Socceroos vs Canada/USA Oct 25

[JS96]

CommBank #Socceroos Head Coach Tony Popovic has been required to make a change to his squad for the October international window.

Fran Karacic has withdrawn for medical reasons and will be replaced by uncapped Austria-based player Jacob Italiano (Grazer AK).

Details: bit.ly/SOC-Squad-Update-Oct

 

[onedaywinners...]

CommBank #Socceroos Head Coach Tony Popovic has been required to make a change to his squad for the October international window.

Fran Karacic has withdrawn for medical reasons and will be replaced by uncapped Austria-based player Jacob Italiano (Grazer AK).

Details: bit.ly/SOC-Squad-Update-Oct

This is fantastic!! Will be great to see how Italiano does in camp and well deserved after grafting in the Monchengladbach reserves for so long.

 

[JS96]

This is fantastic!! Will be great to see how Italiano does in camp and well deserved after grafting in the Monchengladbach reserves for so long.

Here's hoping he doesn't just train. Give him a start and challenge Miller to lift.

 

[scooterw]

Here's hoping he doesn't just train. Give him a start and challenge Miller to lift.

Hopefully, would love to see what he could do, we definitely need some more options in that RB/RWB spot.

 

[scooterw]

With 2 windows before the draw on December 5th, interestingly Equador who are one place just above us in the rankings (and currently sitting in Pot 2), will also be playing USA and Canada in friendlies. Hopefully USA can do us a favour and topple them. Canada are also just below us in the rankings but get Pot 1 by default, so happy for them to give Equador a seeing to as well.

 

[socceroosmad]

Hopefully, would love to see what he could do, we definitely need some more options in that RB/RWB spot.

Rosy future (2030 World Cup?) will be Jordie Bos and Nestory Irankunda down the left; James Overy and Daniel Bennie down the right

 

[grazorblade]

Mo Toure ok apparently

 

[patjennings]

Probably his best Press Conference. Seems to be settling into the role (yes this is part of his role as a PR man for the Socceroos) and is less defensive in his answers which means we can understand his thinking more.

 

[Paul01]

Probably his best Press Conference. Seems to be settling into the role (yes this is part of his role as a PR man for the Socceroos) and is less defensive in his answers which means we can understand his thinking more.

Interesting take on Arzani.
Popa must be expecting retirements post world cup so players like Segecic and Milanovic might miss out on the world cup but make the Asian Cup Squad. Looking at the future.

 

[onedaywinners...]

Probably his best Press Conference. Seems to be settling into the role (yes this is part of his role as a PR man for the Socceroos) and is less defensive in his answers which means we can understand his thinking more.

Literally just finished the presser and came here to say the exact same thing.

Loved this more relaxed format and I think it afforded both journos and Popa more thoughtful questions and answers.

I think that's the crux of most of everything with Popa for me, if there is transparency I'm sweet.

 

[Cunningstunt]

Probably his best Press Conference. Seems to be settling into the role (yes this is part of his role as a PR man for the Socceroos) and is less defensive in his answers which means we can understand his thinking more.

I think a similar type of press conference to the others, but agree tone was different. Probably because nothing riding on the result.
Barely a question about the matches, probably because they are friendlies, almost all about the selections. This meant there was space for more in depth answers about the things we want to know regarding selections.

The Duke comments confirmed what I thought. I know I value international experience more than most here. But it would seem Popa rates it even higher.

Last observation, it appears he is treating all the friendly camps as one big chance to rotate through players they have in mind, have a look in camp and narrow down selections. The ones involved in every camp probably have one foot on the plane.

 

[juneof86]

Canadian defender Moise Bombito broke his leg on Sunday, so Canada will be missing three of their starting back four. Kamal Miller, a starter in Qatar, was added to the squad to replace Bombito, but Luc de Fougerolles, a 19-year-old at Fulham who is on loan in Belgium, should slot into the starting lineup on Friday.

 

[grazorblade]

Irvine apparently not far away too

 

[Alex M]

One thing Popovic mentioned in his press conference was that a part of his squad selection was about seeing where players are now in terms of fitness and preparation for the World Cup and Asian Cup. He gets to see them in the squad during training and the staff can assess their progress and give them some guidance, but unless they appear on the field for meaningful time us supporters don't get the chance to see that. I also think it's important that a lot of us understand that around 6 months after the WC we have another important tournament and we have a realistic chance of winning that one. Hopefully some of these less experienced young talented players are at the top of their game by then. I've felt for a while now that we should be contracting our coaches for their cycle to end with the Asian Cup and not the World Cup.

 

[patjennings]

One thing Popovic mentioned in his press conference was that a part of his squad selection was about seeing where players are now in terms of fitness and preparation for the World Cup and Asian Cup. He gets to see them in the squad during training and the staff can assess their progress and give them some guidance, but unless they appear on the field for meaningful time us supporters don't get the chance to see that. I also think it's important that a lot of us understand that around 6 months after the WC we have another important tournament and we have a realistic chance of winning that one. Hopefully some of these less experienced young talented players are at the top of their game by then. I've felt for a while now that we should be contracting our coaches for their cycle to end with the Asian Cup and not the World Cup.

I didn't get the impression that Popovic is doing other than the appropriate planning. I just don't want to see another repeat of 2014 (yes a great effort but 0 points) as preparation for 2015 Asian Cup. This is the World Cup we are talking about and it should be the priority - not the Asian Cup preparation that Ange used it for. People might have liked the way we played in 2014 - I thought it was a waste of a chance for a group of players - some that will never play at that level again.

 

[Cunningstunt]

I didn't get the impression that Popovic is doing other than the appropriate planning. I just don't want to see another repeat of 2014 (yes a great effort but 0 points) as preparation for 2015 Asian Cup. This is the World Cup we are talking about and it should be the priority - not the Asian Cup preparation that Ange used it for. People might have liked the way we played in 2014 - I thought it was a waste of a chance for a group of players - some that will never play at that level again.

Can you explain the 2014 reference a bit more?

 

[patjennings]

Can you explain the 2014 reference a bit more?

Ange had recently taken over the Socceroos after the Holger debacle. While I can no longer find the interviews there was plenty of interviews with SBS and the Guardian where he basically said the squad needed a refresh (true) and that the Asian Cup was what he was building for. This was after the World Cup

After the Asian cup win he said to FourFourTwo Australia

"The Asian Cup was always the goal. The World Cup was a stage to experiment, to push the boys and see what they’re made of. Winning at home in 2015, that was the obsession driving every call we made."

My problem with that stance is that by 'experimenting' and trying to play with lesser players using tactics similar to teams that had better players and similar tactics it was basically sacrificing some players chance to excel at the highest level they would ever reach to pursue a different agenda.

The other bugbear from 2014 was the complete sacrifice of the defence in favour of the attack. The number of goals that came because of the fact that the fullbacks couldn't keep a straight line was unforgiveable. McGowan, Franjic and Davidson were all at fault and it was a wonder we didn't concede more. Come 2015 and for the most part that problem had been eliminated though the fullbacks were the same. Defenders first job should be to defend - not feed Timmy Cahill.

 

[onedaywinners...]

Ange had recently taken over the Socceroos after the Holger debacle. While I can no longer find the interviews there was plenty of interviews with SBS and the Guardian where he basically said the squad needed a refresh (true) and that the Asian Cup was what he was building for. This was after the World Cup

After the Asian cup win he said to FourFourTwo Australia

"The Asian Cup was always the goal. The World Cup was a stage to experiment, to push the boys and see what they’re made of. Winning at home in 2015, that was the obsession driving every call we made."

My problem with that stance is that by 'experimenting' and trying to play with lesser players using tactics similar to teams that had better players and similar tactics it was basically sacrificing some players chance to excel at the highest level they would ever reach to pursue a different agenda.

The other bugbear from 2014 was the complete sacrifice of the defence in favour of the attack. The number of goals that came because of the fact that the fullbacks couldn't keep a straight line was unforgiveable. McGowan, Franjic and Davidson were all at fault and it was a wonder we didn't concede more. Come 2015 and for the most part that problem had been eliminated though the fullbacks were the same. Defenders first job should be to defend - not feed Timmy Cahill.

While I understand where you are coming from and the sentiment, it's a struggle to agree with the knowing that we actually won the Asian Cup on home soil in 2015 and therefore everything that preceded it contributed to that end.

Ange was appointed 23 October so nearly the same timeframe if we got a new head coach now with the World Cup next June. Considering we had just been spanked 6-0 twice you can forgive him for allowing the players a bit of leash to enjoy the tournament and see what they could do (another form of 'experimentation' I guess).

For me as much as it added to the plethora of Socceroo heartbreak we have endured over the years those first two games against Chile and Netherlands will always live in my memory. The way we went toe to toe with footballing powerhouses on the greatest stage instilled the belief that was needed for the team to lift that trophy six months later. It would be pretty hard to argue against that fact.

 

[patjennings]

While I understand where you are coming from and the sentiment, it's a struggle to agree with the knowing that we actually won the Asian Cup on home soil in 2015 and therefore everything that preceded it contributed to that end.

Ange was appointed 23 October so nearly the same timeframe if we got a new head coach now with the World Cup next June. Considering we had just been spanked 6-0 twice you can forgive him for allowing the players a bit of leash to enjoy the tournament and see what they could do (another form of 'experimentation' I guess).

For me as much as it added to the plethora of Socceroo heartbreak we have endured over the years those first two games against Chile and Netherlands will always live in my memory. The way we went toe to toe with footballing powerhouses on the greatest stage instilled the belief that was needed for the team to lift that trophy six months later. It would be pretty hard to argue against that fact.

It might have helped (debateable) - but it cheapened the brand as far as I was concerned. It is still the equal worst (along with 2018) that Australia has had when we have qualified. simply tasking defenders to defend as their primary role could well have given us a much better result.

I've been looking at the various odds and simulation scenarios assuming a pot 2 qualification and an easy draw. e.g. Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. it basically says there is about 8-9% chance of reaching the semis. This compares to around a .5% chance of being ranked 11th or higher in 2022. That probably means the expansion gives non-traditional heavyweights potential (with a favourable draw) to go deep into the tournament.

 

[Keeper66]

It might have helped (debateable) - but it cheapened the brand as far as I was concerned. It is still the equal worst (along with 2018) that Australia has had when we have qualified. simply tasking defenders to defend as their primary role could well have given us a much better result.

I've been looking at the various odds and simulation scenarios assuming a pot 2 qualification and an easy draw. e.g. Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. it basically says there is about 8-9% chance of reaching the semis. This compares to around a .5% chance of being ranked 11th or higher in 2022. That probably means the expansion gives non-traditional heavyweights potential (with a favourable draw) to go deep into the tournament.

Not the equal worst, the single worst. We got a point (Denmark draw) in 2018.