Poppa Out

[HonestSpursFan]

Whats mugball?

Rugby isn’t it?

 

[BA81]

The trouble with a foreign coach is they just don't understand the culture or get the style we play. On top it's often some hack we hire on a budget who has little idea about the Australian ecosystem and the arduous task of Asia.

While an outside perspective would be welcome, it's got to be done very well to avoid ruining the national team. Some would say Popovic has already done that.

Funny you say that bc historically, foreign NT-coaches(and club-coaches too, for that matter) have loved if not outright relished working here and immersing themselves in the attitude of things that they ended up becoming Aussies themselves eg. Rale Rasic, Frank Arok, Eddie Thomson and so on.

It’s only in relatively-recent times that the likes of Pim and Holger have left a bad taste in our mouths, but no rational-minded person would dismiss the idea of our NTs being coached by foreigners ever again just because of those 2 instances.

 

[LFC]

Whats mugball?

yer sorry - just my way what I think of that suggestion and DH.
I can't respect him period despite his tenures in China (big deal) and Jap.
He is NOT NT level but for people here happy he's another Aussie who knows the Aussie game.
We've been hearing this for yonks - are we that unique ?!
Time need to expand that outlook and on the park - Muscat will carry out similar tactics to avoid loss's, the FA directive is to qualify for the FA as its goal always, whats in between.
The mention of affording a decent euro or wherever coach is on the FA who have squandered $'s for years - fecked up totally financially, bailed out the APL (from years back), payed out a ex committee member $810K.
The onus is on them - looking short term not long.
Arnie got $6M over 4yrs ($1.5M p/a) - maybe IF they were wiser with their/our $'s we could find the $'s required paying a higher level suitable gaffa.
Football Australia reported an unprecedented $15.34 million net loss after tax for the 2025 financial year. Despite generating a record-breaking revenue of $139.4 million, the deficit almost doubled the previous record loss of $8.5 million in 2024.

 

[Robbos]

yer sorry - just my way what I think of that suggestion and DH.
I can't respect him period despite his tenures in China (big deal) and Jap.
He is NOT NT level but for people here happy he's another Aussie who knows the Aussie game.
We've been hearing this for yonks - are we that unique ?!
Time need to expand that outlook and on the park - Muscat will carry out similar tactics to avoid loss's, the FA directive is to qualify for the FA as its goal always, whats in between.
The mention of affording a decent euro or wherever coach is on the FA who have squandered $'s for years - fecked up totally financially, bailed out the APL (from years back), payed out a ex committee member $810K.
The onus is on them - looking short term not long.
Arnie got $6M over 4yrs ($1.5M p/a) - maybe IF they were wiser with their/our $'s we could find the $'s required paying a higher level suitable gaffa.
Football Australia reported an unprecedented $15.34 million net loss after tax for the 2025 financial year. Despite generating a record-breaking revenue of $139.4 million, the deficit almost doubled the previous record loss of $8.5 million in 2024.

Yep 100% correct!!!

As Shakespear said 'something rotten in the state of Denmark (Australia football)'

 

[Robbos]

Funny you say that bc historically, foreign NT-coaches(and club-coaches too, for that matter) have loved if not outright relished working here and immersing themselves in the attitude of things that they ended up becoming Aussies themselves eg. Rale Rasic, Frank Arok, Eddie Thomson and so on.

It’s only in relatively-recent times that the likes of Pim and Holger have left a bad taste in our mouths, but no rational-minded person would dismiss the idea of our NTs being coached by foreigners ever again just because of those 2 instances.

Aussie Guus

 

[Quicky]

Your beloved AI gods know fuck all about the intangibles of Australian football politics.

I agree. It's just a tool like anything else. It definitely warrants scrutiny and shouldn't be seen as an authority on anything. It's pretty good at collating data quickly and giving a vibe test.

 

[Alex M]

It’s only in relatively-recent times that the likes of Pim and Holger have left a bad taste in our mouths, but no rational-minded person would dismiss the idea of our NTs being coached by foreigners ever again just because of those 2 instances.

Pim didn't leave me with a bad taste. I thought he was a very good coach and gave a lot of young players a chance.

 

[Quicky]

yer sorry - just my way what I think of that suggestion and DH.
I can't respect him period despite his tenures in China (big deal) and Jap.
He is NOT NT level but for people here happy he's another Aussie who knows the Aussie game.
We've been hearing this for yonks - are we that unique ?!
Time need to expand that outlook and on the park - Muscat will carry out similar tactics to avoid loss's, the FA directive is to qualify for the FA as its goal always, whats in between.
The mention of affording a decent euro or wherever coach is on the FA who have squandered $'s for years - fecked up totally financially, bailed out the APL (from years back), payed out a ex committee member $810K.
The onus is on them - looking short term not long.
Arnie got $6M over 4yrs ($1.5M p/a) - maybe IF they were wiser with their/our $'s we could find the $'s required paying a higher level suitable gaffa.
Football Australia reported an unprecedented $15.34 million net loss after tax for the 2025 financial year. Despite generating a record-breaking revenue of $139.4 million, the deficit almost doubled the previous record loss of $8.5 million in 2024.

I tend to agree with Grazor that money could be better spent elsewhere like grassroots, NST etc.

There's some evidence that local coaches do better at international level. I think our coaches have proven to be tactically sound as much as I gripe about Popovic.

I just don't think it's an area that we need to throw more resources. It's actually an opportunity to use that elsewhere with a better outcome.

 

[LFC]

Pim didn't leave me with a bad taste. I thought he was a very good coach and gave a lot of young players a chance.

tend to agree.
Hard act to follow re Guus.
His win/loss ratio wasn't too bad.
Personality was lacking that people judged him harshly, he said the AL wasn't good enough that stuck haha

 

[LFC]

I tend to agree with Grazor that money could be better spent elsewhere like grassroots, NST etc.

There's some evidence that local coaches do better at international level. I think our coaches have proven to be tactically sound as much as I gripe about Popovic.

I just don't think it's an area that we need to throw more resources. It's actually an opportunity to use that elsewhere with a better outcome.

well its the double edged sword Q.....

I hear that and agree use funds to improve the structures here, as you know I'm right behind that BUT do supporters have the patience ?
That won't get us to standards in 4yrs time for eg...it may take 2/3 cycles.
People here are even mentioning about winning the WC in posts here and there one day, chicken before the egg stuff - we are thousands of steps behind that.
Therefore considering a different coach that hasn't the local baggage and may upset the FA apple cart maybe the medicine we need - mind you I feel the FA stranglehold what they want wouldn't suit their pallet having a new gaffa that isn't a Yes man.
For what advancements have occurred by the FA barring JJ pushing the NSD/Championship.
Transparency is lacking big time.

Only a couple years back Arnie asked for more investment, he knows/knew,
Socceroos Tenure & Infrastructure: After his contract extension in 2023, Arnold was officially tasked by Football Australia to act as a lobbyist for greater government access to facilities and infrastructure.
He actively criticized politicians for wearing national scarves without backing soccer with the same level of funding seen in other sports.

The "Homeless" Complaint: He frequently lamented the lack of a permanent national training base for the Socceroos and Matildas. He cited the need for a dedicated hub that supports junior academies and high-performance development.

This tells us all how much falls on deaf ears.

 

[CG90]

Pim didn't leave me with a bad taste. I thought he was a very good coach and gave a lot of young players a chance.

At the time with Pim we had an issue with him because he was being conservative and not integrating any of our young players into our ageing team. I remember comments from him and Neil at the time, stating that the younger players are not forcing their way in and doing enough to push out the old guard, this frustrated us fans. In hindsight, they were correct and many of my and others critique of Pim (and Osieck) at the time have proven unjustified, as the careers of those players stalled.

 

[LFC]

At the time with Pim we had an issue with him because he was being conservative and not integrating any of our young players into our ageing team. I remember comments from him and Neil at the time, stating that the younger players are not forcing their way in and doing enough to push out the old guard, this frustrated us fans. In hindsight, they were correct and many of my and others critique of Pim (and Osieck) at the time have proven unjustified, as the careers of those players stalled.

welcome CG.
Good point about recalling about the younger ones at the time not stepping up.
The period as the GG was getting on was a challenging period.

 

[Barca4life]

Ange was too attacking minded but we lacked the attacking and defending quality anyway.

Arnie was too defensive minded and we also lacked the attacking quality.

Popa is also defensive minded but unlike Arnie and Ange we lack the midfield quality.

I wonder if Muscat is more flexible we know he is in the Ange ball mould?
Mark Milligan has shown he can get the balance right with the defence but also play the type of football that is good to watch.

Again we dont know what the FA want when it comes to coaches and what KPIs they give them, did they appoint Popa because he was the next coach available is he the kind of coach they have in mind in terms of the type of football they want to play?

I guess we will not know.

 

[Quicky]

well its the double edged sword Q.....

I hear that and agree use funds to improve the structures here, as you know I'm right behind that BUT do supporters have the patience ?
That won't get us to standards in 4yrs time for eg...it may take 2/3 cycles.
People here are even mentioning about winning the WC in posts here and there one day, chicken before the egg stuff - we are thousands of steps behind that.
Therefore considering a different coach that hasn't the local baggage and may upset the FA apple cart maybe the medicine we need - mind you I feel the FA stranglehold what they want wouldn't suit their pallet having a new gaffa that isn't a Yes man.
For what advancements have occurred by the FA barring JJ pushing the NSD/Championship.
Transparency is lacking big time.

Only a couple years back Arnie asked for more investment, he knows/knew,
Socceroos Tenure & Infrastructure: After his contract extension in 2023, Arnold was officially tasked by Football Australia to act as a lobbyist for greater government access to facilities and infrastructure.
He actively criticized politicians for wearing national scarves without backing soccer with the same level of funding seen in other sports.

The "Homeless" Complaint: He frequently lamented the lack of a permanent national training base for the Socceroos and Matildas. He cited the need for a dedicated hub that supports junior academies and high-performance development.

This tells us all how much falls on deaf ears.

I don't disagree with you re: transparency, a home of football, NSD, funding.

I don't think a decision on a domestic v international head coach changes that much except we'll have less funds with an overseas coach to enact the rest.

I don't think the calibre of overseas coach we could attract justifies spending more when I think home grown coaches are equal or better by comparison.

Those other issues are very valid and need resolving.

 

[Quicky]

Ange was too attacking minded but we lacked the attacking and defending quality anyway.

Arnie was too defensive minded and we also lacked the attacking quality.

Popa is also defensive minded but unlike Arnie and Ange we lack the midfield quality.

I wonder if Muscat is more flexible we know he is in the Ange ball mould?
Mark Milligan has shown he can get the balance right with the defence but also play the type of football that is good to watch.

Again we dont know what the FA want when it comes to coaches and what KPIs they give them, did they appoint Popa because he was the next coach available is he the kind of coach they have in mind in terms of the type of football they want to play?

I guess we will not know.

Muscat is more balanced that Postecoglou. It's one of the reasons I think he'd be a good fit.

 

[erogenouszone]

Muscat is more balanced that Postecoglou. It's one of the reasons I think he'd be a good fit.

His coaching career has been really impressive so far, I wouldn't object.

 

[Barca4life]

Muscat is more balanced that Postecoglou. It's one of the reasons I think he'd be a good fit.

Because that's what we need at this level, its not about whether we can more attacking or defensive its whether we have the capacity to be more functional as a team.

I felt like when watching us from over the years from Ange to now, we either bad on the ball because we are too risk adverse or too naive defensively.

I also liked what Trevor Morgan did with the Young Socceroos as well, he could also be another good option if hey decide to look into him.

 

[BA81]

At the time with Pim we had an issue with him because he was being conservative and not integrating any of our young players into our ageing team. I remember comments from him and Neil at the time, stating that the younger players are not forcing their way in and doing enough to push out the old guard, this frustrated us fans. In hindsight, they were correct and many of my and others critique of Pim (and Osieck) at the time have proven unjustified, as the careers of those players stalled.

He dug his own grave when he talked that smack to the effect of “Sitting on the bench at Nuremberg or Karlsruhe is more impressive than winning the Johnny Warren(/Dolan) Medal”

The opening loss to Germany at 2010 - the one time he actually needed to bring his proto-haramball A-game - was but the nail in the coffin.

Fvck him.

 

[CG90]

He dug his own grave when he talked that smack to the effect of “Sitting on the bench at Nuremberg or Karlsruhe is more impressive than winning the Johnny Warren(/Dolan) Medal”

Fvck him.

I forgot about that one, not the most tactful way to make his point.

On the topic of Poppa, despite being fed up with a negative, defensive style of play he was probably the right choice at the time however we have a very different team than we had 2 years ago and I agree he is not the right manager to take the Socceroos forward. Post the asian cup we need someone more suited to a proactive style given the players we have coming through.
I also think with the squad we have he has a good chance of making a deep run/winning the Asian cup which would make replacing him a difficult call for the FFA to justify, I guess we'll see.

 

[Quicky]

I forgot about that one, not the most tactful way to make his point.

On the topic of Poppa, despite being fed up with a negative, defensive style of play he was probably the right choice at the time however we have a very different team than we had 2 years ago and I agree he is not the right manager to take the Socceroos forward. Post the asian cup we need someone more suited to a proactive style given the players we have coming through.
I also think with the squad we have he has a good chance of making a deep run/winning the Asian cup which would make replacing him a difficult call for the FFA to justify, I guess we'll see.

Very Dutch to be tactless/rude.