There was once a belief that to measure the success of Australian football, one had to look at how many Australians were playing in the English Premier League.
However, with the evolution of the modern game, that is no longer a valid measure of the health of the game’s development in this country.
Last week, Australian Craig Johnston, the former Middlesbrough and Liverpool player, spoke publicly about the apparent regression of the quality of Australian footballers. He suggested the current crop of are lacking basic fundamental skills with the ball.
Johnston’s evidence of such a decline was the fact that 10-20 years ago, there were many more Australians plying their trade in the highest European football divisions, specifically the English Premier League.
This comparison is brought out time and time again by critics of Australia’s current generation of players – that the lack of players in those few select top leagues is evidence of systemic problems in Australian football.
However, this argument is fundamentally flawed.
One of the main differences between football in the present and 10-20 years ago is the expansion of these big leagues on a global scale. They have transcended their own countries, and now employ a much wider array of international footballers than ever before.
Taking the English Premier League as an example, 20 years ago English players accounted for two-thirds of the total players participating in the league. That figure today is around one-third.
These top leagues have grown to such a degree that they now contain almost all of the highest talents from all across the globe. The best players are much more likely to be found in these leagues, as the financial incentives to move there are bigger now than they ever have been before.
What does that mean for Australia? Well, simply put, there is much more competition for places in these big leagues, and only the very best are going to have the necessary qualities to make it to the top.
Would Luke Wilkshire be able to sign for Middlesbrough in this modern era? (AP Photo/Gustavo Ferrari)
Looking back at some of the Australian players who were in the EPL 20 years ago, not nearly as many would find themselves regularly playing in a top team nowadays. Would the likes of Danny Tiatto, Luke Wilkshire, Danny Allsopp, Hayden Foxe and Richard Johnson all find it easy to find places in the current Premier League teams?
With this higher level of competition, it’s not fair on the current players to needlessly compare them to the generations of old. Things have changed, the world has changed. We should be ecstatic with the fact that we have even just two or more players in the EPL next season.
That’s not to say that Australian football doesn’t have challenges ahead. But it’s unfair to say our current players are less skilled than 20 years ago – watching footage of the Socceroos of old demonstrates that our current players could more than hold their own against them.
The skill levels and professionalism in the A-League have improved out of sight since the NSL days. It’s the world that’s caught up.
Our Asian opponents are tougher, more skilful and better organised than ever before. The level of competition has never been higher in Asia. We can no longer have the edge on them like we once did, and we need to keep improving across the board in all areas.
It’s not fair to measure our success against measures that may have worked in the past. We should be looking to our domestic league, the A-League. We should be keeping more of our top footballers playing football at home, rather than sitting on the bench in European clubs.
We should be focused on doing whatever we can to win continental trophies, with both club and country. If we can turn our focus to what we are doing in our own country, and the football our players are playing practically in our own backyards, only then we can begin to make progress.
pacman
Guest
Agree with this 100%. To give credit where it is due, the FFA Curriculum mentions that thousands of hour of practice are required to become proficient in football skills. However, so far in my reading, I have not encountered any commentary in the Curriculum detailing how these thousands of hours of practice should be performed. In fact, I have only encountered conflicting advice calling for a "holistic" approach to training, with "isolated" training frowned upon, and definitely not recommended. I hope to discover in the Curriculum realistic methods of players acquiring the necessary ball skills. I will reserve my judgement until I have finished reading.
eud
Guest
Where Australia is lacking behind Europe + South America (the two dominating Football continents on Earth) is in the EVERYDAY culture. I never see kids playing Football on the streets here. Never. In Europe and South America kids play Football every day. It's an illusion to think that training twice a week and one match a week is enough to develop the technical skills. In my days growing up in Europe we spent MORE hours per week playing Football in our spare time than we did training for our club. I think we played about 10-20 hours most weeks of the year in our SPARE TIME from the age of 7. Before school, between breaks and after school. Everywhere. On grass, on asphalt, concrete and in school in the sports hall. And THAT'S where we developed most of the technical skills, not so much in club training twice a week.
Ruudolfson
Guest
A-league has done a great when engineering more marketing and public exposure to our current players and coaches but it's one big hole which is the engine room (youth development) and now we are paying the price for it sadly.
Nemesis
Guest
"Forget about the FIFA rule; I know it exists, but there are ways and means to get around it, by the family relocating." Really? Ways around it? You may want to talk to Atletico Madrid about that. Atletico Madrid transfer ban upheld by CAS until January 2018 http://www.espnfc.com.au/atletico-madrid/story/3137327/atletico-madrid-transfer-ban-upheld-by-cas-until-january-2018 And Barcelona... Barcelona transfer ban: What caused Fifa to ban Barcelona from signing any players until July 2015? http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/barcelona-transfer-ban-what-caused-fifa-to-ban-barcelona-from-signing-any-players-until-july-2015-9232850.html
Caltex Ten & SBS support Australian Football
Guest
Forget about the FIFA rule; I know it exists, but there are ways and means to get around it, by the family relocating. "Viduka, Zelic, Okon, Chipperfield, Lazaridis, Grella, Bresciano, etc. etc were all playing in Australia in their mid-late teens." Yes, but arguably, these players could have become world class if they ventured over at 12-16 yrs old and progressed through the academies of: “Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, AC Milan, or Chelsea”
Caltex Ten & SBS support Australian Football
Guest
"Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, AC Milan, or Chelsea" Waz --- So you would pick players for the national team playing in the HAL above those who are playing first team football in the European clubs I have nominated, (Let's presume all players are starting XI players in HAL and European clubs).
Stevo
Roar Rookie
"There are a measly 27 posts on this topic where one of, if not, the most important aspects of Australian football has been raised.". CORRECT. The "is Cahill the greatest athlete" is close to 200 comments for a nearly ridiculous topic. "speed and acceleration" is important But mean nothing without high level ball control. Another important ingredient along with ball control is 'football brain'. The ability to see patterns on the pitch, to see the play 360deg around you, to feign this way and that way gives you 'acres' of space and opponents are deceived leaving you time and space to play passes or move forward. ADP was a delight to watch in this regard. That's what we need to teach youngsters. Speaking first hand, immigrant parents from Europe understood the finer points of the game and these were passed down. Is that happening today?
j,binnie
Guest
Nemesis - There are actually 5 basic skills to be taught in the game and when this information was first introduced into coaching manuals in the late 60's early 70's they were described as follows. Receiving the ball, Striking the ball Heading the ball Tackling for the ball Dribbling with the ball. As you correctly point out each of these "skills" can be subdivided into different practicing exercises, eg "Striking the ball" can be subbed into volleying,half volleying, chipping, passing with inside and outside of the foot, shooting with the instep etc etc.etc. "Receiving the ball" can be subbed into, with the sole of the boot,with the lower leg,with the whole leg ,with the chest,and even with the backside etc etc. Now when CJ spoke about coaches telling players where to stand he was "spot on"., I have had that experience when watching a schools football match for under 16's. With his team attacking far down the right side of the field ,from the touchline I asked a youngster (presumably playing as a left back) why he was standing (watching) on the half way line.The kid told me he wasn't allowed to cross the halfway line. Can you believe a youngster would be told such rot????? Cheers jb.
Jeff dustby
Guest
Problem is your stats are for the mid 90s but the EPL players you mention played in the next decade
pacman
Guest
Great post Nemesis. I suggest Craig Johnston should have included one more skill, or perhaps trait, to his list. Speed and acceleration. Few naturally possess these traits, but they can be coached. Apart from your input, and that of jb, this is a terribly disappointing topic. There are a measly 27 posts on this topic where one of, if not, the most important aspects of Australian football has been raised. This is the biggest problem faced by Australian football. The inability to recognize the reason for our shortcomings. jb has identified the requirement of ball skills being practiced and mastered between the ages of 6 - 12. You, Nemesis, have identified the importance of homework, sensibly overseen by parents. Football people, this is where it all starts. Mastering the ball from an early age. There may not always a wall to bounce the ball off, but one can always master the juggle. From my observations, juggling is a more proficient learning tool if done correctly. But there are many other football skills that can be practiced in isolation, even if this is a practice misguidedly frowned upon by the FFA Curriculum. I am not going to join in the comparisons between different eras of football and the players involved, simply because the playing conditions and situations vary from one era to the next. All rather meaningless. Not so meaningless, however, is the need to master the ball at an early age, and the earlier the better. One does not need to engage in extensive studies of how the Germans, the Spanish, the Brazilians or the Nova Scotians go about things, but instead read the biographies of some of the world's greatest players. For starters, read Ferenc Puskas's "Captain of Hungary". If that doesn't get you going, nothing will. And God Save Australian Football.
Nemesis
Guest
@Swanny, your insights on football are nonsensical and not worthy of adult conversation.
Swanny
Guest
That man utd team full of English players would slaughter there current team with 3 English players Nemesis Stick to your strengths like the Bulgarian premier league next time
Swanny
Guest
I'd back any Socceroos team from 1987- 2015 agsinst the rubbish team in 2017
Nemesis
Guest
Argentina consistently produces highly technical players. Apart from Leo Messi, every Argentinian player in their WC2014 squad who were close to being Champions of the World, started their senior football playing in Argentina's Primera Division. Based on this video footage of the league, it seems agricultural tackling helps improve technical skills. If you aren't able to control the ball quickly & move it on, you're in trouble. http://www.footbie.com/video/brutal-tackles-in-the-league-of-argentina
Nemesis
Guest
Craig Johnston was interviews recently on FoxSports and his overall summary for how to improve the quality of Australian footballers was simple. Football is a basic game. You need to receive the ball & move it on. The best teams do this efficiently and at high speed. So, Aussies must improve technical skills. Forget about lifting weights, beep tests, vertical leaps. Technical improvement is the key to a never-ending supply of top quality footballers. Craig said there are basically 4 skills a footballer needs: Control Passing Dribbling Shooting The better you are at these skills, the quicker you can make decisions. Fully agree with Craig Johnston. And, from my reading of the National Curriculum, this principle of technical improvement is the fundamental philosphical foundation upon which the Curriculum has been built. My only suggestion would be: the home & unstructured practice needs far higher focus; rather than high-priced academies. And, parents must oversee the education; just like the best academic kids have parents who ensure their kids do their homework properly.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Great discussion. I came across this transcript of an interview Andrew Olle did with Craig Johnston. https://books.google.com.au/books?id=C0I1yDYZckUC&pg=PA187&lpg=PA187&dq=craig+johnston+interview&source=bl&ots=KL1vaCdMUN&sig=CnaIpW06b7I1-X8Lo2_5USYtf0o&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjDnu32jPnUAhXFq5QKHY5CATM4ChDoAQg1MAg#v=onepage&q=craig%20johnston%20interview&f=false What stands out are two things that CJ says: the skill and gracefulness that European players had, and the hard hours of training on his own with only the carpark lights on trying to master the soccer ball. For me that says it all. The only thing we need to teach kids is to love the ball and to be able to make it do anything they want, effortlessly. You may not be the fastest player on the pitch but if you can trap and control it better than anybody else you will have gained yourself time and space.
RBBAnonymous
Guest
One of my pet hates too Waz, the unnecessary diving in for a tackle.
Les
Guest
The 2006 generation was good, but one of the main reasons they did well at that world cup was Guus made them the fittest team in the tournament and well organised, not necessarily the most technical. That same team looked pretty ordinary at the 2005 confed cup.
punter
Guest
Franco Baresi, one of the greatest defenders of all time, was such a great reader of the game that he too hardly ever have to tackle
Waz
Guest
I can imagine your surprise with old "bite your legs" Hunter lol. You touch on another facet of the game there jb. I often tell my kids football is a thinking game, you have to think quickly and learn on your feet. It frustrates the hell out of me to see professional players dive in unnecessarily. Your comment is also why the performance of a DM often goes unappreciated by the masses - it's not what they do in tackling/passing etc but it's the work they do blocking opponents passing channels, reducing options, applying pressure. A good DM can have a great game and hardly touch the ball much to the confusion of the casual observer.