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Roberto Bettega

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Joined February 2011

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Moe
the key point is that the Matildas can get that in four games, plus get TV ratings which blow everyone else out of the water.
Their sponsorship book is full and they can name their price.
This is the new reality we are waking up to.

Code wars rage on despite Matildas mania

These days, about half the workforce, certainly most public servants, are working from home.
Everyone is on a perpetual holiday.

Albo can stick his public holiday - funding Australian football fairly is a far better idea

That report shows lots of sports getting millions, but only $225,000 went to Australian football.
You can’t even build a cubby house with $225,000 these days.

Albo can stick his public holiday - funding Australian football fairly is a far better idea

Why would anyone care about one or two people not watching or not taking an interest?

'I’ll be supporting whoever plays against Australia': Are people engaging with the Women’s World Cup, or just along for the ride?

The way things are going, there’s no doubt that the Matildas have a great opportunity to go all the way to the final, every game from hereon in is 50/50, at a minimum, with Australia at home. It’s clearly doable.

Both Canada and Denmark had quality, and were beaten comprehensively by our girls – but there is on very, very important proviso: in both those games, Australia was comfortable letting the opposition have the ball for long periods, and were perfectly set up to exploit the gaps that will always be there when any team takes the ball past the halfway line.

What happens if the next opposition tries to do the same in return, pretty much as Nigeria did, so that’s something to watch out for.

Otherwise, the front three of Foord, Fowler and Raso are going to test any opposition if they leave an opening.

Which brings us to the controversial part, those front three are so settled, so balanced, working so well together, that it makes sense that Kerr plays off the bench for the rest of the tournament, and becomes an impact player.

What a good problem to have!

Foord Fiesta! Caitlin and Raso fire Matildas into quarter finals as Kerr makes long-awaited return

At this stage of the tournament, and given what we’ve seen to date, we can certainly say that they can mix it with any team.

World Cup Diary: How 'Reckless' Raso became a 'mature' Matilda, Arnold has no shootout fears

Japan has just beaten Norway 3-1.
They were very impressive, absolutely dominated Norway.

World Cup Diary: How 'Reckless' Raso became a 'mature' Matilda, Arnold has no shootout fears

Now that we’ve confirmed that both games start at the same time, I’m reminded of a mens WC, can’t recall which one, maybe around 1998?? or might have been 2002, around that sort of period anyway.
Anyway, Italy lost an early game against Croatia, and then in their 3rd game, they went 1-0 down early in the match against Mexico, so if Croatia drew the other game, Italy was out.
Around the 85th min ore so, Italy levels, and the manager knows that Croatia is actually trailing in the other game, so the draw will be enough for Italy.
He basically starts yelling at his players, all of them, to just sit back and see out the final 5 or so minutes.
At one point, one of his players dribbles the ball past the halfway line, and he goes absolutely mental at him! They literally sat back for the 5 minutes, and Mexico pretty much did the same.
Anyway, I mention that because under certain circumstances, a draw might be enough for the Matildas, so wargaming this: we just need to keep the scoreline at nil-all for as long as possible, while keeping in touch with the other game.
If, say, at the 60th min, we hear that Ireland is up 2-0, then we just see out the game, no need to panic, no need to do anything (a la Italy above).
If it’s, say 65 min, and we hear that Nigeria is leading, then we know we have to pull out all stops, and that’s when you bring on Sam, but the keypoint is that we are still at nil-all, so one late goal is enough.
We just need to be in a position where one goal will do it – and hope remains right up to the final whistle. Stay composed for as long as only the one goal is enough (and obviously afterwards).

The Matildas can make history in the biggest game we've seen in years

Before the tournament, we’d have seen this as the top teams playing off for the top spot.
Now it’s effectively an elimination final, since the odds are high that the loser will actually be eliminated (unthinkable pre-tournament).

All in all, you’d have to view this as the very biggest game of football ever played on our shores.

A pity it couldn’t have been played in Sydney, where 85,000 would have jammed in for this one.

As for Kerr, agree with Mike’s sentiments, even if she’s only 60% fit, she must make an appearance (although preferably, it won’t be because we are trying to claw back deficit and facing imminent elimination, which was also unthinkable pre-tournament).

The thing about Kerr: she’s obviously a proven finisher, but more than that, she imposes herself in the box, she makes defenders sweat and second guess, and that’s much more preferable that facing defenders in full control of their surrounds. She can completely unbalance any rock solid defence, so her mere presence can be enough.

The Matildas can make history in the biggest game we've seen in years

“In Montpellier, we just said to each other ‘we’re not going home – it’s now or never, we are not going home’.

Not sure if they are the words you’d be wanting to utter coming into this game.

World Cup Diary: Matildas set for biggest game in history as Gustavsson era stares down group stage 'failure'

All teams celebrate a goal

'He'll look back with regret': Matildas coach admits 'strange' call as hosts on brink of World Cup elimination

It as been a very enjoyable event so far, and really, that’s the best way to approach it, just enjoy the event.

Additional womens facilities have been built, and that should be applauded, but beyond that, especially as far as the professional game goes in Australia, I would not have high expectations on where the game is about to go.

Pretty much all the APL clubs are broke, at least 3 licenses are for sale, while that number again are looking for more “investors” (to help fund mounting losses).

And then there is the latest news on the highly anticipated 2nd “tier”:

The NSD will not commence in 2024. A number of clubs are not happy with Football Australia’s current proposal. Several high profile clubs will not be submitting proposals one of them being Melbourne Knights FC.

Will the Women's World Cup supercharge football's growth in Australia?

Friday Night #Matildastvratings
#1 multichannel
10 Bold
Matildas v France 299,000
Post game 188,000
Pregame 84,000

'Need it to be louder!' Matildas call for more noise as record crowd enjoys 1-0 WC warm-up win over France

That’s quite a diverse selection there Al!

Melbourne got exactly what it wanted from the FIFA Women's World Cup

I remember going to a few of the 2000 Olympics football games, being completely surrounded by people who knew absolutely nothing about football.
It might be different on this occasion.
Then again, it may not.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie? No, no, no!: Chant shocker is like a 'f--k off to Matildas' active support'

How good was having TWG back in the day? (both the TV show and the website)

Personally, I miss not having all sport on the one platform. This myriad of streaming options is a pain in the proverbial. I want to reduce my subscriptions, not increase them.

When you see the NRL ratings on Fox each weekend, you can see why their focus would be on that sport above all else.

On a regular basis NRL games on Fox (which is in about one quarter of all households), is getting something like seven times the ratings an A-League game gets on a commercial FTA, which is available in all households.

Mind boggling numbers. It’s really impossible for anyone to mount an argument that it’s incumbent on Fox to do anything beyond just telecasting NRL games.

It would not surprise me to see Fox even drop AFL and cricket and just retain NRL.

Foxtel's axing of beIN Sports is another slap in the face for football fans

Midfielder is probably better positioned than me to shed light on this sort of thing, but it’s very, very difficult for football to get the MSM writing positive articles about football.
I think we’ll get a bit during the WWC.
But then it will promptly go back to business as usual.
We probably need more women in positions of power in government and across the media sector.

Beautiful game in a beautiful place: Australia on the verge of becoming a real football nation

Fair enough.
When you look across the major European football leagues, you often see, say, middle order club managing to qualify for one of the Euro cups, and they might even go deep into whatever comp they are in, but it takes so much out of them trying to compete, expending resources on staying competitive in two separate comps.
Things can come to a head very quickly when everyone realises, they just can’t keep expending resources to the same degree as other clubs who can.

The sudden collapse of football's greatest fairytale: Where did it all go wrong for Leicester?

A lot can happen in 7 years.

The sudden collapse of football's greatest fairytale: Where did it all go wrong for Leicester?

I didn’t realise Royals was still kicking.

It's time for a national club competition - these teams have the biggest following

The bias against Europe in the mens WC is exaggerated two or even three-fold in the womens WC.
I know there are good reasons for that, ostensibly, but I find it a tiny bit unsatisfactory that weak teams are there ahead of much stronger teams.

Context is a wonderful thing: Get ready for a women's football feast

A-league Mens Grand Final Ratings

2022-23 174k
2021-22 119k

Not a bad lift.

Outgoing hero Cummings leads Mariners to first championship in a decade as City collapse

The addition of Canberra and Wollongong in the next round of expansion will help consolidate the greater Sydney region as the home of football in Australia and will be a good thing for the A-League.
By the then, exactly half the clubs will be from this region and that alone will help justify the APL decision to permanently host the grand final in Sydney.

Outgoing hero Cummings leads Mariners to first championship in a decade as City collapse

One would hope that at least the Sydney version would dedicate some air time to the grand final.

The Roar's A-League tips and predictions: Grand Final

Absolutely nothing gets near those numbers.

The A-League Grand Final is a fight for the heart and soul of Australian football

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