With the Qatar FIFA World Cup less than two months away, coaches are assessing which players to select for their squads.
Graham Arnold will have a very small pool of players to choose from, quite the opposite to group opponents France.
The French could field three or four entirely different sides and still be very competitive – man for man Australia is no match for the World Cup champions.
However, the strength of the Socceroos’ qualification was the unity and closeness of the squad.
That’s one thing that French coach Didier Deschamps still has not been able to get right with his talented charges.
The French were rocked again recently by another scandal, involving two of the biggest names in world football – Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappé.
French newspaper L’Équipe ran a story alleging that Pogba paid a witch doctor to cast an injury spell on Mbappe.
If these allegations are proven true Mbappé has made it clear that he will not play with Pogba ever again – leaving Didier Deschamps to choose between the team’s two linchpins.
(Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
In what has been a horror week for Pogba, news also broke about a gang who repeatedly have tried to blackmail the superstar for $18.8 million over the course of his time living in Manchester and Turin.
Pogba has informed investigators that this gang, which also has ties to his own brother, are trying to discredit him and made up the witch doctor curse on Mbappé.
The 2022 World Cup will be Deschamps’ last time in charge of the national team before another legend of world football, Zinedine Zidane, takes the reins.
Deschamps’ tenure will be remembered more so with the difficulty of trying to control the egos of his star players rather than the side’s success.
Karim Benzema was welcomed back into the fold after being excluded for several years due to an X-rated tape involving a former teammate.
There was the fighting at Euro 2020, where a bust-up in the stands between the families of Pogba, Adrien Rabiot, and Mbappe made even the most composed lip-reader blush.
But behind closed doors is where the ego of problem child Mbappe is out of control.
Mbappe was incredibly jealous of the influence teammate Antoine Griezmann has within the squad and voiced his disapproval on Benzema being selected for the squad after five years in exile.
Striker Oliver Giroud in a memorable interview accused Mbappe of purposely not passing the ball to him and Mbappe’s sulking demeanour was reported to have upset several high-ranking senior players of the squad, including Hugo Lloris and Steve Mandanda.
The French were also furious at their accommodation and players were caught on multiple times in training and matches arguing with each other.
There is no denying that Kylian Mbappe is one of the greatest players in the generation after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi but his petulance only keeps increasing.
He led Real Madrid on a merry chase for the better part of a year, before signing one of football’s wealthiest contracts with PSG that gives him a say in team selection as well as transfers.
Mbappe is currently embroiled in a row with KFC for refusing to take part in the national team’s promotional duties with the fast food chain.
Other French players who are key in the recent drama are experiencing less than stellar club seasons prior to the World Cup.
Paul Pogba is in a race against time to be fit, Rabiot has been offered to many clubs in Europe without any takers, and Griezmann is being frozen out of his club side so they can avoid signing him permanently.
The Socceroos have every reason to be optimistic, especially with the conditions in Qatar that they have become accustomed to – compared to their highly fancied opponents.
They can take solace knowing that France has a history of starting slowly in tournaments and more often than not self-imploding.
With the opening World Cup match less than 60 days away, it’s only a matter of time before more dirty laundry from the French players is aired in public.
Bongo
Guest
Yes Finally We have at least some Socceroos who can bleed for their country- These Socceroos don't take shit from anyone!! Jason Cummings Garang Kuol Harry Soutar believe that they are better than a number of the French so-called Superstars- Remember that Switzerland tanned their French arses in the Euro's and the French started to implode on and off the field. They are NOT better than us!! As Good old Ange Postecoglou said " I DON't ******* believe IT!! The Fench side have about as much credibility as Infantini from FIFA = I AM TODAY A QATARI!!! Let's Go Socceroos We are no longer Soccer Victims but a new Generation of Football Aussie LEGENDS!! GO SOCCEROOS!! Kuol to score 2 goals and Cummings to score one and McLaren to score one!!
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Gold
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Read the keep up article about the French and the handbags at ten paces blue that's going on between Mbappe Pogba and Griezmann
Garry
Roar Rookie
"I could blow the lid off of this whole story with a few facts. It was a riot and to be fair, he's the fall guy but there were more than him at it. That video shows you the furniture all over the place, that happened in several flats. And at 4 in the morning, people were genuinely terrified wondering wtf was going on. I was quite at peace with a few lads getting pissed and having a crazy night, but now the manager making excuses about his girlfriend and the chairman saying 'he's alright now' and it's been dealt with internally is seriously pissing me off. Instead of thinking it's all and only about the players and the club, how about they send them to the block of flats to personally apologise to the people who had to comfort their kids for hours after it?"
Tigertown
Guest
Not entirely accurate, Garry. It's a skylarking video of two jesting men, one egging the other on in mock annoyance, laughing. Classic TikTok coverage. Have you seen the wrestling video too? "A fit of range?' A great headline if you enjoy reading New Idea or TV Week.
Garry
Roar Rookie
"Jason Cummings smashed up his own flat in a fit of rage after splitting up with his girlfriend, Peterborough manager Steve Evans has revealed."
Grem
Roar Rookie
I’m sure he is. The point was that given different opportunities players can shine. It’s the present that we judge players on and not their past - as you pointed out Cummings was previously good enough to make a better Scotland team, but presently he’s showing enough to play for the Socceroos.
Tigertown
Guest
Lyndon Dykes seems like a quality player. QPR are a decent team.
Tigertown
Guest
Garry, rewind to 2017 (October). Let’s talk FIFA rankings. Back then, Cummings was playing for a superior Scottish international team, ranked higher than the Socceroos. Scotland: 29 Australia: 43 Perfectly valid comparison with Messi, as you are openly comparing statistics. Messi, the champion tax dodger. Yes, let’s talk 2017, shall we? It was the year Messi’s 21-month prison sentence for tax fraud was magically changed to a fine by the Spanish courts. At least Cummings is an honest bloke, & brilliant Socceroo!
Grem
Roar Rookie
And after the World Cup!
Garry
Roar Rookie
I dispute Cumming ‘s shown enough skill for sudden elevation in one season. His true worth will only be known this season when teams have got to know him.
Garry
Roar Rookie
lol..what a ridiculous comparison. For starters Messi is 35, Cummings is 27 and also Messi still creates a LOT of goals for others (2nd in PSG assists). Plus he has 9 goals in Europe in 6 games… how many games in Europe has Cummings played in total let alone since 2017, without scoring any? ohh and good strikers should have much higher stats than Cumming’s ONE season in ALM.. will be interesting to see if he is a ONE hit wonder . My point is he deserved an earlier shot BUT has done anything to warrant elevation as an unknown international.
Tigertown
Guest
Jason Cummings’ average goals per game: Hibernian: 0.48 CCM: 0.47 Similar statistics, comparing his first senior team to recent club. Impressive. Ok, let’s compare that to Paris Saint-Germain’s Lionel Messi. PSG: 0.29 Another French failure.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Heard of Lyndon Dykes - not good enough for the A Leagues or Australian representative football teams- went to Scotland and played in their premier league and now represents Scotland. Different places, times, opportunity, encouragement, etc leads to different outcomes. Cummings has shown the skill and desire to be given new opportunities in a new country. He should go to the World Cup.
Grem
Roar Rookie
And while this happened for Jason Cummings another player, Lyndon Dykes, who wasn’t considered good enough for the A Leagues and Australian representative football moved to Scotland, played in their premier league and is now representing Scotland. Different places, times, opportunities and encouragement produce different outcomes. Cummings is playing with skill and confidence and deserves to be considered for our World Cup squad.
Garry
Roar Rookie
‘Jason Cummings played MORE than 150 matches in the Scottish League” most of the Scottish games have been prior to 2017 & were also his main goals scoring years. Since 2017 he’s been a bit player..he came to oz partly to try to get in the socceroos but mainly to get game time. And lets be honest, he wanted to play for Oz beacuse he wasnt picked for Scotland. Oh and he wasnt in the Cup game beacuse he wasnt registered in time. If you have rules you need good reasons to cirCUMvent them and he didnt have one.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
The man's got something we've missed for a while, mongrel. He doesn't give a rat's who he's up against, he's there for one reason, to win physically, mentally and on the scoreboard. I ve seen a lad like him before. In a state champions final, a little culb from Newy went up against Marconi's semi-pro junior mob, Abruzzi. Blazers and all the Sydney lads had. By the end of that game MF had turned the Abruzzi lad he was marking into a dribbling mess. It was a master class in full on defence. That's what Cummins brings at the other end of the pitch
Tigertown
Guest
Nice try, Wireless Multi Media. Jason Cummings played MORE than 150 matches in the Scottish League (& 70+ in the EFL). Hardy struggling for games. Even Tony Popovic denied Cummings from competing in the previous FFA Cup final, knowing the Mariner’s new recruit would harm Melbourne’s chances of winning. Lastly, do you know why he doesn’t play for Scotland? Guess. It’s because... Wait for it... He’s now a Socceroo! Vive la Cumdog!
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
I reckon Cummings could annoy the Dalai Lama if he wanted to.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Mate, articulate, cultured and completely contextual. Great post