Kewell, Viduka, Emerton, Schwarzer, Bresciano, Aloisi, Grella – Australia’s golden generation.
This team undoubtedly set the foundation for what has been a rapid growth for football in this country at a grassroots and professional level. The A-League has flourished on the back of three successful World Cup qualifications with the Socceroos playing in front of packed houses every time they play on home soil.
The golden generation did the unthinkable in qualifying for the World Cup after an agonising absence of 32 years. The repercussions of this performance were significant in laying the seeds for football’s flourishment in Australia.
It is unfortunate that this generation never quite had the same chance of success that our current Socceroos have.
Australia’s place within Oceania at the time meant that we had to qualify the hard way and despite a memorable 2006 campaign in Germany, the following year’s Asian Cup in Thailand was one certainly to forget with this star-studded team failing to make any real impact.
For a few years there, supporters were left scratching their heads as to whether football at a national level would ever pick up like it did a few years prior. Many certainly then feared for the worst after the Socceroos scraped into Brazil 2014 and suffered heavy defeats to the likes of Brazil and France.
Granted these were friendlies, but it did very little in fuelling our optimism for the future. It looked as though our golden generation was a thing of the past.
Until now that is.
It may be early in the qualification campaign and our soldiers in the green and gold may still be young, but one cannot help get excited about what this team is capable of delivering.
Ange Postecoglou has single-handedly revived the Socceroos after many had us fearing for the future of Australian Football. His bold decisions in blooding stars such as Massimo Luongo as well as taking advantage of the quality of players emerging out of the A-League has ensured a decent level of depth within the ranks.
In addition, a strong core group of players have begun to settle in among the starting eleven, making them well known in their respective leagues as well.
Australia’s midfield at the moment is impeccable with players like Aaron Mooy, Tom Rogic, Robbie Kruse, Mathew Leckie and Mass Luongo all impressing for their clubs and country as well as the solid pairing of Jedinak and Milligan at the heart of midfield.
Gone are the days where our team would consist of players well and truly past their best with the national team now containing a strong core group of players as well as having many eager and determined players knocking on the door for selection.
Dubbed the ‘Aussie Zidane’, Aaron Mooy has more than exceeded expectations for Huddlesfield in England’s second tier. Mooy has received the ‘Player of the Month Award’ for the second month in a row for Huddlesfield and has been a significant influence in his side’s gallant performance this season positioning themselves in serious contention for Premier League promotion.
Likewise, it feels as though every time I check social media it is filled with articles praising the performance of wunderkind Tom Rogic for Celtic. Rogic, has for a while now been one of our great shining hopes and is beginning to meet those expectations – scoring goals and being a pivotal part in the Celtic line-up.
Honourable mentions also go to Jackson Irvine leading the way for Burton Albion having scored five goals already this season.
But football is not won on paper and these newly blooded Socceroos have shown us just that. This may well be the best Socceroos team since that 2006 squad, having laid the foundations with a determined group of players that know what it takes to take it to the next level.
While the class and precision of the golden generation may not be there, Ange’s team certainly has a greater chance of success and has already begun to take advantage of it having claimed Australia’s first piece of major silverware in the Asian Cup.
The Socceroos have performed to satisfactory standards in their opening World Cup qualifiers against Iraq and the UAE, with two arduous matches against Saudi Arabia and Japan looming.
Where we would be satisfied with attaining four points out of a possible six from our next to matches, under Ange and with this new team anything less than two wins would be below par.
The Socceroos have now reached a stage where qualification into major tournaments such as the World Cup is expected, however, we know have the quality to making an impact when there.
This type of mindset and culture has surfaced many times among Ange and many of the players, demonstrating the hunger and establishment of a winning culture which sets the framework for future success.
Of course no line up is ever perfect. The ‘Tim Cahill problem’ is one that is often revisited in relation to Australia’s shortage of attacking options. Striking options such as Tomi Juric and Apostolos Giannou have shown glimpses of what they’re capable of, but are they capable of filling Cahill’s shoes?
Only time will tell.
Socceroos fans are hence buoyed with optimism with the emerging talent coming out of the ranks. This is no doubt an exciting time for football in Australia, with the Socceroos once again being on the threshold of success led by the second coming of a golden generation.
Ruudolfson
Guest
We still lack the x-factor attacking player i.e Kewell with this team he was a special talent as that type. Rogic has some of those attributes but hes a midfielder. The team going forward needs to find new talents in terms of forwards/attackers especially wingers, which right now has not many coming through in that regard. They your match winners which australian football needs to develop more of.
Justin Mahon
Guest
The 'golden generation' is a myth. Great for story telling, marketing and for A-League haters to make outlandish claims about the NSL. No one can seriously claim a golden generation in a context where their main competition was in Oceania, the FIFA rankings are considered highly flawed and since a handful of that generation were selected by top Euro clubs, the globalisation of the game has increased massively. Basically the golden generation is romantic nonsense.
Lionheart
Guest
It's a bit ironic isn't it, that the AFC holds and protects the rights to Australia's internationals not giving the FFA a look in, while they (the AFC) seek to have FFA give the A League clubs a greater say in our domestic game? FIFA, AFC and ethics; say what?
Kurt
Guest
it looks alot better than it did afew years back, im just worried about depth
punter
Guest
What has changed is exactly what you mentioned, the Ligue is maybe better then then now. Why, because, back in 1998 bar, the elite few, most French players were playing in France. Today the top leagues have alot of foreigners, the English leagues which suited the Australian style of robust, fit strong fast professionals of the ilk Emerton, Neill, Cahill, Moore etc, now have players from all over Africa, Sth America & many Europeans far more then in 1990s early 2000s. Likewise with La Liga, there are a lot more Sth Americans & other Europeans which more suits the skillful players, I heard there is double figures of Japanese players in the German league, unheard of in 2006. The competition for top clubs is way more competitive then back in 2006 & add to the Barcelona/Spain factor, it's not the tough professionals they want, they want players with high technical skills.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
It seems unlikely now, Australia will get to see any of the Footballroos WC Qualifiers on FTA The broadcast rights for the Asian Qualification groups of World Cup Qualifiers have been taken out of Fox Sports hands and are owned by the Asian Football Federation (AFC) and their marketing agency Lagardere. An Australian buyer to the FTA rights has still not been found. Will have to go down to the bowling club with the lads again to see Footballroos v Japan.
AZ_RBB
Guest
Does anyone know what's happening with the FTA right for Aus v Japan? It would be absolutely tragic if this game didn't go live into every Aus household. Unless Fox are paying huge overs to have it exclusively live?
Swampy
Guest
The point being that the English clubs and Italian clubs regularly filled the quarter & semi final positions of the UCL - thus the comment their leagues, by way of comparison were stronger leagues. There were also many foreigners at the time but based on national performances maybe the Italians and English were better during that period also. I'm not sure you can accurately compare the current composition of the EPL or Serie A foreign influx with either being a stronger league than in say 2004 just because there are more foreigners playing. The French League has many more 'foreigners' than in 1998 but France won the WC that year and I would suggest their euro club results would make the case that the Ligue 1 was stronger then than now.
Fadida
Guest
Great post. Agree with it all
Fadida
Guest
A back 5 of Ryan Sainsbury Spira Degenek. Smith In front of them; Milligan Mooy. Rogic
Athos Sirianos
Roar Guru
Sainsbury and Spiranovic in my mind are the first choice Centre Backs. They were impressive during the Asian Cup and have proven to be quite a solid pair. Hopefully guys like Brad Smith can continue to develop and cement themselves into that back four.
Nemesis
Guest
I watched the recent u19 team in the Asean Championships and the technical qualities of the players was superior to what I've noticed in recent years. It was like watching a whole team of Tom Rogic and Aaron Mooy the way they controlled the ball and held the ball. I'd go as far as to say the u19 squad I saw was technically better than the majority of the current National Team. But will they be mentally and physically as capable? That's the test for pro-footballers. The u16 team was similar, but u16 is probably too early to tell whether a player will transition to pro-football or always remain a technically-gifted amateur. The u19 AFC Championships start in a few weeks. It will be a major failure if this Australian team doesn't qualify for the 2017 u20 World Cup in Korea.
Lionheart
Guest
I hope this current generation is the new normal, not a generational thing. It would be sad to know that we don't have a swathe of Aaron Moys and Tommy Rogics playing in our junior ranks at present, somewhere around the country (or world as the case may be). Golden generation? Not this crop, this is the new Australia, the golden generation will come later. Ange is a golden coach though, let's hope we develop more like him.
peeeko
Guest
has it changed that much?
peeeko
Guest
i hope so
punter
Guest
Yes both England & Italy had a lot of English & Italians playing in those top leagues. Now the top leagues have many more foreigners, so far harder then in Lucas Neill's day.
96er's
Guest
RB is a problem atm as well and Jedi has been underperforming so far in the Championship, causing all sorts of online rage (but we at least have depth in central midfield).
Swampy
Guest
Times have changed. England and Italy were the two top leagues by far at the time. In la liga barca & real (as has been the case for most of the last 60 years) were the only top euro clubs and we had 7 very good players in those leagues. Within eras you can only compare against peers. How the players of 2006 would have been different to those of 2018 we'll never know. Apples with apples.
punter
Guest
The 2006 WC was the greatest time of my life, sporting wise. However, I think you may have missed the football revolution led by Barcelona/Spain. 2018, would our 2006 squad been good enough for a 1/4 finals spot, personally doubt it!!!! How many of that golden generation be playing with the top clubs today? Dukes & Harry yes, the rest????
Fadida
Guest
I'm excited by the defensive possibilities. Ryan will be a superior keeper to Schwarzer. Sainsbury is going to be a great player, and will hopefully move back to Europe when he's secure financially. Degenek is a very exciting prospect, as are Smith and Gersbach. Both are ahead of Lazaridis and Chipperfiwld at the same age. Wright and Spira are both very solid too. A goal scorer remains the missing piece. Hopefully the likes of Taggart and Juric will kick on