I watched the Aus-Iraq game the other night (not the one with guns).
I haven't watched soccer for years, probably since the last world cup. I used to be consumed by it. For about 4 decades I watched all the international soccer I could get.
Not much has changed with the Aussies' game. They didn't deserve to win. The Iraqis were the better team, but the better team doesn't necessarily win. Luck comes into it.
The Aussies always seem to have a problem maintaining the shape of their game for the full 90 minutes. Their technical skills go off and they literally fall apart for periods.
There are some bright spots. Tommy Oar is it? And Kruse. A couple of real young talents. But too many aging professionals.
They won't get past the first round in Brasil imo.

There's a whole thread on this in Sports Forum.

Doctor Jolly wrote on Jun 20^th, 2013 at 11:06am:



Just shows that not all Aussies are whingers like you three.

I think your qualifying opponents for world cups are laughably easy.

To be fair andrei, it's a lot harder than it used to be in the Oceanic group and then just beat one Sth American team. We were just not that good then.
Asian teams are not pushovers any more, not when you look at Japan & the Arabs.
And England can sometimes have a free ride with such as the Faroe Is and Luxembourg.

In the old days. The Socceroos were all domestic players and had a 'true' Australian style.
These days - they are over-paid expatriots who probably wouldn't know what the Australian style is besides 'CHOKING'.

I would like to see USA V OZ.
A well drilled and disciplined USA 'Team',
V
A group of prima-donner Individuals who really use Australia as platform to their personal 'Contracts' with wealthier overseas Clubs.

USA would win.

Harry Kewell would probably abuse the Ref for him missing an 'open' goal again.
Viduka would do 'nothing' for ages in the opposition box again.
That dude who 'fouled' the Italians with a blantant bad tackle and cost us the match would still be made Captain as a reward.

...I remember as a kid when WEST HAM came to tour OZ and get some 'style' to their club and they made 1st Division finally and have stayed there since.

I don't follow the 'OverseasWhos?'

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Jun 20^th, 2013 at 1:14pm:


Like I said in the other thread Andrei England had moldova,san marino.The good ol Usa had panama and costa rica.We are talking about qualifying rounds mate.If you know sweet FA about soccer just don't poke your nose in.
The Aussies over here are bad enough.They talk about goal assists and BS as if they have a clue about the game.We are talking about a game that had everything riding on it being played in the pouring rain on a slippery surface against a young team who had nothing to lose.
Some clown earlier mentioned we were playing against a war torn country so we had an advantage.

A bit like saying we are better at sex than they are because of the different circumstances.

Australia have had to qualify from a group and then go on to play a decider over in south america for a long time Andrei.England have always played in groups with maybe 1 other quality team and the rest were mickey mouse countries.Even then the top 2 teams qualified.
I too have spent a long long time playing and watching it in the UK and I have suffered along with England all the way down the years.There ain't nothing you can tell me about England and how difficult they make it for themselves even when they get easy groups everytime.
Being born over here I am proud to see Australia qualify and you should be too.