The 16th of November will always be a significant day in the history of Australian football.
The date fell on a Saturday in 2019 and a copious amount of celebratory content filtered through social media platforms across the weekend.
Many featured highlights of that famous penalty shootout, John Aloisi’s final strike and the sheer ecstasy of the thrilling climax to the Socceroos’ 2005 victory over Uruguay. Other content was more sentimental, based on personal reflection and people’s vivid memories of the night Australian football finally returned to the World Cup stage.
Whenever the date rolls around, each and every Aussie football fan remembers exactly where they were on that night; who they were with and who they embraced when the Socceroos temporarily snatched away Uruguay’s ‘divine right’ to play the World Cup.
The fundamental reason for such romanticism around the date is the fact that after so many years of painful and unrewarded effort, it was the first occasion that a group of fully-professional Australian footballers were to compete in the tournament.
The achievements of the 1974 team should, and will, never be overlooked, understated or forgotten. However, after spiralling growth in world football during the 1980s and 90s, the establishment of billion-dollar leagues and the emergence of players as truly international personalities, the game had morphed into the global business we see it as today.
In that journey, Australia appeared in danger of being left behind. If heart-breaking losses to Scotland, Iran and Uruguay in the 32 years of World Cup exclusion hinted at anything, it was potentially that as a footballing minnow with a limited talent pool of which to access, Australia would perhaps never qualify again.
Hence, that night lingers as groundbreaking and history now tells us that, along with a wise move into the Asian Confederation, the Socceroos now belong at the World Cup.
It was fitting that the significance of the date was not lost on the A-League scriptwriters, who came to the party with some groundbreaking and astonishing moments for us all to savour in Round 6 action. Just like November 16, 2005, there were quite a number of unique moments.
It began with a wild evening amid the tragedy of the New South Wales bush fires, with Adelaide facing the Mariners in a match that was threatened as an event the day prior. Thankfully the smoke and debris cleared and the Reds showed how adaptable they are in attack this season with three first-half goals.
With Al Hassan Toure absent, Nikola Mileusnic, Ben Halloran and Riley McGree flew the domestic flag, as Norwegian Kristian Opseth chipped in with a goal of his own.
The A-League’s newest club, with a chance to move to the top of the ladder, drew 5688 people to GMHBA Stadium in Geelong. A sentence many would have seen as unlikely just a few short weeks ago.
Western United are here, bringing fans in and playing some stylish football. However, it was to be the commonly written-off Jets who claimed their first win of the season off the back of an Angus Thurgate goal after 36 minutes.
The VAR intervention that denied Josh Risdon’s equaliser seemed to confirm that the competition had well and truly prepared to pay fitting tribute to the 16th of November. A day later, things got really wild.
For the first time in the A-League season, Erick Mombaerts looked frazzled on the Melbourne City bench. After a Jamie Maclaren hat trick seemingly had the match in the bag after 51 minutes, establishing a 3-1 lead, Brisbane Roar rallied.
(Photo by Mike Owen/Getty Images)
Roy O’Donovan added a second hat trick for the night, another rare occurrence and as the net continued to bulge for the home side, Mombaerts’ unfashionable cap became more askew. I have become obsessed with his cap and feel quite convinced that there is a direct correlation between its positioning and the Frenchman’s state of mind.
Astonishingly, the Roar held on in a seven-goal thriller in front of a fervent crowd in Redcliffe in a boutique stadium. The night continued in Sydney with a Big Blue before another great crowd in another boutique-sized stadium.
It was hard to believe but so pleasing to see happening. Could the anniversary of November 16th been the trigger?
The date that celebrates the Socceroos’ return from exile coincided with a slightly abbreviated yet thrilling, unpredictable and dramatic round of play; all amidst the backdrop of another newspaper article death-knelling the A-League and making obtuse comparisons with basketball.
With huge clashes in Western Sydney, Adelaide and Perth next weekend, the fans will no doubt be out celebrating once more. Why wouldn’t they?
On a weekend where we all recollected Australian football’s greatest moment, the A-League decided to do so in fine and entertaining style.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
Yes JB - if all good players become great managers we would be truly blessed. As supporters we are often quite sentimental about “favourite sons”. Unfortunately, I think board members are not dis-similar except they are charged with making appointments that will be in the best interests of the club. I do believe that to be really successful it takes more than a good team and manager though. The rest of the set up needs to be all clicking as well from the person who makes the tea, marks the lines, washes the kit, treats the injuries, advises on nutrition and so on. When it is all in place and the fans are behind the team it is “happy days”.
jbinnie
Guest
Buddy. The Aloisi "coaching saga" goes a long way to again pointing out the old adage that simply being a good player does not mean a successful coaching career will follow on in retirement. The game is full of examples where players of "super star" status never made it as team managers, Bobby Charlton jumps to mind as someone who tried and failed miserably at management and quickly moved his presence back to Man. Utd's board as a "director". We here in Australia have been subjected to this mis -conception when the former chairmen F Lowy ,suggested we should start and employ ex- Socceroos in not only coaching and management positions, but getting some placed in very important positions in programs to publicise our game. As a follower of the game I have no doubt you have your own thoughts on how successful that edict has been ,but over the last six to ten years an examination will show there has been a very busy turnover in personnel at clubs following that edict. Cheers jb.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
I have been doing a reviewing via the mini-matches as well. About time we had the option to do this. Should be included in the ratings!
Micko
Roar Rookie
Yes, it's ridiculous they still play at oversized stadiums.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
I’d like to think that JA will always be remembered in a positive light for that one piece of magic back in 2005. We remember Mark Schwarzer with fondness as he played a big part as did everyone really in that campaign. Sadly, his efforts in Melbourne and then at BR casts a shadow and I suppose younger fans would only know him as a manager. Great reminder though Stuart...thanks.
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
I remember the 1974 campaign and the 1996 campaign. Both were nail biters. In 1974 we were totally outclassed in West Germany. In 1996 we were only 3 games short of an appearance in the final of the FIFA world cup. I'm not sure if we can ever reach those heights ever again. However, Arnold has gone on record saying this crop of Roos will be the best ever. You have to love his commitment to the gold jersey. But that said, he has so far got off to a good start to this campaign. he really has me starting to believe again.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Nice article Stuart, well written. Maybe you're right about the City coach's cap. You've given me something extra to watch. Regards the Aloisi goal - who could forget it, still one of those nights when all sports fans supported soccer. It was the moment, with the subsequent WC, that made me a football fan, forever. Of all the feelings I sensed over the weekend, talking, listening and interacting on social media, the old divisions in football bubbled through, but in a good way I think. It was like, with the use of boutique stadiums, where have you guys been, welcome aboard. Choo choo, full steam ahead I reckon, slowly but surely.
chris
Guest
Bosnich is wrong in calling it out as a "wind up". A wind up is a light hearted dig at something or someone. The Australian is a white angry mans newspaper losing readership faster than Foxtel losing viewers. Its amazing that Uncle Rupert still keeps that rag afloat.
Nick Symonds
Guest
"The date that celebrates the Socceroos’ return from exile coincided with a slightly abbreviated yet thrilling, unpredictable and dramatic round of play; all amidst the backdrop of another newspaper article death-knelling the A-League and making obtuse comparisons with basketball." - I agree with Boz. If the NBL FTA ratings can't even match the crowd that showed up then I don't really think it's much to worry about.
Nick Symonds
Guest
NBL vs A-LEAGUE: “You talk about television figures, well if you really want to go down that road, free-to-air television had less viewers than were at the game for Sydney Kings. So don’t talk about television viewers." - Mark Bosnich - https://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league/a-league-news-nbl-mark-bosnich-latest-attendance-figures-tv-viewers-crowds-the-australian-bill-boz/news-story/4e16b7e62403ad65a58a371d5e4a4afa
chris
Guest
Thanks for the article Stuart. It was a very entertaining weekend that's for sure. I saw a kid on the train this morning watching A-League mini matches on his phone. I think if the product is good (and the A-League is improving), then the grass roots support that is yet to be fully tapped, will finally be realised. Newspaper articles and other msm outlets continue to death ride the A-League but they are only preaching to the over 55'.