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World Cup 2026 Australia thread

Another way of looking at it is a draw in the knockout rounds, and elimination via pen shootout against Egypt, being better than our previous 2 knock out round efforts. Italy and Argentina beat us without needing a pen shootout.

Getting out of the group of Turkey, USA and Paraguay, is another progression to the knock out rounds. Our third.

Even if we had won the pen shootout, I think Egypt were better in 120 mins and deserved to win. It disappointed me because IMO we had been the better team in the second half of regular time.

Paraguay was a professional result against a decent team.

We beat Turkey, but were lucky.

I don’t think with the cattle we had we would have progressed beyond 16, even if Argentina were lucky against Egypt. We had some rotten refs against USA and Egypt too.

The performance of the younger cattle bodes well for the future. Not where they play their club football. A lot of vaunted club transfers fail.

The performances and skill sets of Volpato, Irankunda, Bos, Italiano, Toure, Beach, Okon Jr, Herrington, Circati, and the older Souttar and O’Neill, were very good. Even Trewin, played out of position at RWB, compared to him at DM and CB, was okay.

Astonished that some of us see potential club transfers in corporate UEFA football is paramount over WC football? For mine, international football is the zenith - not corporate club football.

Many big UEFA club stars underperformed at the WC. Many lesser lights played above expectations.

Simply loved the WC - apart from Infantino and Trump. Have loved SBS replays.

Hope all Aussies got a run on the pitch, although the third keeper didn’t.
 
BA81 said:
With Popa or any coach in his and Arnie’s mold in charge of the NT, it quite dampens the enthusiasm though😔
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Very harsh.

On paper our 2 most successful coaches at the WC. They are Aussie coaches too.

Would like us to play more expansive football though.
 
Although Asia was disappointing, we were the top Asian team!

Japan were knocked out in the round of 32 in regular time. We forced extra time and a pen shootout.
 
6 out of the 8 teams that made the quarter finals are from Europe, if you want to make into the elite group of teams we need players of top 5 league and below quality, along with a style of play that will enable us to compete toe to toe with these teams.

But this requires some serious thinking from our federation, and how we can get there and what needs to be done.

I cant get over how Spain went from underachievers in the 80s and 90s into a global powerhouse of today, all because of an aligned strategy and philosophy they chose to do from 1993 where it started from the grassroots and up and not the other way around which countries tend to do to get quick results they actually chose a slow and steady approach to get to where they are today.

It's one of the best 21st century sporting success stories if you think about it, that probably doesn't get the headlines like other countries.
 
Barca4life said:
6 out of the 8 teams that made the quarter finals are from Europe, if you want to make into the elite group of teams we need players of top 5 league and below quality, along with a style of play that will enable us to compete toe to toe with these teams.

But this requires some serious thinking from our federation, and how we can get there and what needs to be done.

I cant get over how Spain went from underachievers in the 80s and 90s into a global powerhouse of today, all because of an aligned strategy and philosophy they chose to do from 1993 where it started from the grassroots and up and not the other way around which countries tend to do to get quick results they actually chose a slow and steady approach to get to where they are today.

It's one of the best 21st century sporting success stories if you think about it, that probably doesn't get the headlines like other countries.
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Reading a couple of biographies, Dutch coaches Cruyff and Van Gaal had an influence on Spanish football through their Barca tenures.

When you cite UEFA dominance, with 6 of the last 8 teams, it is a shame Brazil have declined.

Also, our Aus Football Fed appears to have little money.
 
Cruyff set the foundations first and foremost.
Then VanGaal during his Barca tenures........
He gave key debuts to a generation of players who later became legendary managers, including Xavi, Iniesta, and Pep (who was his on-pitch captain). Current and former managers like Enrique and Mourinho have also credited van Gaal’s methodical approach as a massive influence on their own tactical philosophies........
 
LFC said:
Cruyff set the foundations first and foremost.
Then VanGaal during his Barca tenures........
He gave key debuts to a generation of players who later became legendary managers, including Xavi, Iniesta, and Pep (who was his on-pitch captain). Current and former managers like Enrique and Mourinho have also credited van Gaal’s methodical approach as a massive influence on their own tactical philosophies........
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They shifted 2 different schools of KNVB into Spain.

Cruyff’s was based on individuals being better than opponents.

Van Gaal’s was based on everything being team orientated.

Both didn’t like each other and were rivals.

Most Aus coaching leans to the Van Gaal approach. VG has had more success as a coach.
 
LFC said:
Cruyff set the foundations first and foremost.
Then VanGaal during his Barca tenures........
He gave key debuts to a generation of players who later became legendary managers, including Xavi, Iniesta, and Pep (who was his on-pitch captain). Current and former managers like Enrique and Mourinho have also credited van Gaal’s methodical approach as a massive influence on their own tactical philosophies........
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They say that the best players don't make good managers/coaches.
Pele & Maradona never had much of a career as one.
Ronaldo and Messi, hard to say whether they will coach
Zidane has 3 champions Leagues & 2 La Ligas, but only really coached Real Madrid, pretty impressive CV, but jury maybe still out.
Beckenbauer won a World Cup & a Bundesliga, but again like Zidane, jury out, but impressive CV.

However, Cruyff broke the mold, great great player, easy top 10, some say top 5, huge influence as coach as mentioned above by LFC.

Probably the greatest player who then coached of all time.
 
lets not leave out Pep, sure not a out and out top bar player but his coaching success is one of the best around modern times.
Yes like Zidane he sure has been with top shelf and spending clubs but he refined what he was coached as a player.
The Barca years were peak brilliance.
BMunich tenure it was a given being its not as competitive but at City, well having all that oil $ he built a brilliant squad in a far more competitive comp, especially vsing Klopp/LFC.

Also there is Ancelotti - ex player with heaps of trophy's also became Top manager bagging even more across Italy/EPL/L1/Spain/Bundas.......

LVG despite his success earlier and yep was brilliant went backwards as he aged from my viewing also rubbed up many with his dogged typical Dutch mentality, players would have got pissed as well.
Failed at United - yep it was in a hole.
Failed twice with their NT and this one had a dam good team and bottled it V Morocco.
Again he did set the bar way back in Spain thats no doubt.
 
Decentric said:
Very harsh.

On paper our 2 most successful coaches at the WC. They are Aussie coaches too.

Would like us to play more expansive football though.
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Are you talking only Aussie coaches or World Cup Socceroo managers.

But when you go on the field and not paper the result is the better than Ange and BVM and probably behind Pim and definitely behind Rasic, Guus and Arnie.

Rasic made last 16, Guus last 16,
Pim grouped (but very close) Ange (grouped but incredibly hard group), BVM grouped,
Arnie last 16 (first with two group wins)
Popovic (last 32 after our easiest every group and easiest knockout opponent)
 
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