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Socceroos vs Cameroon/ Curaçao March 2026 🇦🇺🇨🇲🇨🇼

How should Australia do March?

  • European based camp

    Votes: 7 38.9%

  • North American based camp

    Votes: 6 33.3%

  • Australian based camp

    Votes: 4 22.2%

  • Middle Eastern based camp

    Votes: 1 5.6%
  • Total voters
    18
Decentric said:
Agree - to an extent.

I think that Miller improved as a Socceroo international, from playing in Scotland.

I think Baccus has improved as well.

Sapsford's finishing has improved. Would it have anywhere else too?

Boyle was a huge asset when he first joined the Socceroos.

However, I find it difficult to see improvement in most other players after they leave Aus - if they've played senior AL football.

According to an article on Arzani in Football 360, DA claims it is very easy for Aussies to fit into the team culture in Scotland, with sense of humour the same, overt friendliness, and English being spoken, compared to Denmark?/Netherlands and Hungary, where players are more aloof.

Arzani sheds light on playing football in such cold conditions, compared to the warm/hot AL in summer, or ACL.

Apart from Celtic - a superb football playing team, when I've watched Scottish football - the movement of players off the ball to support the ball carrier, is rather poor.

The Scottish player on the ball, does not have enough players opening viable passing lanes, from proactive teammates opening enough viable passing options.

Hence, Scottish teams tend to turn the ball over more quickly.

A huge facet of football is winning the ball in Scotland. The ball is in the Transitions more, or Contested Ball Phase, like the AL in the early years.

From recently watching Italian club football, the good international teams, even the AL and ACL, more teammates support the ball carrier proactively in opening passing lanes. Hence teams keep the ball for longer for sustained periods

In some hot country ACL scenarios, and the AL in summer, of course the off the ball Pressing is less intense than Scotland, which makes it easier for teams to maintain the ball.

Apart from playing more games in Scotland, I don't see the improvement in;

first touch,

1v1 attacking skills,

faster handing speed ( ability to receive and pass the ball on quickly) in limited time and space,

game sense,

that one sees players develop from playing in Netherlands/Denmark, Championship, Belgium, Bundi, et al.

The Scottish aspirant Euroroos improve in;

heading skills ( the ball is in the air a lot),

1v1 ball winning,

physical strength and increased muscular bulk ( they might do a lot more Weight Training?).

The Scottish skill set differential from international football, is more pronounced.
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English is also spoken in Denmark, the Netherlands and even Hungary. The first two are almost universally English-speaking as a second language. This along with a good league could possibly be attributed to the success of Aussie women’s players in Sweden’s Damallsvenskan, since English is so widely spoken, and the successes of Dutch and Scandinavian players in English leagues.
 
AliG040803 said:
Slightly disappointed we won't be seeing him. Would've loved to have seen how Bos and/or Herrington would've matched up against him.
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its always crazy to me that you see these visiting teams, look at their fifa rank and think "we can probably handle them" only to see they have players for manchester united lol

as you say, shame we won't be able to test our players
 
FIFA Rankings are one of the most useless indicators of ability of national teams. They heavily favor European sides, and they don't give African sides anywhere near enough credit. The fact that Belgium was #1 in the world at any point should be enough of an indicator that the ranking are meaningless.
 
AliG040803 said:
FIFA Rankings are one of the most useless indicators of ability of national teams. They heavily favor European sides, and they don't give African sides anywhere near enough credit. The fact that Belgium was #1 in the world at any point should be enough of an indicator that the ranking are meaningless.
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indeed, it will be a very good test of our team despite fifa rankings implying it should be a walk in the park
 
NicCarBel said:
That’s why I like the ELO rankings more: in this method it’s 30 v 62, rather than 27 v 45
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i did notice their elo was lower than i thought it would be too indicating they might have issues

anyone in the top 100 on elo is going to be tough work for us mind you (and I'd also back us to be a chance against anyone outside the top 10)
 
grazorblade said:
i did notice their elo was lower than i thought it would be too indicating they might have issues

anyone in the top 100 on elo is going to be tough work for us mind you (and I'd also back us to be a chance against anyone outside the top 10)
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Probably due to a poor qualifying campaign, and “only” making the AFCON quarter finals
 
AliG040803 said:
FIFA Rankings are one of the most useless indicators of ability of national teams. They heavily favor European sides, and they don't give African sides anywhere near enough credit. The fact that Belgium was #1 in the world at any point should be enough of an indicator that the ranking are meaningless.
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They also consistently rank the US above Japan lol.
 
NicCarBel said:
Probably due to a poor qualifying campaign, and “only” making the AFCON quarter finals
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To be fair that’s their worst finish at AFCON in 11 years (they were eliminated in the group stage in 2015). Their worst period ever since becoming a top side in Africa was in 2012 and 2013 when they didn’t qualify for AFCON.
 
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