[johnny]

get rid of holger/just like verbeek .. and send the legends to the sbs retirement village..who's developing our junior skills base ?

 

[punchanello]

We are in seriously deep doodoo. I'm thinking we will probably be outclassed by Japan and the only silver lining is that Holger might get the arse and we can take the last two games and qualify.

I don't think we have that much trouble with bringing through young players. There are enough jumping straight from the A-league to Europe to give us hope. The real problem is that neither Verrbeek or Osieck have dione enough to blood them or build a system around them. We are very close to paying the ultimate price for that.

Fingers crossed anyway. An unlikely win against Japan will change everything.

 

[Zed]

Hey just two wins and you're square.
Not such a big deal.

We've got a cluster f--- with the Panamanians, Mexicans, Hondurans Costa Ricans and Jamaicans in our group, and it's not like US is strong enough to bank on beating any of them. Missing out on qualifying might be just a loss away.

 

[Rstanek]

We've got a cluster f--- with the Panamanians, Mexicans, Hondurans Costa Ricans and Jamaicans in our group, and it's not like US is strong enough to bank on beating any of them. Missing out on qualifying might be just a loss away.

 

[koich]

This is an awesome game so far. Proper end to end game with desperate defence.

 

[koich]

There has been some really silly stuff up front. Really basic stuff like over running the ball and poor targetting on the crossing. If we had actually had a quality striker we'd be a goal up.

 

[koich]

Going to a Japan V Australia game in Japan is now on my to do list. The atmosphere of this game is top notch.

 

[badmotorfinger]

Why was Kruze appealing for penalty even before the Japanese keeper had made contact with him after that breakaway? Enjoying the match but just wish sometimes they would concentrate on staying on their feet and maybe getting second chance at ball. Would referees really not pay penalties after illegal contact unless someone appealed wildly for it?

Agree on the atmosphere. Would be deafening if a goal was scored either way.

 

[badmotorfinger]

Damn it. More gut wrenching than the end of G.O.T. last night.

 

[Zed]

We've got a cluster f--- with the Panamanians, Mexicans, Hondurans Costa Ricans and Jamaicans in our group, and it's not like US is strong enough to bank on beating any of them. Missing out on qualifying might be just a loss away.

lol
Pretty much.
Ranks just above WNBA in American support. Living where I do, the majority of soccer fans are Mexican immigrants, backing the motherland.
USMNT only garners support when they are in the tournament. No one gives a rats ass in between. I support the team, more for the team, than country. I want to see those guys do well --and see them in other international leagues because US is not a footy superpower.

MLS vs A-League, who's better?

I watch a lot of Premier League, too, and the segue to MLS is rough.

AUS could have used that win, but it's a result. Japan is no slouch. They're a frustrating and quick squad.

 

[punchanello]

Decent result in the end. We certainly looked a lot better than we have recently.

 

[millonario]

Best socceroos performance since the Asian cup fiasco.

 

[Ado]

Can't blame Holger. We had a once in two generatio talent pool 10 years ago. Kewell, Vaduka, Cahill, Bresciano and Neale all in the one side. That just aint gonna happen again.

That was a match of true grit by our boys last night, especially the first half. It would have been amazing to take the win, but the Japanese did not deserve to lose. Besciano was astounding in the first half. He really stepped up after some terrible performances recently.

There is still hope.

 

[Ado]

MLS vs A-League, who's better?

I can't watch either so I can't really say. I'd reckon the USA would be marginally better than the Socceroos at the moment if that's any reflection. Similar types of leagues. Mostly young guys with a few retiree imports from overseas. All the best Aussies play in Europe (and a few in Asia). Less now than we need. It used to be that no A-League player ever made the national team. Now a few do. That's probably more an endictment on the national team than a compliment for the A-League.

The A-League needs to go free-to-air for there to be a generational improvement.

 

[Zed]

We get 1 or two A-league matches a week over here on FOXSoccer. But we only get one or two MLS games televised a week, too, and that's the LA Galaxy --side note LAGalaxy seems like the exhibition team retiring stars go to to die. I prefer the Seattle Sounders, myself, if I absolutely have to slum it and watch MLS. That region of the country are big soccer fans and the crowds show that. I haven't seen another [MLS] match that compares in general atmosphere at the park.

Question:
Is going to an A-league match a viable family outing regards to cost, or are ticket prices over inflated to make up for the lack of people actually going to the matches? The demo I've seen in the matches I've watched is generally 20-30y/o males having a few beers, and lots of empty seats.

 

[punchanello]

Agreed this would help Ado. Given how popular it is as a youth sport and shaken a lot of the stigma it had a decade or so ago, i was hoping we'd start to see a whole lot more talent coming through following the success of the 2006 world cup. Alas, it's yet to happen.

I'm not sure that is necessarily the case. Before the start of the A-league there were 2 generations of players who were basically stunted by the lack of a viable competition. The players we are now seeing moving to big clubs in Europe were pups at the beginning of the A-League. Kruse, Langerak, Amini, Oar, Rogic, Ryan etc etc. The A-league is starting to produce talent moving to clubs the likes of what we haven't seen in well over a decade.

I'm a firm believer that the Golden Generation you are referring to was a bit of a blip. Apart from those 4 or 5 once in 100 year players our stocks were shallow and fairly ordinary. While we don't have those star names the worst players in our teams are nowhere near as poor as they once were. There are no Tony Vidmar's or Nathan Paul Agostiono's and we are weeding out the pretenders like Carney in exchange for younger more determined talent. IMO, in a couple of years we won't be playing a counter attacking game against Japan or looking for a draw.

 

[punchanello]

Question:
Is going to an A-league match a viable family outing regards to cost, or are ticket prices over inflated to make up for the lack of people actually going to the matches? The demo I've seen in the matches I've watched is generally 20-30y/o males having a few beers, and lots of empty seats.

There's definitely a core supporter base of 20-30 yo males. But the A-league in terms of fans is better supported than any sport other than AFL in Australia.

 

[bruus]

I find Australian football is deceptive. We look good when playing quality opponents because we are decend at defending and defend bravely. But we have no flair up front and this shows when we play teams that apparently we are meant to beat. We are taught about tactics and fundamental attacking but that just good enough at elite levels. Players need individual flair and creativity to make plays happen when they should have been shut down and to make runs that aren't expected. Unfortunately I think my two teams won't make this world cup, my other is Denmark. But I think it's best that they don't qualify so make everyone realise that we aren't what we were in Germany.
I also think that we still don't offer enough for young players to correctly stay here to develop their game. Europe has alot more knowledge and passion for the sport where they can learn. I've never seen a paper here that has pages and pages of analysis of tactics and player movements like they have throughout europe over just one game. Football isn't big enough here to stay popular when we aren't winning. Hell I missed the game because I didn't realise it was on because it's just not talked about as much, particularly when I don't have pay tv. I have heard though that SBS will be showing every friday night A-League game live this season and hour delayed finals.

 

[millonario]

The A-League needs to go free-to-air for there to be a generational improvement.

Agreed this would help Ado. Given how popular it is as a youth sport and shaken a lot of the stigma it had a decade or so ago, i was hoping we'd start to see a whole lot more talent coming through following the success of the 2006 world cup. Alas, it's yet to happen.

Maybe we need a stronger grass-roots program. I've also heard some compelling arguments around the need for the sport to make money to get the investment, so that they can make more money and get further investment, and so on, and so on. Getting it some tv time for the masses would be a good first step in the right direction to do just that.

That played with a whole lot of grit and determination. It had a share of silly sis takes and missed opportunities, and it was far from ratified football.. But they did well to come away with a draw and keep us in the running. If only we didn't have to give away those late penalties.

apparently the last socceros match was watched by just under 200,000 on Fecktel, and just under 500,000 on Sex Before Soccer. the FreeToAir numbers are encouraging. LONG LIVE THE POOR PPL!!!!

 

[koich]

A-League are getting every friday night shown live on SBS as of next season.

Starting the week after the NRL finishes. They've actually built the schedule around all the other major sports instead of trying to compete with them. It's starting to look good to be honest.