A non-Australian’s thoughts
World Cup lost on you? Or are you really un-Australian and consider the round ball code far more exciting than what you guys call handball, i mean, football.
I’m simply amazed at Australia’s sudden acceptance of a sport they’ve ridiculed, heckled and spat on for decades.
The truth is, Australia needs a lot of football, eh soccer, education. They know nothing about the game. A quick check with folks in Federation Square on the night of Brazil vs Australia revealed a lack of knowledge of last year’s Confederation Cup. Nobody knew or cared about Australia shipping in 10 goals in 3 games.
Now everyone’s barracking for the Socceroos.
For someone who’s lived, breathed and ate football his entire life, Melbourne’s love-hate relationship with the world game surely makes for fascinating writing. Let’s see how long this sudden interest sustains. Australia’s interest in the game will wane the moment they’re knocked out of the World Cup. The Australian media has whipped the entire country into ‘Our Socceroos’ frenzy. It’s hilarious to watch soccer advertisments on television. The game never got the time of day before the World Cup, and now wow it’s everywhere.
Guus Hiddink - thats pronounced Hoos Hiddink for the uninitiated - truly has transformed the game in a country where the round ball code is 4th or 5th most popular after AFL, cricket, rugby union and league. I’d be sad to see him leave after Australia’s demise at the WC, for his midas touch has had a short but wonderful after-effect. It was fun while he’s still around, but i truly expect a pro-AFL to wax lyrical on wogball once again. *insert obligatory sarcasm ring here*
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Apparently Australia’s next coach may be French man, Gerard Houllier. Yes, the manager who resurrected Liverpool FC (he signed Harry Kewell as well).
Australian football seems to be on a good track.
P.S. BBC’s article on Houllier and Australia: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2006/teams/australia/5113120.stm
Correction, Gerard Houllier did NOT resurrect the fortunes of Liverpool. Few points here,
1) His one and only successful season was in 2001 where Liverpool won heaps of cups - the super cup, the league cup and came in 3rd.
2) He did NOT sign Kewell. Leeds were forced to sell - at a cut price at that - Kewell for 10% of his price. Harry’s worth at least 20 million quids, yet you dingbats bought him for that paltry peanut sum. Harry being a Pool fan probably helped too. Also, he left under acrimonious circumstances (though not anywhere as near as Alan Smith leaving for Scumchester) - his agent had some dodgy negotiations and took a massive part of the transfer fee as well.
3) Gerard Houllier’s football is negative and safe. His football is simple - take the lead, and defend the lead. It’s simply back to George Graham’s days at Arsenal. It’s unattractive and uninspired.
4) He’s had some amazingly good bargains (Gary McAllister - a Leeds legend mind you - comes to mind), and some huge flops. While Arsene Wenger splashed out like what, 10 million for Thierry Henry, Houllier splashed out the same amount for a bumbling misfit who goes by the name of Emile Heskey.
I fear for Australia’s future if Houllier takes over.
If you haven’t realised yet, this is coming from a Leeds United fan.
Glory Leeds United!
Where I grew up (Noble Park), a lot of my friends were heavily into soccer, but in most of the other places I’ve lived it’d be true to say that previously they wouldn’t have given a rat’s about it.
It’s not about the soccer. I personally hate watching soccer but when it’s the World Cup, I will try and watch every game.
Its not about the sport, its about nations playing against each other. Australia is a fairly small country compared to most others in the world. We are probably one of the most unrecognized country and don’t make the world news too often. Now when Australia is up against a big name such as Japan and we beat them, there is just a huge sense of pride and accomplishment.
It’s the same thing with the Rugby World Cup, The Olympics, and even the Commonwealth games. Who the hell watches running or swimming on TV except for when Australia is facing a competition with another country?
Just my 2 cents. Go the Socceroos and England.
You mean to say you’ll try and watch every game that involves Australia. But are you trying to watch OTHER games?? This is THE world game.
What are you on about? Australia makes headlines all the time. Stereotypes of every country exists whether we like it or not - so they think the country is overrun with kangeroos, so be it - but using the World Cup as a reason to watch soccer is wrong.
Nationalistic pride and even jingoism is one thing, but not watching soccer is a cardinal sin.
Ok, to clarify. I try to watch every game and if I don’t its purely because I want to sleep. I like US, Australia, South Korea, and England. I also enjoy watching Brazil.
As for not watching or following any other soccer other than the World Cup, well whats wrong with that? I don’t follow the NFL, even though I grew up in the US but I always watched the Superbowl.
Ive spent most of my life in the US. I’ve usually watched the news on a regular basis, used to read Yahoo! news and Australia rarely made the news or if it did, it wasn’t very noticable. There is too much happening in the US and unless there is a civil war or such in a country it won’t get coverage.
You never know, I might just start watching soccer after “The World Cup”. Sure beats Big Brother.
There’s too much happening in the U.S? LOL…someone please tell the Americans that their idea of planet Earth is not just all Star Spangled Banner.
Americans need to get out and smell the roses. The world does not revolve around them.
I know that rock tell George W. Bush he doesn’t speak
for me he’s running my country into the ground.
Just look at what happened after Katrina when Louisiana in his head
was no longer part of the United States.
We’re succeding.
Laurie
As for the Australia-Italy match, all I can say is bullsh*t.
Back on topic…
Yes, 300 million people in U.S. 50 states, each state has different newspapers and local news teams. The U.S. is involved in many things that are newsworthy (Iraq, India-Pakistan, North Korea, MLB, NFL, Satellite Radio, millions of tech products…etc.etc..). There is just so much information…information overload, that there is just not enough time to learn about Australia’s issues.