It’s June in an even-numbered, non-Olympics year. That means the world is getting ready for the Big Show.
I may get around to doing a group-by-group preview – even though my knowledge of some countries is limited to what I can find on the fifa website. But first, and most importantly, is something that must be said about the “our boys” – the Socceroos.
It’s looking like being reminiscent of our first appearance at the event 40 years ago (even down to our retro kit) where a bunch of amateur players faced the world’s elite and got sent home without scoring a goal.
The current squad isn’t anywhere near the squad that will forever be known as “the Golden Generation”. It is a squad that has been sticky-taped together, 5 minutes to midnight, under the façade of being the beginning of the next Socceroos generation.
But this shambles has its origins at the full time whistle in Doha after extra time of the Asian Cup where Japan has beaten Australia 1-0 despite Australia dominating for much of the match. In that match, 5 of the starting XI were veterans of 2006.
It was at this time when the next generation should have been groomed for a possible trip to Brasil in 3.5 years time. With the Asian Cup being held at home in 2015, Australia’s only competitive matches would be World Cup qualifiers – and the first round of matches are against Thailand, Saudi Arabia and Oman.
What happens next is that because the FFA have made it quite explicit to Socceroos manager at the time, Holger Osieck, that his only objective is to qualify for Brasil in 2014, any possible momentum that could be gained by blooding a new generation in a national team environment is lost.
The current crop of players all want to represent their country at the biggest show on earth. Who doesn’t? Who could blame them? But no-one tells them it is time to exit the stage for the next act. So Holger continues his quest for qualification in the same manner as Pim Verbeek before him.
Against weaker opposition, the team that almost won the Asian Cup blitzes the field to win 5 out of 6 qualifiers. It’s looking good.
But then the next round is drawn and the opponents (as you’d expect) are a little tougher: Jordan, Oman, Iraq and the old enemy, Japan. Instead of cruising, Australia are misfiring. Draws against Japan and Oman before losing to Jordan. Then losing 1-0 to Iraq before 2 goals in the final 10 minutes give a much-needed if fortunate 3 points. Draws again to Oman and Japan leave Australia needing 6 points from the final 2 games to be assured of qualifying. But they are at home against a Jordan team that doesn’t travel well and an Iraq side that is making up the numbers.
The 4-0 win against Jordan gives the impression that all is good again and we’ll walk it in. But a week later against Iraq it isn’t working out as planned. The Socceroos have reverted to the spluttering, mis-firing version who have been present throughout this final phase of qualifying.
But when Josh Kennedy scores the goal that seals qualification, the country erupts in celebration. Well, not everyone. The writing is on the wall. Australia have limped over the line with a result against Iraq. A side with no chance of qualifying. A second-string Iraq. At home. It might have earned a “conceded pass” against teams ranked 60 – 100, but it will be woefully inadequate against the best.
Four months later, the Australian sporting public are baying for blood. Enough is enough. Consecutive 6-0 defeats end the Holger Osieck experiment. Osieck has achieved his stated objectives from his employers, but has wasted 3 years of potential future development time.
Ange is installed with an eye to the future. The Asian Cup is approaching on home soil and with Asia’s best visiting, we want to be looking respectable, so the Socceroos are labelled a “work-in-progress”. Only thing is there is a tournament in June on the Western Side of the world. No matter: a decent group draw and we could get through the tournament with an honourable group stage exit before working hard on the core group that could relaunch the Socceroos back up the rankings.
So in December when the balls are drawn from the pots and Australia is drawn against what can only be described as a “Craig Foster fantasy” the rest of the country utters a collective “Holy Shìte” and realises what we are in for.
Ask not for whom the samba drums tolls, they tolls for thee…
Next up, I might write something about Ange’s squad itself.
goodluckpunters 