound relevant to whats happening right now""" Brilliant