The State of Australian Football
Over the years, the Socceroos have gifted the Australian community with some truly unforgettable memories. Switching back the clock, we have witnessed one of the most thrilling penalty shootouts of the modern era, defying the odds by making the last 16 teams of the 2006 World Cup where we were controversially beaten. We have witnessed the lows of the 2010 World Cup and the 2011 Asian Cup where we lost in extra time to our nemesis, Japan. It is the relentless ebbs and flows that make being a Socceroos fan somewhat difficult, but oh so worth it. I want to discuss one memory in particular that struck me as a young Socceroos fan at the time: way back in 2003 when our Socceroos faced the might of England during a friendly game at Upton Park. This game for me truly epitomised the force the Socceroos were at the time.
Correctly noted by both commentators during the game, every player in Australia’s squad were playing in the top tiers of European football. From the raw excitement and pure skill of Harry Kewell to the strong, robust, true centre forward of Mark Viduka, the squad was littered with pure talent. I was watching a replay of the game the other night and the football that the Socceroos were producing was pacey, precise, one-touch football. Most importantly we played for each other, for the green and gold. Australia ran out the game convincing 3-1 winners, against an England team who at the time were considered to be one of the best in world football. This is the Australian team I remember growing up as a little boy, the team that inspired me to play football.
It’s much more of a different story nowadays for the Socceroos. Lately, the likes of UAE and even Qatar are getting the best of us. After a seemingly positive World Cup where points eluded us, but performances excited us for what might lay ahead, here we are, a month out from the Asian Cup and without a win since that uncanny 3-2 performance over Saudi Arabia which was all but convincing.
Over the years Australia has slowly fallen in love with Ange Postecoglou. From his earlier days with South Melbourne to his championships with the Roar, everyone respected and appreciated Ange’s knowledge of football. However, it is his record with the green and gold which is worrying many Australian critics and leaving others asking key questions about the state of football in Australia. With a mere 2 wins from 12 games since his inception, it is clear to see that Ange is looking towards the upcoming Asian Cup as a way to win back his Australian fans, and put the Socceroos back on the world map. People will forgive him for the World Cup where expectations were not so high; however, the Asian Cup is a different picture altogether and if Ange unfortunately fails to produce here, we may see a new Socceroos coach sooner than we all thought.
The 46 man Socceroos squad was announced earlier on last week, and in truth brought little surprise to fans of the Australian football team. The 46 players chosen include 4 uncapped and 16 A-league based players with the rest of the squad coming from different leagues around the world. Ultimately, the 46 man squad is not a clear indication of who will be included in the starting XI come Friday 9th January. This will become clearer in the coming weeks when 46 becomes 23.
Going on what Ange has tended to opt with lately, the starting XI for the first game will look quite similar to this (excluding any injuries):
Ryan
Franjic — R. Williams — Wilkinson — Davidson
Milligan — Jedinak
Leckie — Bresciano — Kruse
Cahill
I completely agree with the line-up, bar one or two defensive positions. I was rather surprised with how Luke Wilkshire was completely left out in both the World Cup and now the Asian Cup Squad. Playing regularly for Feyenoord who are currently sitting third in the Dutch Eredevisie, Wilkshere carries with him a host of experience. From playing in England with Middlesbrough to FC Twente to Russia with Dynamo Moscow, and of course his 80 caps with the Socceroos, his experience in the young squad is invaluable. Therefore, I would slot him in at right-back for Ivan Franjic.
The other change I would make is including 22-year old Trent Sainsbury who impressed so heavily initially with Central Coast Mariners. So much so, he got picked up this year by Dutch team, PEC Zwolle where he is now playing consistent first team football. I would swap him in for Alex Wilkinson, with the defensive set-up looking like this…
Wilkshere — Sainsbury — R. Williams — Davidson
The competition for places for the upcoming Asian Cup could not be any higher within the Australian camp. Ange has stated that the 23 man squad will be based solely on form and fitness. Players all over the world are being thoroughly watched and observed by Ange’s team.
We start in Belgium where both James Troisi and Matthew Ryan firmly put their hands up for a starting birth come January. Funnily enough, recently Troisi scored a 45 yard blinder past his countryman, Ryan, who could do little to stop the goal. Both have been instrumental for their teams thus far this season.
We continue to look abroad to Germany where Matthew Leckie’s FC Ingolstadt 04 currently lead the Bundesliga 2 by 5 points. Leckie has had much to say about this with his 3 goals and 4 assists from 16 appearances and has been a regular starter for the promotion hopefuls. Robbie Kruse is looking to put that year-long injury behind him and has appeared in the last 3 games for German powerhouses, Bayer Levurkusen. However, with the team sitting fourth on the ladder and world-class quality all over the park, it will be difficult for Kruse to cement a starting position within this squad.
In England, Socceroos skipper Mile Jedinak continues to feature in all of the English headlines with his sublime performances thus far. Ange will only be hoping that his skipper will be able to carry this form into the Asian cup, which shouldn’t be a problem considering his last game against the Blue Samurai. Rhys Williams is also back from his long-term injury lay off and promises to hit some form with his club Middlesbrough before the Asian Cup. Ange has always fancied Rhys so don’t be surprised to see him amongst the action come January.
Finally, in Holland we have Tommy Oar who started off the season in scintillating form with a number of assists for his side FC Utrecht. His pace and wing-play will be much needed if the Socceroos are to feature further into the Asian Cup.
The rise of the A-League has seen fans from all over Australia begin to fall in love with the game again. Into its 10th season, the league has improved tremendously in all facets of the game. The crowd figures are ever-rising, the quality of football is vividly improving and the local home-born Aussie talent is beginning to come of age. Ange has always said he has believed in the potential of the Hyundai A-League and this is evident with his choice of 16 A-League players in the 46 man squad.
Goals. They have been severely lacking for the Socceroos as of late, and there is no doubt that Postecoglou realises the need to fix this growing problem. The underlying concern is trying to aid Australia’s golden child Timmy Cahill. Since the beginning of the Postecoglou era, the Socceroos have managed a mere 12 goals. The truly worrying sign is that the 35 year old has scored 8 of them!
The likes of Kruse, Troisi, Leckie, Oar, Taggart, etc. need to start assisting in this department and taking some of the pressure off of Cahill’s shoulders. If Australia are to have any chance of taking out the prestigious Asian Cup, this problem needs to be immediately remedied.
Prior to these poor results, the expectations for the Asian Cup are simple. We must win it. However, it seems that the Australian community have already begun to cast doubt on our chances of winning the tournament. In the eyes of many Australian footballing greats and analysts, the team to beat is still Japan. The likes of Shinji Kagawa, Keisuke Honda and Shinji Okazaki are looking to pose a threat to any defence in the Asian Cup. Although, Ange is adamant that many other dangers lurk in Korea, Iran and Uzbekistan.
The Asian Cup is one of the most lucrative and watched footballing events in the world, and as the 15 nations prepare to embark on their travels to Australia, Postecoglou and his Socceroos will be feeling the eyes of the footballing world cast upon them as they attempt to become only the fifth country to host and win the Asian Cup.
With the final squad being cut in the coming weeks, Australia’s time is now. The stadiums are equipped, the fans are ready and the scene is set; but the question on everyone’s lips is… are our Socceroos ready to take on the might of Asia? Only time will tell.
Image : smh.com.au
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