FIFA World Cup 22

[Ian4]

BTW - what would you do to change the A league, do you like the marquee players (I think its a complete waste of money, wasted on talent that doesn't really want to play here and only doing so for the $'s)

Marquee players are important. But they don’t necessarily need to be big name players unless they contribute (and are not here for one last payday). They need to be players that drive the standard. There have been some pretty good examples of this in the past (Broich, Ninkovic, Berisha, Castro). We also need to embrace Asia more. we have talked about this before, but I am a massive fan of a 4+1 rule.

What would I do to change and improve the AL? to me, its very simple. We need the NSD, then promotion and relegation. I would also dump the cap (or increase it significantly, to around the $6-$7 million mark). And we need to embrace active support more. And support the fans if/when the media go hard at us.

Yeh, the lack of infrastructure requires government comittment. Surely that will change given its continued popularity at the junior level.

I think the other thing is clubs need to be part of the community like local football & cricket clubs are. I've played cricket & footy and they do their best to make sure people enjoy spending time at the club and make it attractive for whole families. Our soccer club has yet to generate that type of feel. We don't have club rooms (coming) and people just turn up for games and training and leave. You don't necessarily feel part of something bigger like you do when you are at your cricket club for example.

We need to be better at lobbying government for a fairer share of funding. The AFL has always been brilliant in this area. I’m not criticising Remo Nogarotto, but I sometimes wonder if Football Australia missed an opportunity by not appointing Stephen Conroy as chairman a few years ago.

The whole community feel thing... I’m not familiar with your club, but you will find you get a lot of that at the old ethnic NPL clubs. Ange still talks about his days growing up and his dad taking him to South Melbourne games. I do agree with your point, but it’s something that can only grow organically. You can’t force it. Most AL clubs only have 18 years of history.

 

[MD Jazz]

The whole community feel thing... I’m not familiar with your club, but you will find you get a lot of that at the old ethnic NPL clubs. Ange still talks about his days growing up and his dad taking him to South Melbourne games. I do agree with your point, but it’s something that can only grow organically. You can’t force it. Most AL clubs only have 18 years of history.

Not sure having clubs based on ethnicity is any answer. They have to be as inclusive as possible. I'm not involved with one of those and perhaps they are inclusive and more diverse?

If clubs can create an attachment to the club and the game itself there is a better chance of passing love of the game through the generations.

 

[MD Jazz]

We need to be better at lobbying government for a fairer share of funding. The AFL has always been brilliant in this area. I’m not criticising Remo Nogarotto, but I sometimes wonder if Football Australia missed an opportunity by not appointing Stephen Conroy as chairman a few years ago.

Conroy would have been a good choice. He is well connected and a bulldog.

 

[Ian4]

Not sure having clubs based on ethnicity is any answer.

No i didn't mean it that way.

 

[Sintiger]

There is a core of interest in our national team that probably includes lots of people who don’t have more than a passing interest in the domestic league.
I’m one of them, I love to see the Socceroos do well but I have very little interest in the A League. I had some interest 10-12 years ago and that virtually disappeared over time and then stopped when Fox lost the broadcast rights.
I don’t dislike soccer or anything like that but it will always be way behind Aussie rules in interest to me and also rugby Union in my case.
I think there are lot of people like me and the key is a better domestic competition but it is probably “chicken and the egg” because we need more money in the game to attract better players but to get more money we need a better competition.

 

[Mr Brightside]

Putting my own thoughts on the standards and culture of the Socceroos aside I’m reading it as if we are the Kangaroos of the FIFA

 

[mrposhman]

Putting my own thoughts on the standards and culture of the Socceroos aside I’m reading it as if we are the Kangaroos of the FIFA

Probably not a bad analogy

 

[Brodders17]

Putting my own thoughts on the standards and culture of the Socceroos aside I’m reading it as if we are the Kangaroos of the FIFA

Maybe the Kangas of the early 2010s. Competitive but never going to win it all.

Remember we came top 16 out of about 160+ countries that tried to qualify.

 

[Ricemagic]

World Cup organisers consider ditching three-team group format for 2026

Informal talks are taking place in Qatar about an alternative plan for 12 groups of four, which would result in 104 games in the expanded 48-team 2026 World Cup

www.theguardian.com

They dead set got no idea, money will win out once again, players will play another match or two and be dead at the start of the next club campaign!!

 

[tigerdell]

Maybe the Kangas of the early 2010s. Competitive but never going to win it all.

Remember we came top 16 out of about 160+ countries that tried to qualify.

Top 16 but a significant step below top level.
We wouldnt beat Germany who didnt progress, so its kinda an odd statistic to say top 16!

 

[year of the tiger]

Top 16 but a significant step below top level.
We wouldnt beat Germany who didnt progress, so its kinda an odd statistic to say top 16!

Socceroos highest ranking ever was 14 in 2009 after qualifying for South Africa WC and came off the back of making the knockout rounds in 2006.

 

[Baloo]

Ah well, that's AFC out. Really thought the Japanese were going to win that. Brazil stamped their dominance early. My favorites to win it.

 

[Panthera Tigris]

Ah well, that's AFC out. Really thought the Japanese were going to win that. Brazil stamped their dominance early. My favorites to win it.

I said earlier in the tournament that France look the sharpest and most switched on, with the caveat that it is easy to get carried away picking a favourite after only one or two games. I still believe it is the case that France look the best to me, although Brazil admittedly a very, very close second (a bee's *smile* in it).

The dark horse for me is the Netherlands. Rather than looking brilliant all along, just seem to be getting better. By Dutch standards, not a team with the same kind of star appeal we might be used to seeing. Bit of a softer period for Dutch football. Hence why they maybe are under the radar a bit. And a colleague at work said no one is really speaking about Spain, so they were his dark horse.

I always have a bit of a soft spot for Croatia too. Tiny country that consistently punches well outside it's weight. Although, just don't look quite of the same class now as they were a few years ago. A good friend of mine - who fled Sarajevo in the early 90s - and I often send each other texts during World and Euro cups hypothesising what a Yugoslavian side would look like now if the nation had survived in tact. Football lovers robbed of witnessing what would be a phenomenal side over the last couple of decades. Would be every bit as good as the heavyweights, France, Brazil etc.

Today's Yugoslavia XI would be one of the world's best national teams

A Yugoslavia XI today could feature the likes of Luka Modric, Jan Oblak, Miralem Pjanic and Luka Jovic

www.givemesport.com

In football, what would be your Yugoslavia starting 11 if it still existed?

Answer: If still existed, Yugoslavia would be cracker of a team with great attack and midfield in particular. Countries that would be part of Yugoslavia are Slovenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Macedonia. My starting XI( 3–5–2 formation)would be- * GK - Jan Ob...

www.quora.com

 

[spook]

Brazil and France looking a cut above.

 

[IanG]

Watching the Japan/Croatia replay now, man those Japanese penalties were poor.

 

[Ricemagic]

Watching the Japan/Croatia replay now, man those Japanese penalties were poor.

This walking up to the ball for a penalty (Neymar did it too) staring at the goalie and not looking at what you're kicking, the ball does my head in.

One of the Croatian penalties was shocking as well.

Minamino showed what I always thought of him at Liverpool - Minimalino, just not quite good enough sad to say

 

[Ricemagic]

I said earlier in the tournament that France look the sharpest and most switched on, with the caveat that it is easy to get carried away picking a favourite after only one or two games. I still believe it is the case that France look the best to me, although Brazil admittedly a very, very close second (a bee's *smile* in it).

The dark horse for me is the Netherlands. Rather than looking brilliant all along, just seem to be getting better. By Dutch standards, not a team with the same kind of star appeal we might be used to seeing. Bit of a softer period for Dutch football. Hence why they maybe are under the radar a bit. And a colleague at work said no one is really speaking about Spain, so they were his dark horse.

I always have a bit of a soft spot for Croatia too. Tiny country that consistently punches well outside it's weight. Although, just don't look quite of the same class now as they were a few years ago. A good friend of mine - who fled Sarajevo in the early 90s - and I often send each other texts during World and Euro cups hypothesising what a Yugoslavian side would look like now if the nation had survived in tact. Football lovers robbed of witnessing what would be a phenomenal side over the last couple of decades. Would be every bit as good as the heavyweights, France, Brazil etc.

Today's Yugoslavia XI would be one of the world's best national teams

A Yugoslavia XI today could feature the likes of Luka Modric, Jan Oblak, Miralem Pjanic and Luka Jovic

www.givemesport.com

In football, what would be your Yugoslavia starting 11 if it still existed?

Answer: If still existed, Yugoslavia would be cracker of a team with great attack and midfield in particular. Countries that would be part of Yugoslavia are Slovenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Macedonia. My starting XI( 3–5–2 formation)would be- * GK - Jan Ob...

www.quora.com

Man makes me wonder what they could have done in football. They'd be a World Power for sure. They were runners up at the Euro's twice in the 60's.
I remember seeing Red Star in the late 70's at Olympic Park. I can only remember Savic & Bogicevic but remember them being quality players above our level.

And then you think about all the other sports as well, and basketball is the biggest one that makes me think WTH!!

They'd be unbelievable. It'd be America & Yugoslavia and the rest are playing ketchup.

Starters - Doncic, Bogdanovic, Bogdanovic, Vucevic, Jokic = game over!!
Bench - Dragic, Osman, Saric, Bender, Nurkic, Zubac just to name a few.

Just WOW, elite man

 

[Panthera Tigris]

Man makes me wonder what they could have done in football. They'd be a World Power for sure. They were runners up at the Euro's twice in the 60's.
I remember seeing Red Star in the late 70's at Olympic Park. I can only remember Savic & Bogicevic but remember them being quality players above our level.

And then you think about all the other sports as well, and basketball is the biggest one that makes me think WTH!!

They'd be unbelievable. It'd be America & Yugoslavia and the rest are playing ketchup.

Starters - Doncic, Bogdanovic, Bogdanovic, Vucevic, Jokic = game over!!
Bench - Dragic, Osman, Saric, Bender, Nurkic, Zubac just to name a few.

Just WOW, elite man

And let’s not forget, the large influx of Yugoslav migration to Australia in the 1950s to early 80s had a huge baring on the world game in Australia. I know it’s subjective, but I’d say collectively, the former Yugoslavia had a greater influence on the game in Australia than any other migrant community.

Regarding basketball. I believe there is a really strong community basketball club in western Sydney that is overtly Serbian in origin. Actually called Red Star Basketball Club. They seem to produce their fair share of youth players to NSW squads headed to national championships.

 

[Ricemagic]

And let’s not forget, the large influx of Yugoslav migration to Australia in the 1950s to early 80s had a huge baring on the world game in Australia. I know it’s subjective, but I’d say collectively, the former Yugoslavia had a greater influence on the game in Australia than any other migrant community.

Regarding basketball. I believe there is a really strong community basketball club in western Sydney that is overtly Serbian in origin. Actually called Red Star Basketball Club. They seem to produce their fair share of youth players to NSW squads headed to national championships.

Didn't we have Frank Arok, Zoran Matic and Rale Rasic just to name a couple of gunn coaches And the Vidmar's and (AC) Milan Ivanovic Every world class goalie we've had hails from back there

I can only think of Bogut for basketball but sure there's been more

 

[Ricemagic]

Morocco!! BOOM!!

Spain!! boom!!

The penalty taking, man they're hopeless at it today