This is about the time our nation gets a little obsessed with the Socceroos heading into a World Cup.
The excitement floods social media platforms and even the commercial news networks start to run short grabs of the national team in training or battling it out in friendlies.
Heck, even the non-football journos are starting to throw their ‘expert’ opinions our way.
As Socceroo fans we analyse, hypothesise and agriculturally cheerlead, musing on our group and our chances of survival; all the while knowing it will be tough to advance. So it should be, but when we whack on those rose coloured glasses it is easy to find reasons why our boys will do us proud in Russia.
We could cite our improved back four that seemed to be functioning better under Bert van Marwijk until the slip up on Sunday morning. Faith could be placed in our midfield stars who appear to have brought their club form from Europe and eternal optimists will hope for another Timmy moment.
Throw in young Daniel Arzani, a player of whom the world knows little, and the Socceroos are in as good a shape as they could possibly be.
Daniel Arzani (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
There are multiple reasons why Australia can do well in Group C. But what does Group C think of us?
I have been trying to get a hold of Bert van Marwijk ever since he took over; all to no avail.
There is a question I want to ask him. Despite not defeating the Socceroos in their direct clashes during the qualifiers, he did preside over the successful Saudi Arabian qualifying campaign.
With experience on the other side of the fence it would be fascinating to know what his blunt analysis of our squad might be. Not one full of platitudes but an honest and potentially crude assessment of the areas where an opposition perceives Socceroo weaknesses and potential advantage.
I’m guessing it might go a little like this.
Mathew Ryan
Excellent keeper who does have a tendency to play out at all costs thanks to the lingering legacy of the previous manager. Pressing high and blocking his exit channels might just produce an error or a poor decision.
Aziz Behich and Josh Risdon
Tough little buggers. They will run all day but what they have in heart they lack in height and skill in the air. Both can be exposed at the back post with searching angled balls. Ensuring they are forced to consistently track back and maintain accountability can expose defensive frailties.
Trent Sainsbury and Mark Milligan
Good players yet agility is their weakness. Milligan particularly struggles to turn and chase when faced with players of superior speed. The higher they sit, the more potential exists for a killer ball that catches the defence square. Both prone to the odd howler when pressurised.
Aaron Mooy, Tom Rogic, Mile Jedinak and Massimo Luongo
All solid world-class players, with the three younger men improving all the time. Mooy doesn’t deliver at international level as often as the Australian fans would like and can become slow and stagnate with the ball. Rogic and Luongo are the X factors and the men most likely yet can be retarded considerably if closely marked.
Both are dangerous when running at opposition teams with players in support and Rogic is a particular threat with his ability to hit the long ball as well.
Beware of Jedinak when he does take to the pitch. Forget about perceptions of his lack of speed and agility, the bearded one inspires the Socceroos and offers a calming stability in defensive midfield.
Australia’s Mile Jedinak (AAP Image/David Moir)
Matthew Leckie and Robbie Kruse
Don’t relax against these men. While they don’t hit the scoreboard often, they are toilers and will run tirelessly. Without a world class marksman in the centre, the Socceroos will always work for their goals and these two men often provide the final pass.
Diligent defence is required to negate their influence. If controlled, both can drift out of games and in turn, become frustrated.
Tim Cahill, Tomi Juric, Jamie Maclaren and Andrew Nabbout
Do not fall for the ageing appearance of a certain number four. He is more than capable of producing magic from the set piece and never underestimate his influence on this team. Do not talk to him, get him angry and engage him in any way; he thrives on it.
Maclaren is a running danger in behind yet still not polished enough on the ball to be a consistent threat. His speed is his weapon, in a similar vein to the inexperienced Andrew Nabbout. In traditional Australian style both currently lack the dexterity in foot skill required for consistent success at international level.
Juric is a clever player yet still not a consistent goal scorer in the national setup. He is the least dangerous of the four.
Far more threatening is young superstar Daniel Arzani. Watch him. He will run threateningly at defences time and time again and his improvement has been exponential over the last year.
Tim Cahill (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Summary
All in all, the Socceroos are a working-class team and will grind away in search of a goal, rather than blasting through a defence. They are prone to indecision and hesitation at the back and can be exposed with speed.
They are a tough nut to crack and always turn up for the fight, even if they might not be able to match the international heavyweights when it comes to class and skill.
Blocking passing channels and slowing their ball movement are the keys to stopping the Australians.
Caltex & SBS support Australian Football
Guest
@ Fad - that's precisely the point; do you know of an official world class rating system? I would like to know what it is, if it's not playing for your country in the biggest Football World Cup on the planet. Is there an official world class FIFA points system I don't know about other than playing in a world cup finals tournament for your country?
lunchboxexpert
Guest
When I think of the term "World Class", I think of the 2006 Socceroos, Kewell, Cahill, Viduka, Neill, Schwarzer all could be a comfortably fit with that description. These were key players in middle to top EPL clubs at the time. Aloisi could even be described as such and no doubt their were others. In some ways looking at the 2006 squad they had what it took to go further. And despite their FIFA rating at the time (42) they were really in the second tier of about 5 to 7 teams at the 2006 world cup (after the first 5 to 7 teams). The Socceroos of 2018 doesn't have anyone that can be included in that group of players (just for any smart responses a 38 year Cahill doesn't belong in that group either). Comparing this with the form and some good performances of D nmark and P ru coming into this world cup, even picking up third in their group will be a tough assignment for the Socceroos let alone getting out of the group stage. Having said all this. Go Socceroos. Do your best and utmost. Its all anybody can ask.
The Phantom Commissioner
Roar Rookie
Kewell was at the top of his game (bar a stint with injury in 2001) from 98 till 2004, people tend to forget his first season at Liverpool was very successful. As Rio Ferdinand once said he was the Gareth Bale of that era.
Nemesis
Guest
In 2003, Harry Kewell was nominated for the Ballon d’Or. At this stage he was ranked as one of the 3 best left sided attacking footballers in the world. The other 2 were :Marc Overmars & Ryan Giggs.
Realfootball
Guest
At his very best, around 23, in his last year or so at Leeds, I would say yes he was, Fad, just. But it was over in less that 2 years. I am being generous including him, I agree.
Fadida
Guest
Agree Real, though I'd argue Kewell never quite made that level. Incredible that people don't understand this. Matt Simon has played for Australia. By their definition he is world class. Using the WC as a measure would mean that George Best and Ryan Giggs weren't world class (there is an argument that Giggs didn't quite meet the mark)
Fadida
Guest
You and Stuart hold onto the idea that Jedinak is world class. The rest of the world won't, and neither will FIFA whom you oddly bring into the equation. Do they have a "world class" rating system???
chris
Guest
I have to say watching Harry giving that cheat of a ref a verbal tongue lashing made me proud to be an aussie. That ref was a sycophant to the Brazil team and it was some level of payback that Harry told him so. One thing you won't see at world cups is refs favouring smaller teams against bigger teams. Oh unless you were S Korea in 2002 where the Italians and the Spanish teams absolutely copped it and it was goodnight to them.
Kris
Guest
Milligan wouldn't get a work permit in most European countries.
Caltex & SBS support Australian Football
Guest
Gary Lineker is world class, his participation in a world cup finals tournament proves that. "football365 site" have no official recognition with FIFA and so, it is only an opinion of a poor football site.
Kris
Guest
That isn't "the world", it is an upcoming opponent trying to find something nice to say about a team they expect to beat 3-0.
Kris
Guest
Pace. About the only thing we have going for us is that Kruse and Leckie might run at some defenders and get lucky. Both of them probably get 1 in 20 shots on target - but if the stars align you might be at the game where it is that 1 in 20 day for both of them. (unfortunately for us it was probably the Czech game where every shot went in). I don't get care if you are Paolo Maldini or Jason Geria, there has never been a defender born comfortable with someone coming at him with pace and getting him backpeddling. Tell Kruse to run at blokes, hit the deck if they breathe on you, card-up the opposition back-4 and pray that Jedinak smashes one into the roof of the net from the dead ball.
Kris
Guest
It does if you adjust for minutes played.
Kris
Guest
Soccer AM is the weekly show on Sky Sports in the UK that has been running since 1995. I was cheekily suggesting your argument that the word Soccer engenders suspicion amongst football followers is bovine droppings.
Realfootball
Guest
I suggest that a valid criteria for "world class" would be a player who would be an automatic starting player for any of the top 3-5 national teams. This would make Harry Kewell, at his absolute (and very brief) peak the only "world class" player we have produced. Viduka falls short.
BrainsTrust
Guest
People are always searching for a stereotype to label countries. The physical tag was true in the past. The reality about this Socceroos squad is this squad is a collection of opposites. Leckie is one of the best physical specimens with pace and strength., Rogic is one of weakest, and least athletic but one of the most skillful. Cahill will be one of the oldest ,and because of that he lacks athleticism, but is still probably the biggest goal scoring threat with headers in the world.. Arzani will be one of the youngest, and he will be a real threat one on one, if only he knew how to properly exploit that. What concerns me is Milligan who should have been a top level player in Europe if he had not gone for the money in Asia. He goes to the Middle East and came back half the player for Victory and then he went back again and looks even shakier. This is the real weak point of the Socceroos the easy money available in Asia and the decadence that goes on there with that money. Not that it affects every player but you have to say players who should have been front and center in Milligan and Troisi are at a fraction of what level they should be at.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Nice piece by Mike Ticher https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jun/12/eight-minutes-that-helped-shape-australias-recent-football-history
Stevo
Roar Rookie
I think you’ve made some fair points but you lost it right here. You need to do more homework.
Emrah Yalpur
Guest
The footballing world view us as a nobody when it comes to football... they are probably aware that we are a fit and physically strong team.... But the smart coaches would show us respect and be aware that we are very well organised under our new manager, play as a team and are disciplined... where we lack in flair, talent and skill individually, we make up in organisation, structure and discipline... ehen I look at the socceroos it reminds me of Iceland in the euros ... they had no world class renowned players but were disciplined in defence and scored all their goals on the counter attack.... football is a team game and the team wins it (not an individual)... thats why Ronaldo's Portugal never won a major tournament until last Euros when they finally played as a team and stopped only relying on Ronaldo..... I'm excited about this world cup though... if our x factor Arzani gets decent game time and all our players can play consistantly at 101% then i think we can get our best ever result in a world cup this time round :)
Emrah Yalpur
Guest
Stu is not qualified to write about football.. he has no idea about the world game... read his bio... he loves Golf.... he thinks any player who leaves our shores to play top tier in Europe is world class for goodness sake...