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The Australian National Football Team General Discussion*OFFICIAL*

grazorblade said:
Before Stefan pivoted to p&r I was going to ask him about the AIS because the AIS government funded program reminded me a lot of the Clairfontaine government funded program and he mentioned them as an example of a country that went from middle quality to elite

I imagine we had access to elite sports scientists given how good our olympians are
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There was a podcast years ago, behind the game I think. Can't find it now sadly.
But he had Steve O'Connor on. Steve and Ron Smith ran the ais program. Physical capacity was highly important because it meant more touches, involvement etc.
 
NoMates said:
Look at Japan, they played there reserve squad against Mexico and USA in one window, Last window they played there best 11 and beat Brazil 3-2. We are yet to even play what would be considered our best 11 yet. Thats why i reckon cum the Colombia game we will get smash as they are starting there top 11 players yet Poppa will be playing a half ass Socceroo squad that may compete but in no way will they win the game. Miracles do happen sure and some teams have a bad day I get that, i just cant see any new Socceroo standing out against one of the best CONMEBOL sides to be at the world cup.
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I'd contend we have more players than ever playing at a similar level. It would be very hard for Popa and staff to track all players and accurately evaluate.

Big Five UEFA players
Circati - Serie A
Irvine and Metcalfe - Bundi
Ryan - Spain

Big UEFA 30 - 40 clubs outside Big Five
Bos - Feyenoorde

5 players playing at a higher level than any other Roos. Who have I missed?

Then there are heaps playing in English Champ, now playing deck football a better average club and better standard than most other leagues than the days of hoofball. I'd surmise they might be better than the lower ranked clubs in Netherlands, Belgium and Switz, but not as good as their top tier clubs.

Austria Bundi, more modest clubs in Belgium, Eredivisie, Switzerland; plus Japan, Korea, MLS, Scandinavia, Denmark, Scotland - plus AL.

Very hard to determine a pecking order.
 
grazorblade said:
I've seen research that you apparently permanently are athletically impaired if you don't get state of the art advice on your athletic development from 16-18. So it might even be too late by the time players go overseas.

I note that the only 2 world class players we produced (viduka and kewell) both had access to elite technical and athletic development in that crucial age

In any case a lot of players are forced to bulk up at the same time they have bigger work loads, which is a recipe for injury I believe. Maybe there is an expert on this on the forum?
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This is a huge change.

2008-2014 all the discussion was around technical improvement in Aus players through the national body.

I have Weight Trained in gyms, and circuit trained for over 50 years. In the last 7 years I've done a lot with Exercise Physios' tutelage. Plyometrics is now a big thing. I've known nothing about it. One simple exercise, is players jumping high onto a box.

I suppose it makes sense that if players don't get this training at the correct age, they could be behind other players who do.

I will ask some of the Ex Physios about this? In the past it has been considered possible within elite footballing milieus that players can catch up football conditioning later in their career, but that it is far harder to catch up in technique if it isn't acquired earlier on.
 
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So from a Socceroo's perspective this weekend, more positives than negatives.

Positive - minutes for Irvine, Robertson, McGree, Karacic. Hrustic seems to be getting good time on the park and contributing. Toure brace. Devlin another strong performance. Matthews got another start for Pompey.

Negative - Circati injured but hopefully minor. Same with Italiano. Elder missing was hopefully just rotation
 
Alex M said:
Young guys usually aren't consistent because they lack experience. They can have a lot of talent, but they can also make a lot of mistakes that more experienced players will capitalise on. Sometimes its best to let them get that experience in the weekly grind of club football before throwing them to the wolves in an international. I'm comfortable with players like that being in a friendly squad at the moment though, and maybe even give them some minutes if they measure up in training.
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Well said, Alex.

I was mooting a few young players for senior Socceroo consideration based on a superior skill set, who haven't played much senior football.

A few posters, like Quicky, sagely suggested that players need to be evaluated against senior pro footballers as opposed to potential from performing at elite youth level. Fair comment.

I haven't seen a lot of him yet, but Rhys Youlley has disappointed at senior AL level for SFC compared to his underage performances, even playing up an age for the Aus u23s.

Conversely, Alex Badalato, appears to be playing better at senior AL level for Jets ATM, than I thought he has been for the national underage teams.
 
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Decentric said:
Well said, Alex.

I was mooting a few young players for senior Socceroo consideration based on a superior skill set, who haven't played much senior football.

A few posters, like Quicky, sagely suggested that players need to be evaluated against senior pro footballers as opposed to potential from performing at elite youth level.

I haven't seen a lot of him yet, but Rhys Youlley has disappointed at senior AL level for SFC compared to his underage performances, even playing up an age for the Aus u23s.

Conversely, Alex Badalato, appears to be playing better at senior AL level for Jets ATM, than I thought he has been for the national underage teams.
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youlley's last game was a lot better to be fair
 
erogenouszone said:
That's the kind of league Australian's should be playing in. Really annoys me everyone seems to go to fucking Scotland, does sweet fuck all for their development.
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It would be good if Benjamin posted here as he was a player scout, and a player agent. He has quite a few insights about why and where it is/was easier for Aussies to get contracts in specific UEFA countries.

I've raved enough about Scotland's deficiencies.

Then again I used to condemn the English Championship and League 1. It seems there has been a complete change in the style of football those leagues play in a pretty short period of time. The Championship, apart from playing too many games, is now probably a very good option for Euroroos - along with the top divisions in Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal and Switzerland, the best outside the UEFA Big Five.
 
grazorblade said:
Epic 50 minutes of press conference

I have to fill out forms at work for a few hours today so this will help keep me sane
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I've finished the interview.

I think Popa gives a high quality interview covering a diversity of decent questions posed by the media.

I like the way he answers the question of chasing players to play for Aus. There has been a lot of anger on this forum directed at Popa for dual nationals not committing to Aus.

I think in the Arnie era he needed players like Souttar and Boyle, more than Popa needs them now. Against some types of teams, neither would make my first eleven - given all players being fit.
 
Decentric said:
I've finished the interview.

I think Popa gives a high quality interview covering a diversity of decent questions posed by the media.

I like the way he answers the question of chasing players to play for Aus. There has been a lot of anger on this forum directed at Popa for dual nationals not committing to Aus.

I think in the Arnie era he needed players like Souttar and Boyle, more than Popa needs them now. Against some types of teams, neither would make my first eleven - given all players being fit.
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In my view Boyle is not in my first eleven against any opponent, in fact I think he might not even make the cut for the squad of 26.

Souttar on the other hand, if he can resume the form he was in the period prior to his injury, is in my first eleven against any opponent.
 
Keeper66 said:
In my view Boyle is not in my first eleven against any opponent, in fact I think he might not even make the cut for the squad of 26.

Souttar on the other hand, if he can resume the form he was in the period prior to his injury, is in my first eleven against any opponent.
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I've just completed the full games against Canada and USA.

I now have a lot of data on players I didn't used to have. I've been compiling them since Popa took over.

Nearly every player Popa has selected I can find rationale for them being selected - and the data supports his selections. New players Circati, Bos, Iran, Toure and Balard, have done very well over a range of football performance criteria.

Except Boyle and Hrustic.

*Boyle - now I've added Good First Touches, Bad First Touches, Turnovers, Blocks, Ball Carries of 15 metre plus, Intercepts - Boyle is performing a bit better. He tracks back and defends well in term of jockeying, showing delaying. Boyle also keeps the defensive shape compact in Defensive Transitions and BPO. He is also mobile in accelerated attacks.

He does make a few blocks.

He makes the odd intercept.

His first touch is usually good - if he isn't involved in body on body contact.

He creates a few turnovers from closing down space effectively.



Yet he is completely outmuscled nearly all the time in heading duels, tackling contests, body on body/strength contests in 1v1s. Boyle has little body strength, even if he knows how to use it.

He sometimes out-paces players and dribbles past players in other 1v1s, which are positives.

He is also knocked off his feet all the time if he tries to shield the ball, or is ball carrying, which can result in free kicks. He is reliant on the ref though.

Conversely, Toure is far harder to shake off the ball. Ditto Irankunda and Boyle, or even Duke, when they all play in the attacking trio.

Boyle defends better than Arzani and has a better engine, but Daniel A is a better dribbler in tight spaces, is stronger on the ball and more creative.

Already, Toure and Irankunda shoot better for the Socceroos and are more dangerous around goal.

Boyle has a lot of experience and plays a lot of club games in Scotland and scores a lot of goals. It doesn't extrapolate to international scoring prowess though.

Does Boyle make the entire team relax more by being in camp? If it is the case, Popa doesn't need to play him though.

* Souttar

Against a team with a strong aerial threat and a big forward or two I would play Souttar in Popa's back three.

However, against teams who are quick and nimble and good at central attacking interplay on the edge of the pen box, like Japan, Souttar is too slow on the turn and not nimble enough to change direction. I'd use a back three of Geria - Circati - Rowles.

With a back three of Circati- Souttar - Burgess against teams with big forwards.

Even Circati gets skinned if he goes wide to combat pacy wingers. Souttar has shown a tendency to commit to sliding tackles when going wide to defend, which is great if they come off, but leaves a hole and the defence split wide open if they miss.

Rowles and Geria are a bit more adept at jockeying, delaying, showing and changing direction late and tackling. They are more nimble.

Rowles excelled at Left Wing Back defensively against the Kiwis. Haven't tallied up his indiv stats against Canada - yet. He has surprised defending wide against pacy players.

Geria is more mobile than any of Circati, Souttar and Burgess, and Degenek. His weakness is he doesn't have the long diagonal pass capability of Souttar, Circati and even Burgess. Geria is a great athlete though. He has been quite a surprise.

Our most proficient ball winners are Geria, Circati, O'Neill, Souttar. Haven't tallied Canada individually yet, but O'Neill might struggle to be in the black in 1v1s. He has been dominant against everyone else.

I think Geria may have been the best 1v1 ball winner in the team, before Circati rejoined the Roos.
 
I'm starting to get a little worried by our stocks at centre half. Burgess and Circati are clearly locks, but:
  1. Souttar is long term injured.
  2. Rowles' form appears to have dropped off a cliff.
  3. Degenek isn't a guaranteed first team starter for the team coming 12th in Serbia.
  4. Geria isn't a guaranteed first team starter for the team coming dead last in Japan.
  5. Kai Trewin appears to have moved into defensive midfield.
  6. Hayden Matthews is yet to establish himself and keeps getting injured too.
Miller and Iredale can play RCB and LCB respectively, and I anticipate that Popovic might explore that with Circati on the physio bench, but I'm not sure we have the cattle for a 5 man backline at the moment.
 
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