Nearpost Football

Tuesday, 30 June 2009

Where USA lead Australia follow right?

The United States of America beat the European Champions Spain 2-0 and then nearly kncked the Brazilians off in the Confederation Cup Final in South Africa.

Okay it's not the World Cup but it must give Australia some hope of achieving something next year.

If the USA can get to the final, beat Spain on the way then surely the Aussies can get out of the group.

And good to see the number one sport in South Africa finally being noticed in Australia.

Yep, it ain't cricket or rugby it's the sport of black South Africa, football. Don't suppose the Aussie media will get this for a while yet.

Jets departure lounge still crowded

Inspiring A-League Coach Gary Van Egmond leaves the Newcastle Jets for the sheltered workshop down in Canberra.

Maybe after three years in Newcastle working with Con everyone should be given such a job!

I'm not happy, not because I don't think teaching our Under 17's aren't important, but because Van Egmond was one of the few coaches in the A-League who could produce great football teams, good young players...and one season they won as well.

And doesn't the A-league need them.

The Jets, Melbourne Victory, Adelaide, Brisbane Roar, even Perth and Sydney have produced good football playing teams over the years, but the loss of one of Australia's youngest and best coaches, and it feels like a loss, will be harshly felt.

Particularly if Con Constantie, the Jets Chairman, takes his ball and goes home which he is threatening to do if he doesn't get some compensation from the FFA.

Will the shambolic Jets where players vent their spleen, the Chairman rants and the fans turn on Con, will they recover from this blow?

Con Constantine clearly has his own chaotic way of running a club; The Jets must be the A-League team who have lost the most Socceroos in history. A tad careless!

Adam and Joel Griffith, Nicky Carle, James Holland, Stuart Musialik, Ned Zelic, Mark Milligan, Jade North the list goes on and on.

And Van Egmond is perhaps the only Coach who could work with Con sucessfully, for even a short-term.

So who next. Branko Culina. John Kosmina, or Graham Arnold. Phil Moss?

It will be someone local in my view, someone desperate for a gig. Culina appears out.
Kossie could last a week or two, surely that would be a clash of the titans. Arnie I imagine will pick his club carefully.

It's important for the Jets club that stability is found but really any Coach walking into that powderkeg could see his reputation destroyed, by the players, the management, in a matter of weeks.

Con may have poured money into the team, and he has, but it seems the money hasn't been spent with any long-term view.

Perhaps another Sydney FC. Spending to win, but no long term legacy and now Sydney and in the future Newcastle will have to revisit their whole club strategy.

Do the Jets even have a strategy?

Newcastle United Jets, a little laughter from the Owner as the kept a blast from the past in the badge of the club. Who is laughing now?

United should be taken out, surely a breach of the Trade Descriptions Aact.

They've earned an A-League title, destroyed the team, had a tilt at Asia, managed to rebuild a team in a couple of weeks in 2009 and now they've lost the man who skilfully did it.

What a waste of four years!

Forget your qualification, change your name

Just in case you thought things might be changing at the FFA yesterday showed we are still very Dutch focused.

Dutchie Van Egmond took a job with the FFA.

Who will the next Aussie Dutchman be to get a job in the FFA, John Van Kossie?

Sunday, 28 June 2009

Nearpost Tuesday

We'll cover the Gary Van Egmond resignation and start our previews of the A-League.

This week we'll focus on the new boys Gold Coast and North Queensland Fury.

Friday, 26 June 2009

Channel 9: About time!

Football Stars Of Tomorrow launches this Sunday, June 28, at 2pm on Nine

I rate Channel 9 alongside 7 and 10. Crap, just crap. But they are very important to the masses. Hey I'm a TV snob, so what.

So seeing Channel 9 put a program out to the masses about football, junior football, I reckon it's excellent and a sign finally that someone out their in mass-media land on FTA understands the commercial potential of football in Australia.

One step at a time. And what better way to start than with the juniors.

Grassroots registration: NSWFF Twice is better

Now many people complain that grassroots football is too expensive. The FFA even say in their talented player document recently released that we have a (moral) responsibility to reduce the costs.

Clearly with targeted sponsorship and the Federations providing outstanding opportunities for sponsors through our participation rates this can be done. It's only a surprise to me that it hasn't been done effectively.

All kids under 12 should play for free.

And wouldn't that improve access for all our children to get involved in sport.

But spare a thought for Goulburn.

They play under the name STFA in Canberra, in a league run by Capital Football. They are charged and pay the going Capital Football rate. No problem.

But because Goulburn is situated in NSW, and Southern Tablelands Football Assoc is part of NSW Football Federation they have to pay a registration fee for each player to NSWFF.

You couldn't make this stuff up.

And because, and only because, they had to pay DOUBLE registration fees they decided they needed to get something out of NSW so entered a team in the NSW Tiger Cup and did quite well.

Personally why we have NSWFF which covers everything across most of NSW and a separate body for Canberra, we are afterall just one town, not much bigger than Wollongong and less than Newcastle is beyond me.

Canberrans' can't play higher than our local league getting knocked back in access to higher football in NSW men's comps time and time again.

FFA want us to develop our talented players...but for what to send TWO to the AIS.

FFA need to provide Canberra with opportunities and sort out the schmozzle at NSWFF. After all there is a talent pool in this region which is being missed.

Do NSWFF really have the best interest of Goulburn or Canberra kids/men wanting to play and improve their skills.

Double registration fees! Pathetic innit.

Aussie Croatian: The talent flow continues

When Mark Viduka, Jason Culina, Mile Sterjovski, Josip Skoko and many others took Australia to the last World Cup their Croatian heritage did not go unnoticed. Indeed Croatia themselves had three of our boys in their squad.

Many wondered if this was the end of the Aussie Croatian production line.

With Dario Vidosic taking the field in the Green and Gold in Melbourne the other night against Japan, Matthew Spiranovic picked for good things, I also noticed at a lower level Stephen Lustica, Australian Under 18 representative getting a goal for Gold Coast United in their recent win over the North Queensland nofury.

With another Aussie and Canberra Croatian Andrew Baresic also in the side clearly the influence of the Croatian community on our game and hopefully our national team will be around for a long time yet.

But why?

Why do our Croatian friends produce more, or seem to, top-class players in Australia than the Serbs, Italians, Greeks or any other immigrant group, including the English.

Wednesday, 24 June 2009

FFA: What about the kids...the 99%

FFA: Justify your changes to SSG's to our vast majority, our children.

How do your changes benefit our Aussie kids, apart from the 1% of telented players.

So when I played football, my first real game was when I was ten. Until then I played 1 v 1, 2 v 2, 3,v 3 and 8 v 8 whenever we could with whoever we could get.

I was tested against older kids continually.

I played on the street, we lived in a cul-de-sac, and cars got booed if they ever interupted our game. The neignbours would knife our ball if it went on their English rose filled garden!

But this was turned to advantage occasionally when the game was often deliberately ended by the losers kicking it on to old Fran Overs, the knifers, garden.

But it ain't like that anymore. Mum drops the kids at training for an hour on Thursday and then joins them for their game on Saturday morning. For most footballers that is football. Right?

And the way Fozzie and co talk and ooze about Futsal, 5 v 5 and the skill it brings to our players the obvious question is why don't we mirror this up to the age of 10 in the outdoor game.

Would that improve of decrease our skills?

If 5 v 5 is so good for skills indoor why aren't we playing 5 v 5 outdoors to an older age. It ain't going to happen but it seems obvious.

However what ain't so obvious is why the FFA has changed the Small Sided Games for Under 10's from 7 v 7 to 9 v 9.

Now many, of course, are delighted. Why I've no idea because if you want your best for your child then bigger fields and bigger teams doesn't help..we know that or we wouldn't be playing any small sided games.

Aussie kids, 99% do not play much football outside their one hour of coaching and game time. Nor will most of them in my view.

So keeping the smaller side games is better for our childs development. Just go and watch our ten year olds at any club in the country, any grade, and see their skill level. Not so hot is it for either boys or girls.

And most of our kids will never play for Australia never mind a rep side.

So come on FFA justify your change to the kids of Australia.

How will they benefit from your changes? Or do you care about the 99% the so-called community pathway.

Jets to be tested. Our next Socceroo on show.

Nearpost football hosts Russ and Aaron are convinced the Jets will lose, nay get pumped tonight against the Pohang Denilson led Steelers in the Asian Champions League one-off last 16 game in Korea.

I'm not. I think they can win.

Either way watching Ben Kantarovski, Jason Hoffman, Tarek Elrich, Brodie Mooy, Mark Jesic, Adam D'Apuzzo, Kaz Patafta and Sean Rooney all young Aussies being tested on the continental stage is a joy.

And Gary Van Egmond has them playing football at times as well. Not half bad with young boys on such a big stage.

Why am I convinced the Jets can win? Because any team that can only beat the Mariners 3-2 can't be that good can they!

Could go to penalties, but win or lose watch Kantarovski. Our next Zelic, or Okon. He won't be in Australia for long so make the most of him, and when you see strutting around in the Bundesliga or Serie A you can say you saw him when he played for the Jets.

Go the Jets!

Nearpost podcast: We've got all the Jets news

National show: Download

Russ Gibbs, Aaron Walker and Eamonn Flanagan discuss Socceroos, Nicky Carle, Young Matildas and the Jets in Asia. Quiz questions and we dedicate the show to Weetbix. Who else in Australian media is covering the Jets this week. Not many?

Local show: Download

All the local news with Russ Gibbs and Peter Funnell and George Hutiker local football author, manager, teacher, observer discusses the talented pathway for our Aussie children.

Tuesday, 23 June 2009

Majura Football Club

My local club here in Canberra is Majura Football Club. Yes we've changed our name.

and who better to write the newsletter and tell EVERYONE about our name change than me!
Followers of this blog will know I've been doing my voluntary bit for my local club and here's our latest newsletter.

Open publication - Free publishing - More soccer

More Aussie bullshit: This time in the SMH

Gotta to love the Aussie sports crowds singing in unison "bullshit." When I first heard it I laughed long and loud. It was so uniquely Australian.

And when I write my one-eyed football blog a few mates in time-honoured Aussie way say, "Eamonn, more bullshit," which is fair enough because it is!

But just because something is in the esteemed Sydney Morning Herald doesn't mean it isn't bullshit.

Rugby writer Spiros Zavos wrote this bullshit this morning talking about the British and Irish Lions Rugby team

On Saturday there were 20,000 of them, resplendent in red, the best supporters in world sport, packed into the ABSA Stadium in Durban to watch the absorbing first Test of the series against the Springboks.

Best supporters in World Sport. Fattest, oldest, richest and whitest, maybe, but best. Because you are rich enough to fly to South Africa and travel around for weeks this makes you the best does it?

You're dreaming Spiros and obviously desperate to talk up your code after the Wallabies dragged 20,000 to watch them on the weekend.

So who is the best fans in World Sport?

Well Celtic took 80,000 fans to Seville, no arrests and a heap of fun. Spiros how about that effort?

Many European football sides do travel in huge numbers and don't fight.
The Irish national team supporters have a great reputation as well. From the last World Cup the Argentineans, Croatians and many others travelled and partied in huge numbers.

I'm sure you have your own favourite...and I bet they aren't the British and Irish Lions Rugby team!

Monday, 22 June 2009

Nearpost Radio

Nationally we discuss Socceroos, Young Matildas, The Jets in Asia, Nicky Carle should we play him? You can stream the show live on www.2xxfm.org or catch the poddie hear on Wednesday.

And locally all the news and Peter Funnell inteviews local author, teacher, playwright and junior football observer/thinker George Huitker

Australia's Number One Team.

Cricket, Socceroos, Wallabies and Kangaroos all vie for the title of Australia's number one national sports team.

The AFL team lacks a real international edge so fair to discount methinks.

For years many Wallabies fans tried to put the Union side up there, but with an Aussie Union World Cup a distant memory, and only 20,000 watching the Wallabies play in Melbourne on the weekend, the Union side has clearly slipped down the rank if indeed it was ever really above the Socceroos.

Only our lack of games perhaps reducing the Socceroos popularity.

Union doesn't have a national league, therefore limited coverage for kids. And former FFA Press Officers who were also Wallabies Press Officers said if you judge the popularity of a side by the media scrum, the Socceroos beat the Wallabies by some margin everytime.

The Kangaroos rarely fill a stadium, never mind rate a mention in Melbourne or other parts of the country and this is unlikely to change.

So that leaves the Socceroos and the cricket team.

The cricket team will get a huge boost from the Ashes tour, but aside from that the game has limited appeal across the World, and in terms of World Cup's, desperate qualification routes, the games lack an intensity...unless you love five days of inaction....and they say football is to slow!

Indeed the changing formats of cricket whilst set to strengthen Aussie clubs may hinder the national team as we have a Test, One-Day and Twenty Twenty team. Who plays for which team and when?

Long-term 20/20 may win out but it may also die much like the One Day series in years to come. Will cricket fans really take to the shorter form at a national level?

Which makes the Socceroos the number one code on a par with cricket.

The fickle nature of the Aussie sports fan will quickly turn against the cricket or football teams should they not succeed. And with more teams playing football it will always be hard to "succeed" in terms of winning trophies.

A tad easier to win The Ashes than the World Cup.

There maybe some debate about the number one national team status but when it comes to the football codes the Socceroos win the tag by in increasing margin.

Freee-To-Air TV anyone?

Did the Canberra lad win?

Loose lips sink ships? Luke would have been good in the war! Because he's not saying if he won a contract with Melbourne Victory after competing in the reality TV product placement show.

This year it's dire. More products than footballers I reckon but it's probably an age thing.

Luke Pilkington on his Fox 8 Football Superstar experience.

Playing at that level is amazing, it's so fast and so technical, the intensity just lifts, Ernie is a great coach and I've learned a lot from him, so it was an amazing experience.

No surprise that a Canberra footballer makes it through to the final three, but did he win?

Check out Merryn Sherwood's Canberra Times story below...and no it doesn't tell you if he wins.

Surely Luke would be pushing for a Canberra Youth team if not an A-League contract if we had a team, him and a heap of others.

Star back from 'reality' to phone and friends
By Merryn Sherwood

It's not often Capital Football men's premier league players are asked for autographs after games, but Luke Pilkington hasn't had an average two months.

After trying out for a reality TV series and making the final 15 competing for an A-League contract with Melbourne Victory, Pilkington has spent the past five weeks in the Football Superstar house.

He has had hardly any contact with the outside world, no mobile phone, no internet and cameras following the him around most of the day, while playing and training under pressure to determine which player has the talent to make it in an elite football environment.

The TV series still has four weeks to run on Foxtel, so Pilkington isn't allowed to divulge where he finished up.
But given the praise handed to him by Melbourne Victory coach Ernie Merrick so far on the FOX8 program and the fact he only returned to Canberra last week it's safe to say he has made the final three. It could mean his stay in Canberra is very short; if he did win, he will be back in Melbourne soon.

But making the final, out of hundreds of aspiring soccer players around the country is an impressive feat.

It's also meant if people in Canberra didn't know Pilkington from the local ACT premier league, the ACT representative teams and his short stint with the Central Coast Mariners during their pre-season here last year, they do now.

Yesterday he was a bit overwhelmed to find a group of kids approaching him after his game for ANU, all exclaiming they had seen him on TV.

But the 18-year-old was mainly just enjoying being back. While it turned out to be a mud bath at ANU North and Pilkington's ANU team lost 2-0 to O'Connor, he still had a huge smile on his face.

''It's good to be back, just to see mates and being playing alongside all the boys again, you have more freedom and a phone, so it's good,'' he said.

''I was in there for about five weeks, it was just frustrating because you couldn't get out; there was no outside world.''

Despite that Pilkington said the experience had overall been a positive one in terms of furthering his soccer career.

As well as stints with the Mariners last year, Pilkington has also trialled with A-League newcomers Gold Coast this year but wasn't offered a contract with either.

But in the football superstar house, he's gained a more intensive apprenticeship.

''Playing at that level is amazing, it's so fast and so technical, the intensity just lifts,'' he said. ''Ernie is a great coach and I've learned a lot from him, so it was an amazing experience.'' Football Superstar is on FOX8 every Wednesday at 7.30pm.

Football lunch: Why not support a great cause?

ACT Association for Advancing Disabled Sport and Recreation Inc
Invites you to be entertained by:
Guest Speaker
Lawrie McKinna
Manager – A League Champions - Central Coast Mariners

Master of Ceremonies
Tim Gavel
ABC Celebrity Sportscaster

More details below.

Type rest of the post here

At the Football Celebrities Lunch
and silent auction of significant sporting memorabilia

The Brassey Canberra

Belmore Gardens, Barton, Friday July 10. Kick off: 12 noon for 12 .30

Master of Ceremonies
Tim Gavel
ABC Celebrity Sportscaster

Your attendance will help people with disabilities achieve their sporting goals

3 Course Luncheon: $75 pp (drinks included)

Please RSVP by: Wednesday 8 July
To: ACTAADS Inc c/o Houston & Hanna Accountants - credit card facilities
G.P.O. Box 810, Canberra ACT 2601,
Tel: 6248 8175 e-mail. kim@khanna,com.au.

FFA: But how do our children benefit?

The FFA Technical Report, on the FFA website this week, it's a great start, but it's already taking us backwards..for the most important people...our children...particularly the 99% who will never play for Australia.

In Canberra we've been playing small-sided games for a number of years. In particular Under 10's play 7 v 7. Works well, really well. And in a few years you can see improved players moving into Under 11's with a heap more skill across the board than previous generations.

But the FFA are going to change this age group BACK to 9 v 9. They are joking.

And there is only one reason and one reason only why they could be doing it. They are clearly focussed on the elite, the top-end of our players...ie the one per cent.

Most of our players...maybe 97% of boys and girls are technically challenged and need the games, the very small sided games the FFA argued for, to be maintained.

Few if any boys teams, and I would maintain no current girls team in Australia will benefit from this change.

Why?

Well I've watched 9 v 9 last year, and 7 v 7 this year with Under 10's. The technical ability of our players will clearly improve if we continue in the smaller games.

If, and it's big if, if all players are playing from the age of 6 or 7 and doing the so-called 3 sessions per week PLUS a game when they are 8 or 9 then clearly they may be able to move to 9 v 9.

But no-one in Canberra, or I suspect Australia is doing this. And I'd dare to suggest no club will do this in coming years. Certainly not in numbers across a club, a city or region to enable the players to step-up to 9 v 9.

Aussie kids, the huge majority need skill improvement, they need small sided games maintained as long as possible.

Can anyone tell me how any child in Australia will benefit from switching to 9 v 9 games. Will any player become technically better?

So why are we doing it.

For the small elite pool of players that we need to tear each others guts out so they can trample over each other to get into the all new Aussie boys and girls under 13 side. A requirement of joining with Asia.

Clearly to play well at the 13 age group the FFA need players playing in bigger side games as early as possible so position and tactical awareness can begin to be entrenched.

But clearly the majority of our players will be dis-advantaged by this change.

Love to hear the logic for the change, and love to hear it while you're walking around my local club, some 1200 players, and look at the quality, some stars, some athletes, some beginners, and some challenged by that whole kicking thing.

Will they benefit from the change?

No.

Daily Telegraph: Money talks

SBS Phil Micallef ran an interview with Daily Telegraph "newspaper" journo Phil Rothfield..one of the journo's keen to run strangely anti-football and anti-Socceroo stories in recent days.

http://www.theworldgame.com.au/australia/news-ltd-bias-what-bias-196111
Here's part of the interview, and the power of football advertisers as the Telegraph loses $60,000 in one day!

The Sydney Morning Herald throws a lot of space at rugby union because they get a lot of money from rugby advertising, we give rugby league plenty of space because we get a lot of money from rugby league advertising. If we get the same level of support during the World Cup we'll do the same with soccer

PM:But you cannot deny that the perception exists that News Ltd is anti-football. You guys have an image problem.

PR Telly:

"We probably do have a problem with our image among soccer fans. But how can we not highlight the unattractive brand of football the Socceroos are playing, for example."

So can we expect a decent coverage of the World Cup next year?

"Our coverage will be bigger and better than last time. Obviously the space we will throw at it will be determined by advertising support. Nobody supported the A-League when it started as we did. We had an eight-page liftout and had the full backing of the FFA.

The Sydney Morning Herald throws a lot of space at rugby union because they get a lot of money from rugby advertising, we give rugby league plenty of space because we get a lot of money from rugby league advertising. If we get the same level of support during the World Cup we'll do the same with soccer.

It's a magnificent event, probably equal to the Olympic Games. We'll do special editions and our website updating stories 24/7.''

And great to see in an industry that clearly prints in sport, exactly what he advertisers demand....The Telegraph lost $60,000 when Tim Cahill's sponsor Sanitarium refused to place a full page ad with the Sydney rag...instead opting for the SMH.

Fromt the Australian:

Sanitarium ran a series of full-page advertisements in the major metropolitan papers around Australia featuring Cahill with the slogan across the bottom "Course he had his Weet-Bix". The advertisements ran in News Limited papers in Melbourne and Queensland but not in NSW where the business went to Fairfax.

Football and the power of the stars is clearly starting to make waves. Let's play them at their own stupid game. Can't be that hard with all our mainstream sponsors these days.

As for Tim Cahill. Well me feels he's likely to come a cropper of his own making in the coming years. He's not the most articulate, he's not the World's greatest player and may well trip up on his own race for notoriety. Look after yourself Tim, they're out to get you....and I reckon they will.

Time to have a chat with Harry Kewell, or Mark Viduka. They seem to avoid the camera and the trips that come with it.

Thursday, 18 June 2009

Stathi: Goose loose in Melbourne

World Cup fever grabs another Aussie Sports Journalist.

Stathi Paxinos, chief rugby league correspondent, The Age, wrote this...ha ha he really did

There are valid reasons for withdrawing Harry Kewell from Australia's game against Japan tonight at the MCG. But one that cannot be justified is the one that Verbeek has actually come out with - that Harry needed a rest after playing in two games in the past month.

and then he said..

Anyone who seriously believes that should take a moment to watch what some of the top National Rugby League stars put themselves through at this time of the year.

While not wishing to join Stathi's attack on another code, Stathi if you are going to talk about football get it right.

Does Stathi know that Harry plays for Galatasary in Turkey when he isn't resting with the Socceroos? Does Stathi know anything about Harry's age, injuries, career or what is ahead of him in South Africa.

It would be like the Kangaroos taking on the 20 or so teams who are better than them, but of course that ain't possible is it!

Melbourne has a Rugby League writer that caused me a chuckle, and a Chief one at that. And guess what the "Chief" is writing about football! Twaddle.

Stathi can join Sydney's Daily Twaddle mob and Rebecca Wilson and a host of others who feel the only thing they can write about football is negative twaddle.

Aussie media continue to attack the Socceroos, football, and anyone and anything they can get their hands on. Give it a break.

One million people play the game but still they attack. No brains, no wonder newspapers ain't making money these days.

But one thing for sure there is more to come.

Bring the clowns on!

Pim Verbeek sings the National Anthem

Australia's leading football coach Pim Verbeek sings the National Anthem.

The things you have to do to fit in, in Australia. GoodonyerPimmate!

Let's see yer man Robbie Deans do that.

Next Socceroos game to Canberra?

FFA have said they will be back..but when?

Before the World Cup? I doubt it.

Indonesia (h) Asian Cup
Oman (h) Asian Cup
Holland (h) expected in October.
Blockbuster in Melbourne for Socceroos send-off.

Away games v Ireland (Aug) Kuwait, Oman.

And probably three other games before the World Cup, so maybe one more at home.

Townsville are itching for an Asian Cup game, Gold Coast may get one, so Canberra may have to wait until 2011. Unless we pay enough of course.

Wednesday, 17 June 2009

Pim Verbeek: I salute you.

I loved Pim singing the national anthem on Fox Sports tonight and I've loved the openness of the guy throughout the campaign.

Pim's got us to the World Cup through Asia. He's planned it right and got the maximum out of our players. Brilliant.

It's great to have a leader of the national team who you can admire, and for me, you might not always agree with his tactics, but he's got a certain dignity, a certain sincerity and he takes no crap from the immature Aussie sports media.

Go get em Pim.

Aussies: Pride of Asia.

Australia beat Japan 2-1 with Tim Cahill scoring two scruffy goals for a come from behind win.

Once again, despite playing ugly, Aussie spirit and the game goes for 90 minutes.

Lots of concerns, but we know we aren't the best looking team in the World. But we beat Japan and I for one loved it.

Although Japan are hardly World beaters. Worrying for them they weren't good enough to finish us off....will they ever be?

And having listened to Aussie media pundits talking up the J-League and Japanese games in the last couple of year...nice to see our Socceroos aren't no A-League squad.

Nicky Carle played and the nation relaxed. Out of position, but really Nicky has a lot to do to get on that plane, that said there were few in an attacking sense that caused much threat...but we won!

Nicky, Vinny Grella and Jason Culina all struggled to control and pass the ball and the Aussies produced a lack-lustre performance. And there was little pace outwide to threaten the Japanese.

Josh Kennedy on the field meant the ball was going to be pumped forward all night, and his inability to hold the ball hindered the team.

New boy Rhys Williams did well enough and at just 20 can only improve.

Shane Stefanutto offers little compared to Scott Chipperfield and even David Carney but an ageing Chippers may give Stefanutto a chance.

Jade North had a good game but he still seems off the pace to me. What has happened to our Jade. He seems to be lacking in real confidence and I'd love to see an Indigenous player on the plane.

So we learned the spirit is deep, Tim Cahill is not great to watch, except when he gets near the goal when he becomes an International Superstar. Thank God for Timmy.

Good job done, but we've a year to go, and we'll clearly need our stars and a large improvement from the second string.

Classic Comments: Aussie Japan

Fox Sports Simon Hill: "It could be Kaisalautern," as Timmy Cahill bundled home a second against Japan again.

Classic line, great call, although it didn't feel much like Kaisalautern with the style of football.

And the fans:

Nippon always in our shadow. Gotta love the humour, love the rivaly, great banner.

Although where were all those Melbourne Victory fans....the crowd were so quiet...I thought the Victory fans would have stirred the party.

Canberra's "very impressive".

Even The Australian are talking us up: Didn't know they even covered football.

There are six bids on the FFA table at the moment and Buckley admitted they all "still have a bit of work to do". At the National Press Club on Monday he rated Canberra's proposal as "very impressive". Canberra, western Sydney, South Coast and Tasmania are in the running for the 14th spot.

"We awarded the 11th licence to a second Melbourne team last Friday. They put together a very impressive bid proposal. They will start 2010-2011 season," Buckley said. "We intend awarding a 12th licence and we have a number of genuine bids under consideration.

"One is from Canberra. We met (bid leader) Ivan Slavich recently and they have a very impressive bid and have great government support."

Australia v England: World Cup Fever.

www.australia2018-2022.com.au

442 magazine have 70,000 readers per month. They reckon if each of those readers get 15 Aussies to sign-up at the above address to show support for the World Cup bid then we'll have a million fans.

So come on, every reader of this blog, get your 15 friends, family and colleagues to sign-up.

Dare to dream: If Australia gets the World Cup, announced in Dec 2010, what would you feel like, and how would the next ten years in Australia be for you, in football terms.

England or Australia? Who do you want to win the World Cup bid.

World Cup places to be grabbed.

Now most of the Aussie media is focusing on a lack of Harry but real fans of the game knows tonight, and every game from here to South Africa, is crucial for ANY Aussie who gets to play for the National team.

Every game, every minute on the park is crucial for Stefan Stefanutto, Rhys Williams, Jade North, Scott McDonald and Nicky Carle to name a few.

A good performance against Japan will help their, and maybe our cause.

But the Aussie media want to focus on Harry and co not being there.

Interestingly Wallabies Captain, yes the Captain, is "rested" for Saturdays game against Italy in Melbourne, along with four other players....no problem or no news scandal with that one apparently.

So the FFA need to get a better yarn out about how crucial these games, and particularly tonights game, is to the Aussie players.

What Aussie player wouldn't give everything to be on that plane to South Africa...this should be the focus of tonights game; and another chance to build players beyond the Kewell's so when Harry doesn't play the football public are happy to see the best Aussie players in the land from a pool of 22.

Because whichever way you look at it, whoever plays, those who take the field are in the best 22 footballers in the land.

Any of the one million people who play the game in Australia would like to play in that team....well I would....Harry or no Harry.

Australia to win, and show those media fans of the J-League who exactly is the best in Asia.

Podcast here now.

We talk Aussie football like few other shows in the country.
World Cup Bid, Young Matildas, Socceroos, Quiz, Dedications and more.

National Show Download
Locally we talk Canberra United Coach, local scores Steve Forshaw gives us the lowdown on the Belco Canberra FC game and all of the local news with Russ Gibbs.

Local Football Download

Tuesday, 16 June 2009

Frank: Are we in?

Courtesy of the Canberra Times:

What was said?

Monday, 15 June 2009

Astrojax..lunch? it was like this

Astrojax asked me for the real NPC lunch..so here it is.

I enjoyed a wonderful steak, with my friends from Capital Football at the National Press Club today. Frank Lowy, Sir Frank to you, and FFA CEO Ben Buckley were entertaining us...and they did.

I moved seamlessly across to Canberra A-League bid leader Ivan Slavich, asking him quickly and quietly how the bid meeting this morn had gone with the FFA. He's close I reckon, very close..particularly as we listened to Ben replying to ABC Tim Gavel's question.

Hmmn my table murmured....or was that appreciation of the wine!

I mingled briefly coz it's always brief innit when they find out who I am, with Front Page Canberra Times journo Merryn Sherwood and spied FFA Media boss Bonita Mersiades..from a distance..I'm still smarting from my non-invitation to the World Cup bid launch.

SBS Phil McCallef has put on some more weight since I last saw him in Bangkok two years ago; so thought about the steak a bit more as I wolfed it.

Back to Bonita, she's fierce you know, would eat you alive and me and probably will if she ever gets to read this, and she'll know you are reading this as well, she's that good, but she's doing a dandy job even if I'm not allowed in.

Maybe that's a good thing.

Anyway, I noted she was taking all the questions down to Frank and Ben, and I'm sure ABC's Tim Gavel's was noted, (very good question Tim) as was John Taylor's from the Daily Telegraph....not having a good week that mob.

Notice the Telly didn't sent their headkickers this time:) Where's Phil Rothnickers when you want him

I was going to ask a question, try and throw my voice, pretend I was from the Western Sydney bid but had some steak left so got into it..as you do (you can take the boy out of Burton on Trent, but y'know the rest free food etc)...and Western Sydney might be not quite so strong...just quietly said someone...or was that the wine.

Then some FFA big wigs spoke to Heather Reid from Capital Football and I got my handshook by mistake.

A very even biggerwig from the FFA who's name I can't mention ran away, instantly, when I was introduced as a "blog writer." Sort of funny seeing the 5 meter dash record in a crowded lunch room.

How would they have reacted if they said I was a retired teacher looking for a quid, any quid!

Sports Minister Kate Ellis came in, everybody looked, I mean everybody coz I was watching em, and then Andrew Barr came in, not so many looked.

Frank was awesome, Ben was smooth and I thought his tan is quite nice for one so office bound. And I ain't gay I'm just from Canberra...that sort of guy. I notice stuff like that.

I pinched myself that I was listening to one of Australia's finest businessman, nay World Businessmen leading the game, football, here in Australia, and he was right here in Canberra talking about Australia, football, business, World Cup.

Loving it Frank. Not a step back.

And a good think that man Slavich got this Canberra A-League bid going coz this city would look a tad stupid this week wouldn't it? Y'know we've got the Brumbies so we'd love the World Cup...err right.

And I love what Frank is doing for the game, his vision for the country.

And then Frank spoke of the 32 training centres we would need for 32 teams across all our regions and what a legacy that would be. That struck home.

And when he added John O'Neill had been the first to congratulate him after we qualified for the World Cup I thought that's how it should be Union and Football, Wallabies and Socceroos together.

So that was, my lunch at the Press Club..oh and Canberra Stadium officials met with the FFA prior to the lunch and word is...

Socceroos in Canberra....word is they'll be back..so get used to it!

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)