The worst thing that can happen for football right now is nothing. The status quo has taken the game this far, but both the Socceroos and A-League need a revamp.
It’s ironic that the most insightful voice on Australia’s three-game trip to Russia is one that will be largely ignored.
“By 2017, I came to the realisation that in fact, rather than me riding on a tidal wave of change, I was in essence on a personal crusade,” wrote Ange Postecoglou for Players Voice of his time as Socceroos coach.
What Postecoglou means is that he assumed he had the backing of his employer to make the changes he felt necessary to transform the Socceroos from a team that tries hard but loses courageously, into a genuine international force.
But when change didn’t happen quickly enough, and with Football Federation Australia no doubt concerned by the prospect of missing out on millions in tournament revenue, suddenly plans were made for a World Cup without Postecoglou in it.
Many see his decision to resign as a betrayal to the cause, and will dismiss Postecoglou’s opinion because of it.
Others – including a few critics of mine – are tired of the FFA being blamed for everything, and have convinced themselves that those who write about mistakes being made do more damage to the game than those who actually make them.
Still others are alarmed by Postecoglou’s propensity for plain speaking, and will ignore his views because they believe the way he speaks means he is egocentric.
But the reality is that the one person who had a clear vision for football in Australia – whether it was the right one or not – stepped down as Socceroos coach before the World Cup because he felt like he had no support.
Regardless of what you think about the FFA or Postecoglou, is this really where football in Australia should be in 2018?
That the Bert van Marwijk era ended so predictably arguably works in Graham Arnold’s favour.
Depending on who you talk to, van Marwijk either did an outstanding job in his seven-game stint as Socceroos coach, or simply an adequate one.
My sentiments lie somewhere in the middle. Van Marwijk did well to offer his team some defensive solidity – but as Postecoglou pointed out, the Socceroos have always had that.
But there was only so much he could do with players whom – unlike Arnold – he was largely unfamiliar with.
Next year’s Asian Cup will be a serious test of Arnold’s coaching skills, but in the meantime the FFA have got more pressing concerns.
Today – a mere 19 days after their own June 11 deadline came and went without a word – the FFA will announce its shortlist of potential A-League expansion clubs.
It’s expected eight clubs will be on the list – which sounds like a lot, considering the FFA have already stated that only two new clubs will be admitted in 2019, assuming Wellington Phoenix retain their place.
And there may be more meaning behind such a long list of candidates than is first apparent.
By the end of next month, the Congress Review Working Group led by independent chairwoman Judith Griggs will have submitted its proposal to FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation for a new composition of the FFA Congress.
It’s taken an eternity – and FIFA intervention – for the penny to drop, but the FFA have finally realised they can no longer ignore every stakeholder in the game if they wish to remain in power.
It’s in their best interests not to alienate even more voices by summarily ignoring expansion plans.
Four new teams, not two, is what the A-League really needs. And a regeneration of the Socceroos while we’re at it.
Because the worst thing those who run football can do right now is stand still. The game has been stagnant for too long, and what has it got us?
Ten unhappy A-League clubs and one point in the World Cup.
Cool and Cold
Guest
The Australian football education is robotic according to: https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/australia-is-producing-robots-says-youth-guru-smith Why there should be a syllabus? Why only teach 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1? Finland has the most successful education system, https://www.smh.com.au/national/this-is-why-finland-has-the-best-schools-20160325-gnqv9l.html. But Finland has no syllabus and no homework. However, their students are the best in the world, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyIMawwNT2k So, just let the young soccer players play as they want.
John
Guest
And lots of Futsal with Mascot Vipers in Sydney!
chris
Guest
Apologies LC. Didnt see your comment but you are spot on.
chris
Guest
shirtpants which sports are you referring to ? Tennis - No Basketball - No Volleyball - No Athletics - No If you meant Commonwealth sports (ie Rugby and Hockey) - yes. And yes to swimming. So yes to a few but certainly not "most" as you state shirtpants
chris
Guest
Yes football is a game of inches and it certainly is pointless talking about "a post away from not making it". How many countries at the WC can say the same thing? Football is not like other codes where hundreds of points are scored and the margins of error are huge. There is always "a post away from this" or a "dubious call from that". Australia v France. A dubious penalty and an own goal that was a millimetre away from not crossing the line. If we'd gotten a point in that game no one would have said we didnt deserve it. Australia v Denmark. We dominated that game and were unlucky not to get 3 points. Australia v Peru. Again, little in the way of luck going our way. Peru score from the first attack after we had dominated for the first 20 mins. We are novices at WC finals. We will learn from this and be a better nation going forward.
Nemesis
Guest
"I take everything he says with a huge grain of salt. He’s one of the most self-serving voices in the game, and I suspect his world view tends to revolve around settling scores more than anything." Mike, do you own a mirror in your house?
Vin
Guest
Whos come through the million dollar ciriculum. Rogic played futsal his whole junior life Arzani played backyard soccer and then a local club called Coogee utd
Vin
Guest
Daniel arzani did not come through any system we have, he learnt his trade getting chased and kicked in his daily soccer game in his backyard I remember the pressures of taking a penalty in an under 11 grand final , now I can't wait for my son to play next season because in his age group they don't have a table, no semis no finals, it's bs, and it's all set by the ffa
Old Greg
Guest
The problem with the Socceroos is, Daniel Arzani and maybe Tom Rogic aside, the players aren't good enough. By that I mean they can't dribble the ball and beat individual or multiple opponents, and I'm sure Ange Postecoglou and Craig Foster would agree with me. BVM and Graham Arnold are pragmatists, they'll focus more on structure than individual wizardry. This helps if your players are technically inferior, but it's not a long term solution. More technical players have to be introduced to the national team. I don't think Ange will coach Australia again, but Paul Okon's got the same philosophy as Ange, and the players that were born in the late 90's/early 2000's that started their football journey around the time of the Crawford Report, eg Jacob Italiano, Riley Warland, Walter Scott, Dylan Pieras, Danny De Silva, Riley McGree, Pierce Waring, Joey Champness etc - players in that age bracket are going to be the players with the skill to play the attacking football that will take Australia forward.
Alan Cirson
Guest
So has the #1 ranked team always won the World Cup? Bit pointless playing at all then nickb.
Beny Iniesta
Guest
The fact is a small country population wise like Australia just can't hope to compete with the powerhouses of World Football. For instance, when was the last time a country as small as Australia won a World Cup?!?!? You are looking at decades and decades ago. 1950 perhaps?
Bplol
Guest
Chris, I lived regionally for 2 years. The thing that stood out for me most was the talented athletes in country sport played multiple sports. Also the community engagement and level of coaching was actually higher in these areas for all kids (not just kids in private acadmies or represntative teams)rep teams also picked on talent more than how much money parents can "donate". (Not sure if this is still apparent in the juniour rep teams in Sydney)
Oldpsyco
Guest
Mike you said "the FFA have finally realised they can no longer ignore every stakeholder in the game if they wish to remain in power." Make no mistake, Staying in POWER is ALL they are interested in!
Pig shooter
Guest
We'll never be any good at soccer. All our best athletes are in the AFL
Beny Iniesta
Guest
Honestly. Hitting teams on the "Counter" is a pathetic mentality to adopt. It signifies no honour and derring-do. If Australia wants to play a long-ball or counter-attacking form of play they will kill the sport in this country - or at least considerably marginalise it into irrelevancy.
Graham
Guest
So what you are pointing at is that smaller nations are better at pulling together talent. E.g iceland, Portugal, Croatia etc.. I agree. Look at England massive failure since world cup began really (1966 was at home). In summary FFA not that bad really as Australia achieved same as world championships Germany .......more people need to get their kids off the pedestal and help out the local clubs and stop whinging.....!
Midfielder
Guest
Sheek Astute observation and I like the saying
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
My guess would be that the reason for that sort of discrepancy would more likely be that there's just so much more to do in the city, so more distractions for kids. In the country the kid is likely to spend more time playing their chosen sport as there are just not as many other things for them to do.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
In some cases the "decision making" relies on skills that it's way too late to develop, in others it probably doesn't. The existing players can still develop in some areas, but there are definitely some things which you really need to have worked on from a young age. So not every option will be opened up, but some should be able to. I must admit that looking at something like the Rogic move, while he did well to beat a number of players, he really looked out of control the whole time, while when you look at one of the top players pull off a similar move they tend to just seem much more balanced and in control. But still, it would have been a pretty easy pass to slip to a completely open Tomi Juric, which I think is why he went down with his head in his hands after Rogic got off the lame shot that he managed.
Arto
Guest
Hi Mike, Almost a great article - lots of stuff I agree with 100%, just a few bones of contention for me! ;-) Ange, for all his faults in presenting things in the media, was definitely onto something and his piece in Player's Voice was excellent. That's not to say I agree with everything he said, but as is his way he enlightens a debate with proper perspective and football nous. I think it was a real shame he felt he couldn't go on with the Socceroos job as I reckon he was only half-way there in turning the cultural base around. There were certainly times when I despaired at the way he stuck to his principles during qualification (& certainly some of his selections just didn't add up for me either). But the thing is he was always looking at things through the big picture and there's far too little of that in places that matter in the AUS game. It's precisely this lack of a macro view that worries me regarding the future and whether or not the FFA "stays still" for here. There are enough s***storms on the horizon for the FFA to make moving forward difficult, but trying to bunker down and ride them out is not the tactic that will have FFA or soccer in AUS emerging in a position to improve the state of the game. I fear for the expansion process. I'm slightly more confident (strangely enough) about the Congress issue - maybe because FIFA has a veto-option if FFA do an about-face?! I'm worried the goose (Socceroos) that lays the golden eggs (WC Finals participation) will be temporarily barren come 2022 & maybe even 2026. For all these concerns to be addressed we'll need someone to lead FFA that has a macro view & as Tony Tannous argues here (http://footballtoday.news/features/the-business-of-football-needs-to-get-back-to-football) a real effort to improve youth development in order to ensure we're in amongst things when WC Finals time comes around and eventually lift the bloody thing!