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How to fix Australian football's issues

Roar Rookie
24th October, 2017
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Tim Cahill (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Roar Rookie
24th October, 2017
110
1473 Reads

The past couple of months for Australian football have not been the prettiest. It started with a loss to Japan, which saw World Cup qualification slip further away, was followed with a pathetic effort against Thailand, then two dismal displays against Syria.

Loyal fans must be scratching their head and asking what are the causes?

The first issue is that our players are not being technically developed. For instance, we have a 38-year-old striker in Tim Cahill who is carrying the team. When Australia plays European teams, they are shown up because of a lack of goal-scoring skill.

If we look at a less technical position, we have two world-class goalkeepers in Mitch Langerak and Mat Ryan. This shows in the transfer market, when Ryan was transferred, he broke Mark Viduka’s transfer record to Leeds United in the early 2000s. This shows our players are not world class anymore.

The solution is to make A-League teams play three players in every side under the age of 23. This is what the NSL did to ensure development – they identified young talent and played them in the highest grade to develop their skills, strength and fitness. This approach will benefit the Socceroos, as we need to develop quality goal scorers to win games.

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The second issue is the lack of opportunities in the A-League to develop young players and showcase their talent.

With only four teams in the two major cities, plenty of players are missing out on the chance to grow and develop. We should take a leaf out of Major League Soccer’s handbook and add two or three more teams, allowing teams to have larger and more diverse rosters and develop a larger number of players.

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Once these teams are sustainable, we add more again, until we have enough for two divisions.

Football is the second most popular sport in Australia, which is a major advantage for the A-League, which needs to scout and develop players. This will only happen through expansion and more opportunities for younger players.

If the FFA want the A-League to be in the top 15 leagues in the world then it must develop and increase the standard of play.

The final issue is coaching and coach development, which underpins the first two issues. If we want to develop our players’ technical skill and be world class in what we do, the FFA must hire the best coaches for the junior representative and national teams.

Take the Socceroos in 2006, when they hired Guus Hiddink – a world-class manager who had world-class experience when compared with Ange Postecoglou. The difference is glaringly obvious, with the consequence seeing Australia struggling to make the World Cup.

For the FFA to win the Asian Cup against Japan and South Korea, it has to hire coaches that will meet their targets. Further, the FFA must identify quality coaches coming through the ranks and spend time and money developing them to one day take over from these quality overseas coaches.

The A-League and the FFA need to look at other leagues, such as the MLS, for expansion and other systems like Spain and Italy, where they develop their players technically.

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To date, we have only seen a glimpse of the great heights Australian football can reach – it’s the FFA’s duty to make sure every game, player, and coach gets there.

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