For many years, Australian soccer has ben hindered in its progress into each World Cup finals by the seeding that FIFA imposed on it.
This has meant that for as long as we all can remember, each campaign ground to a halt (except once) when, after easily winning the Oceania group, we had to play countries on the other side of the globe, just for the "right" to get to the finals. We've had to play Israel, Argentina, Uruguay, and so on. And remember, this was home and away too.
Only once has Australia made it to the finals and that was in the 1974 World Cup in Germany. Ah, that was a team! In those days, the Australian team composed entirely of part-timers and I can well remember all of them. Great personalities both on and off the field.
So how do they now feel about this week's FIFA announcement that no longer would Australia be handicapped but the winner of the Oceania group would automatically qualify for the World Cup finals?
Here are the quotes from today' s Sydney Daily Telegraph :
"It's a bit of a saloon passage. I'd much rather see us back in Asia playing against countries like Japan." Ray Baartz
"The whole thing is farcical. It's an armchair ride for us to compete in every World Cup." Ray Richards
"It's a good thing for Australia but we shouldn't think we will automatically qualify." Adrian Alston
"I would have preferred it if we'd earned our way through." Johnny Warren
"It's great for the boys to be given a free passage. In our day we had to fight tooth and nail." Col Curran
"It is a dream come true for Australian soccer. Finally we can have our own team at the greatest show on earth." Rale Rasic (Coach)
"It's great news for the game in its present state." Jim Fraser
"I'm happy in one way because the game's in a hell of a mess in Australia at the moment." Jim Rooney
"I'm a bit divided about it. It's great news but we can't afford to drop our guard just because it looks like we're in." Manfred Schaefer
"It's great news for soccer in Australia. How ironic that we are going back to Germany." Doug Utjesenovic
In case you're wondering who could be playing for Australia in the game against England at Upton Park in February, here's the players who're playing in Europe at present who would be on hand:
Goalkeepers Mark Schwarzer (Middlesbrough), Joey Diduluca (Ajax)
(We'd better not include Bosnich right now!)
Defenders Craig Moore (Rangers), Lucas Neill (Blackburn), Tony Vidmar (Middlesbrough), Tony Popvic (Crystal Palace), Kevin Muscat (Rangers)
Midfielders Paul Okon (Leeds), Brett Emerton (Feyenoord), Josip Skoko (Genk, Belgium), Danny Tiatto (Manchester City), Stan Lazaridis (Birmingham City), Vince Grella (Empoli,Italy), Marco Bresciano (Parma), Mile Sterjovski (Lille), Scott Chipperfield (Basel)
Strikers Mark Viduka (Leeds), Harry Kewell (Leeds), Paul Agostino (TSV 1860 Munich), John Aloisi (Osasuma, Spain)
I wonder what the Kiwis make of all this? Anyway, it may give Aussie soccer a shot in the arm. Right now it has the players, the supporters, just no administration!
Cheers, Ozzie
Edited by - ozziepost on 20 December 2002 8:11:15
