Nearpost Football: 2010 World Cup

Showing posts with label 2010 World Cup. Show all posts

Showing posts with label 2010 World Cup. Show all posts

Wednesday, 4 August 2010

The A League Is About to Kick Off and the Socceroos Play A Friendly

The team tonight is back to almost full strength, only Eamonn's positon on the match card is vacant.

Tonight Terry, Paddy and Lucy Zee are the front three for the Nearpost. And they are smokin!

The A League is about to kick off for 2010 / 2011 and there has been more moves in the off season than a Swiss watch. Players moving everywhere, a few retired, a few that shold have retired and a couple of new teams. The NZ team is full of undefeated World Cup players, Melbourne Victory is not looking so flash and no Archie Thompson, Sydney FC has cleverly concealed its real form by being smashed by good international teams, Gold Coast are likely to be as mercurial as last year, where did the overweight and over paid foriegn players go to this year, who's making the best of the local football talent and so much more. Fearless predictions for the winner of the A League by the panel, courageous even. Make a note for the future.

Who will be the new Socceroos Coach. FFA say it will be announced in a week, so it looks like Eamonn's secret mission to the Northern hemisphere will bear fruit. He was seeen in Spain last week and early reports this week have him in Luxemburg. Its a mystery. Get back Eamonn this is driving us nuts!

And there is the Socceroos friendly against Slovenia, that real good team from the World Cup. Is it a game that will introduce young Australian talent to the world stage? Not really. Why is anyone playing for the Socceroos who will not be there (and I don't mean with the aid of friends) at the next World Cup and if so why? And who's the Coach for heaven's sake and why isn't it the new Coach?

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Thursday, 24 June 2010

Aussies: Glorious in defeat!

We lost at Dunkirk but that doesn't stop us celebrating or remembering our fallen heroes, and we lost in South Africa.

Pim Verbeek blew the World Cup in the first game in Germany perhaps caving into all the incessant media about how we must play over the previous years perhaps not. Perhaps he thought Jason Culina on the left for the first time ever was a plan, Richard Garcia should take on the Germans with Tim Cahill up front.

His plan his failure.

In truth we should have beat Ghana as we always knew we had to, even before the German debacle and if Luke Wilkshire had scored a point blank sitter we would have. If Josh Kennedy had followed up the rebound we would have won as well.

Against Serbia it was too much. We could have been crying in our beer but for the brilliance of Mark Schwarzer who saved us again and again. Why?

Because Pim exposed our defence by pushing David Carney and Wilkshire forward. Oh we loved it, particularly in the second half but we could have been, should have been two down.

And then the great Aussie spirit. We ran, we chased and through Tim Cahill and the wonderful Brett Holman we had some wonderful World Cup moments. Brett Holman's moment was full of joy.

Could we get another? I thought we could. I thought the Germans would score again against Ghana though in truth they were lucky to be ahead.

And so Big Mark hero of the Qualifiers again and again dropped a realtively simple shot and we were out.

Craig Foster looked like a goose in this World Cup calling for the head of Pim so early, or maybe so late. Les Murray draped in green and gold the same. Fozzie is a commentator with passion I've never seen. Is he well?

Mike Cockerill lost the plot also; trying to deflate the team and Harry Kewell. Very strange reporting from Cockerill once again. At least he wasn't commentating.

But mostly the Aussies are happy this morning. We're all delighted at our performance, heroic, brave etc etc

For me we went out and the last two games showed how we can play. A wasted opportunity, shades of Italy down to ten men four years ago.

But for now we all THINK we did great.

I think with hindsight we've underachieved. I didn't think Pim could get us to this level especially after the warm up games, maybe Pim didn't either.

Enjoyed the ride. Who's going home tonight.

Tuesday, 22 June 2010

Nearpost talks World Cup: Serbia you are next.

It's Australia, it's the World Cup.

Who will get sent off? What formation will Richard Garcia start in? Where's Harry, where's Mike, Has Fozzie got his way and sacked Pim, or has he backed down, are the former Captains picking the team, who will the Aussie media hit next, and yes we've got our Aussie scarves on when we do the show, just like Mr Neutral, Les Murray..he started on Channel 10 you know..you can take the boy out of the muck but you ....

Anyway we're not Ed, Sam and Santos but we're definitely funnier than Les and Craig..they're meant to be funny as well yeah?

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Friday, 18 June 2010

Anticpation building. Go you Socceroos.

The Aussie spirit starts to rise. Forget the media the support from the fans is loud and proud. True football fans, excitement before the big game, the next game.

We were down on Monday but slowly the belief returns. Speaking to everyone aged from 5 to 105 and the mood is upbeat.

Surprisingly so given our lead-in, and Vinny Grella out (although some are happy about this) Timmy Cahill out and Harry Kewell underfire from you know who.

But can we do it?

Surely we will play better, surely we'll have a strong performance.

Should we perform, and we must, it's game on. And surely Ghana can't destroy us in the first ten. The longer we remain in the game, the confidence can rebuild and quickly.

Australia need to play the game of their life. And we need to win.

Will Brett Holman replace Cahill. Will Harry play? How will bounce back?

Do-or-die at the World Cup. Love it! Go Australia

Tuesday, 15 June 2010

Nearpost: Are Aussies crap at sport?

Consider this; next weeks show will review our victory over the Germans! That's what this idiot wrote last week!

This weeks Nearpost has special guest and former Olyoo Ivan Zelic and Terry Henry, Lucy Zelic and Patrick Bordier take us through all the World Cup action. And will Australia regain some sporting credibility when we take on Ghana.

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Monday, 14 June 2010

Australia: Officially in transition..we have been for four years!

Well we've seen it coming for a long time really and this morning revealed what we all know. We're too slow, too old and have few new players from 2006 other than Brett Holman playing at a level worthy of making an impact in the World Cup

Our top players our top team is just not where they were four years ago either individually or collectively. Today we found out what we kew already.

You don't struggle against New Zealand, an aging Denmark or outclassed by the USA if you are going to make an impact.

We were hammered by Germany, much as Holland did the same to us in a recent friendly although that night in Sydney we scraped away with a 0-0, that didn't matter this did.

We had a chance if Richard Garcia had scored after 2 minutes, might have kept the score to 4-1 or a penalty decision should have gone our way early in the second half, but we were mesmerised by a fit German side.

You need to be fit to compete at the World Cup, super fit. And this Aussie team isn't. Hiddink had them fit, Pim and Arnie (shades of Asia Cup) clearly doesn't. Haven't heard the team complaining about the training regime either.

Without fitness how can you compete against a German team all playing in the Bundesliga. Where do our guys play?

Brett Emerton was the pick of the bunch, Mark Schwarzer made some strong saves, he had to, but he was badly at fault for the second but somehow you knew it didn't matter.

In the end Brett Holman showed the tempo required to play at this level. Few could match his energy.

Vince Grella, Emerton, Craig Moore, Scott Chipperfield, Lucas Neill and co were hardly able to match their opponents today.

But there's always another game. So bring it on and here's hoping we can improve.

Up to you Pim!

Sunday, 13 June 2010

England the great improvers!

So England have improved in 60 years.

Last time they lost 1-0 to the USA in 1950, this time a 1-1 draw. More to come no doubt from the Three Lions but in another sixty years you just never know, the English could actually beat the USA.

How much do yer reckon Dicky Green the keeper gets a week? $100,000 I'd hazard a guess. And his technique for pass backs is how good?

Algeria? I expect them to beat England. Now that's a scary thought for the home of football innit.

Asia 1 Europe 0

Was it Gary Bloom who said Greece would attack with flair and Korea would defend and play on the break.

Shows what the Europeans know about football and Asia. We all knew the Koreans would do themselves and us Asians proud.

Loved it.

They thumped the Aussies earlier in the year so we knew they could play and did you see that second goal from Park. Greece on their way out, but at least this time they are only losing 2-0 every game not 4-0!

Still good to see a win for Asia and Korean football. Aussies to beat Germany, anyone anyone!

Comedy on SBS!!! Who would have thought

Another sign we Aussies are coming of age.

No more do we have to import Football humour from the UK, or even have the (cringe, barrel scraping) Footy shows various (NRL and AFL) give us some Aussie humour for our round ball game.

SBS with Santa, Sam and Ed are bringing us the humour, the FEVER, every night. It's great about 20 years too late, and sadly it's followed by Les and Craig...now that is dullski innit.

But I suppose two guys in black in a studio talking about Mexico or France...yeah that's what the people want one hour before another game.

You'd think they'd be able to give us a bit more from around the grounds, country especially with all those cameras/people over there.

Still analysis is important but while Fozzie is great, Les as the head of the show..for me he lacks knowledge, humour etc but that's clearly just me.

Anyway thumbs up for Fever on SBS everynight.
Thumbs down to the useless highlights package at 7am. Where they give you the score or scorers before the action during, for example the England game. Useless.
Thumbs up for Fox Sports highlights show, with Simon Hill, Murray and Harps/Bozza. Great wrap.

Saturday, 12 June 2010

Did you see that Ref?

That French cheat Thierry Henry appealing for a penalty....and the ref didn't give it...ha de ha de ha

Altogether now..we hate Thierry Henry....cheat, we hate Thierry Henry...

Friday, 11 June 2010

Nearpost on the BBC World Service

Australia only won one game in the FIFA 2006 World Cup (against Japan 3-1) but I doubt few nations got as much joy from that tournament, not even eventual winners Italy!

Football or soccer as it’s often known in Australia hardly raised a ripple under the Australian Rules and Rugby League media barrage in the years prior. But Australians love sport and our first World Cup in 32 years was something to savour.

We’d never scored a goal at a World Cup, but when Tim Cahill (Everton) equalised with 10 minutes to go against Japan the millions watching around the country erupted. When Cahill and John Aloisi (Melbourne Heart) scored to seal the win in the early hours of the morning over 7 million of our 20 million saw the game at 2am!

Qualifying against Uruguay through a prolonged penalty shoot-out had the whole country talking football, actually winning a game at the World Cup left us wanting more. The media went mad.

And then we “beat” Croatia 2-2 with a late goal from Harry Kewell, before being cruelly defeated by a Francisco Totti penalty in the last minute. Were we robbed?

This time it’s different.

We qualified through Asia. 14 games but the locals expected it! You know how we Aussies think we’re great at cricket and rugby, well now people expect us to qualify.
This time we’re having debates about style, our aging team and lack of goalscorers.

We know our Coach plays 1-4-3-3 but we all call it 1-4-2-3-1. And no-one thinks he’s taking more than one striker to South Africa.

It was getting, well shall we say a little desperate as we struggled to beat New Zealand, limped past Denmark and then got hammered by the USA. The nation was starting to worry.

From nowhere the mood changed. The German Coach Joachim Loew has suggested the Australians are boring. He’s right but he may regret saying it. Added to that the Ghanaian midfielder Sulley Muntari reckons we’re there for the taking and before you know it the great Aussie competitive spirit is coming into Jo’burg on many many flights. We’re fourth on the ticket purchased by nations list.

And of course now our golden boy Harry Kewell has been pronounced fit to play.
If Australia get out of this group you can probably thank Muntari and Loew, but whatever happens Australia are at the party again and football continues to grow in Australia.

Tuesday, 18 May 2010

Nearpost May 18, 2010

Should Joel really go...and say that about Pim, will Harry get to South Africa, can the Matildas do it in Asia and Mr Flores set to take the A-League by storm?

Paddy and Lucy are joined by Uber-host Terry Henry, a man who leads from the front and supports Arsenal.

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Friday, 23 April 2010

May then June.

Anzac Day, then May.

First the Bid Book!

Then Matildas head to China for the Asia Cup. All Aussie games live on ABC TV and of course they must come in the top three to make the World Cup.

For football, for the Women's game this is a crucial development point. It will be tight and tense with China and Korea Rep in our group.

And then to the build-up to the World Cup. Squad announcement, let the speculation start in earnest come May 1, then the farewell friendly against New Zealand.

Then on South Africa.

The World Cup, all live on SBS. I'm starting to focus!

Friday, 19 March 2010

Aussies: Over the Hill

Oh my God, oh my God.

SBS have announced their World Cup Commentary and there is no place for Australia's best football commentator, Simon Hill.

He who, more than John Aloisi and Tim Cahill, took us through against Uruguay and the whole Kaisaslaturn thing.

David Basheer and Kevin Muscat re the dream team. Do they really have the articulation, humour and style to bring the game alive a la Simon Hill?

Aussie fan: This World Cup just won't be the same. I've got bad vibes already.

Aussie mums: We like Simon Hill.

Tuesday, 5 January 2010

Socceroos v Kuwait...all aboard

If you're not in the starting eleven this time you ain't going to the World Cup are you?

Barring injury. Let's see who starts and who doesn't.

If you're not in surely you don't need a loan spell either. Go the beach!

Nearpost national and local football shows...love it, want it.

Nearpost get stuck into the Socceroo wannabees, Roar and Moore and Postecoglou...all the news; is Viteslev good news for Sydney, should the Griff get gone, and a quiz question to die for from our own Paddy Bordier. Lucy Zelic and myself complete the panel of "experts."

Hope you enjoy our enthusiasm for the Aussie game...and a letter from Anthony Fergo Ferguson as he looks back on his decade of football.

Download here.

Locally:
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In the first program for 2010 we give top billing to the development of junior footballers. Who better to talk to than Warren Grieve, the High Performance officer for Football West. He coached that fantastic Under 13 Boys team who captured the attention of all who saw them at the inaugural Australian FFA Under 13 Boys Nationals. They were the team that played “football” in all circumstances – the
“Barcelona of the West”.

Sadly, by contrast, the ACT Under 13 Boys team had a dreadful campaign. They were well off the pace and that said far more about our talented player development proves in the ACT than it did about the young lads that played for the ACT in this championships competition.

The question that should occupy our thoughts is whether Capital Football has made enough ground, preferably in the direction of Football West, to enable the ACT to be more competitive in the 2010 and play in style that gives meaning to the new National Curriculum.

The next championships in this age group will probably be in April 2010, so its not far away and is a good first examination of the new High Performance Football program. A bit harsh you say – well not really, because if it the HPP doesn’t work for this age group the entire development process collapses. Its that important! One thing is certain, you don’t need to win to be successful – the WA Under 13 Boys proved that last year.

Warren Grieve provides a candid insight into the conduct of the program that produces this wonderful young team that went on to provide a significant number of players to the inaugural Australian Under 13 team , including the Captain. As they say “the times they are a changing”! Oh yes, the inaugural FFA Under 13 Girls National Championships will be held at the same in 2010. Excellent.

Monday, 7 December 2009

The draw: Not the World Game for nothing is it?

Australia 2009 is not as good as team as the one which took the field in Germany.

The group is much stronger this time: Germany and Brazil are not dis-similar, Croatia are nowhere near as strong as this young Serbian side, and of course Ghana are a much stronger proposition than Japan.

All that and a much more battle hardened Aussie team, one which has achieved wonderfully well to qualify, but has not convinced it's supporters it has the goal power to do well in South Africa. Not to mention the defensive abilities despite their meagre goals conceded in Asia qualifying.

Since Germany, Mark Viduka has not been replaced. Key players Scott Chipperfield, Vince Grella, Brett Emerton, Harry Kewell, Craig Moore, Lucas Neill have big big question marks over their pace and potential performances going into this World Cup.

Will they all make it?

Carl Valeri, Rhys Williams, Dario Vidosic, Brett Holman are all new World Cup possible starters. None are ripping it up at a top top club in Europe just yet.

But the draw is good.

Most Australians will expect Australia to do well especially after Germany. It's a World Cup, it's sport and Aussies often do well in Cricket, Union, and League albeit on a much much smaller World stage.

But by June 2010, no-one will expect us to get through this group easily. I don't think we can. But if we'd have drawn Algeria and USA everyone would have thought we'd walk that group, but of course we may not come through such a group either.

So the second World Cup may see us fail to achieve the heights of last time, but at least the expectations across the country will be tempered after a cruel cruel draw.

Will we win a game? Will we get a point? Who knows, it will be that tight and not completely impossible to see us go through, or indeed fail to get a point.

Should we fail the Aussie media will have their field day of course; but for football fans we know where we're at and what we are capable of.

The draw is a great test of Pim Verbeek and the Australian team. Will we succeed? It's going to be a test of the highest order and providing the "second appearance syndrome" doesn't raise it's head and the team bonds, remains focused and doesn't get distracted by Tim Cahill's media grabs and the like then we should perform to our potential.

Will we get through the group.

Not too optimistic..are you?

Saturday, 21 November 2009

Henry is a cheat!

Thierry Henry like many afore him says "it's up to the referee!"

But what about decency from himself and the French team. Not once but twice did the ball "hit@ more like he quided the ball with his hand...and what gaul, what cheek to celebrate and blame the referee!

Imagine a French side that wins the World Cup, Henry as captain would receive the trophy.

He should be banned from the tournament. How many kids will now be cheating and not owning up...if the ref doesn't see it.

The game should be replayed...but Henry should be booed across all the fields of Europe and banned from International football.

Sometime professional sport sickens me. Like the pre-meditated blood injury in Rugby Union, the stage in AFL, the false appeal in cricket...and now this in football.

Thierry Henry is a cheat. Boot him out now!

Thursday, 19 November 2009

World Cup: Everyone is going!

Ireland aren't going! Neither is Gus Hiddink.

Could we bring him back....too late I guess!

Ronaldo should be there..if fit...but not the Ukraine's or Egyptians.

Still in the modern world if your country doesn't make it (Ireland) you can support the country you grew up in (England) the country you live in and love (Socceroos) or the countries you have visited, (NZ, USA, Germany, Japan, France, Greece, Italy etc etc,) or countries you'd like to see do well..(basically African or Asian nations)....and countries you wish to see fail (Portugal)....make your own list here!

Thursday, 11 June 2009

England to win World Cup

Well they beat Andorra 6-0, are top of the group by ten points and you can expect every Englishman to talk it up from here on it.

England 2010: No chance...although Mr Capello has this Irishman a tad concerned.

Still Wayne Rooney ain't Zidane, Messi or Kaka is he..and he's the best they've got.
Glorious failure, we woz robbed will be the go..always is. At ease Australia.

Just quietly: Emile Heskey played the other night.......Irishman goes off to work smiling.

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