I remember the 98 campaign really well as I lived in Aussie at the time. There are not very many times that a Kiwi living in Aus will cheer the home side, but this was one of them. Was a heartbreaking draw for which the Australians still blame the nut-job who ran on the field and broke the net.

Glad the Aussies move out of Oceania they deserve better than Vanuatu, Fiji and yes even NZ can offer.

If we can get somthing from Serbia and Germany next year skies the limit, the 2006 WC changed the nation forever, now football is in Australian culture.
Good article Daryl!

Australia would have made it to the quarterfinals too if it wasn’t for Cheatalia.

Watching that penalty decision still makes me sick, almost 4 years on. Both times Australia has gone to the World Cup, they have been beaten by the eventual champions (W.Germany in ‘74, Italy in ‘06).

Oh! Good and bad memories.

Heart broken 1998. The coach cried for days after, despite not so many cried around me.

We won 1-0 and we thought one away goal decided (everyone not only the manager and coaches). But Uruguay got 3-0 home, 2002. If it is a lesson, then it is better to play traditionally, “attack at home and defense away”. That was how Iran did to snatch the qualifier 1998. When everyone thought “no football” by Iran, they came up with 2 counter attacks. Like in the Asian game 2007, Socceroos still had not enough football sense and wisdom.

Guss Hiddink is a master. He fine tuned everything to get a marginal win over Uruguay in 2006 qualifiers; defense to keep deficit to a minimum of 0-1 away.

Pim Verbeek now is traditional too. Lost only one goal in the tournament.

Reiterate what happened 2006. Good strategy to change to sudden attack the very start of the 2nd half against Brazil. But when you attacked they got the breakthrough. Would it be better to block the Brazilians for 90 minutes? Then we might not have to face that very good Italy, apart from the dive.

That dive! So many tears around me. Hurted more and deeper than the 1998 disaster. Despite Blatter apologized to Socceroos fans months later.

What have we learned? Attack Germans next year, knowing they will reserve energies for possible 7 matches, or opt for a draw. I think conservative is better. Like Hiddink, fine tune everything. A draw is good for the opening match. Surely, the Germans will be conservative for the first game. A draw with the hot favorite team can put pressure on all other group members: German, Serbia and Ghana.

I love how everyone cries about the penalty decision but they all totally ignore the straight red card to Materazzi which was a thousand times worse. It may have been a yellow card but no sane person could ever say it was a red card worthy offense and that changed the game totally.

Thanks for being honest! “It may have been a yellow!” To my memory, the referee was close to what happened. And the player crowed together. Let me know if i can see it again in youtube.

A referee may give a red card if it is a dangerous action. Was that dangerous? Let me give an example. Many asked why Rooney was given a red card in the world cup. Apparently,Rooney stamped repeatedly with both legs and hurt no one should be punished with a free kick only, not even a yellow card. However, in video replay, we can see that Rooney’s stamping feet was just inches away from the opponent’s reproductive organ as the opponent had felt down already. Then that was a problem. The action of stamping was so dangerous. He was worth gotten a red card.

I am not saying that the incident of the “Socceroos vs Italian” was about reproductive organ too. I am saying that if the action is so dangerous that may hurt another player then the referee has the right to give a red card.

Let me give another example. If a player kicks high (up to the head level), or does a scissor kick that even-though not harms anyone yet may receive a punishment of free kick (or even a penalty if he defense in his box). It is because that it is a “potentially dangerous” action.

Thank you for the information.

I don’t support Italy usually, but the fact is Italy outplayed Australia even with 10 men. For the whole time Australia had a numerical advantage Italy looked more likely to score an d created far better chances. Although the penalty was a harsh way to end it, Italy deserved the win.

It’s true that the Italian half dived half tripped for the decider, but it’s not like Australia was up 1-0. It would have only gone to extra time and Italy had more quality in depth to force a winner, plus they can dive better!

Yes Australia is so great that they left their own conference so that they could easily qualify to a World Cup from the Asian Conference, now that’s what I call a “Winner.”

Could be easier, could go thru the North American conference :P

I used to be an Italian supporter until that dive. I tipped correctly that Italian won the 1982 WC. But now I care more about the Socceroos.

Surely, Italy was a better team 1996. But a better team is not necessarily a winning team. Apparently, they played better with 10 men. But for a experience watcher, they just played as they used to played after a man was sent off. Always they played “defense and counter attack”. This is their style from the very beginning of WC until now. They just defense the same with one less attacker.

After that “dive” or “half dive”, they just got chances of counter attack as usual.

If they could not win that “dive” or “half-dive”, how can one says they out play the socceroos. They, the Italian, were just playing defense as usual. Even, some said that into the extra time the socceroos could win eventually, or in the penalty shoot outs.

Another thing to remember is: the “half dive” was in the 5th minute of injury time, one more than the official injury time.

The phrase “half-dive” tells everything. It would be the best defense or pretext since that “half-dive” in 1996, and should be forged a new phrase in history. From then on a thief can say I “half-steal” so i am not guilty in front of a policeman or judge. “I am not guilty because I have done a ‘half adultery’ only because I have only made ‘half-love’ with my mistresses every time,” says Tiger Woods. So, Henry should read this blog for sure. Henry should say:” I ‘half handball’ only, I was not guilty.” It is specious, isn’t it?

Why that Blatter did not appear in the awarding ceremony of the world cup to the Italian team after the final? Why Blatter apologized to the socceroos fans? It is because that Italian team did not deserve to be in the final!

Please don’t tell me the better team should win. Why we have to play if the better team should be always the winning team.

“half dive”

“half handball”

Moving to Asia Football Confederation is not about easier qualifying only.

Firstly, it is about soccer nurturing and promotion. Like Daryl has written above: a win of 31-0 over Samoa. This means that the level of soccer in Oceania is very low. There were no competitions, no high level competitions to nurture generations of soccer players.

If in Asia is much easier, then why they could not win the 2007 Asian Cup. Not even in the final. Was it really easier? Surely, there are more “places” (4.5). If still in Oceania like before then they have to compete with the 5th of South America for half a “place” (0.5) in the final tournament.

Money is another advantage moving to AFC.

Totally agree with Shane that the Materazzi red was a shocker.

And thats the thing about sport. The winners get the glory. The losers console themselves by whinging about the refereeing. If the penalty had been missed and Australia had won in extra time I’m sure Italian fans would have been bleating about the red card and forgotten about the penalty.

I disagree with Nick about Italy outplaying Australia with 10 men. Certainly Italy were well on top before the send-off but Australia had the better of the game from then on. As you’d expect.

Tough draw for Australia this time round. Second round would be a big acheivement.

I enjoyed the reading

kmmak2000

I agree with most of what you say but let us not forget that Italy have a world cup history that far proceeds 2006. If you can call Italy dishonest you can also admit that they have been the victims of some very poor decisions and bad luck in the past. You will also have to see the faults in other teams such as Holland, Germany, France and many others who have taken certain dishonest opportunities to win games. Italy have been the enemy for four years and soon it will be someone else. The world cup in 2006 has only showed me how horrible people can be toward one another. I have never seen so much disrespect and cruelty amoung people as I have seen during that World Cup. This event is suppose to bring nations together in unity but all it does is create divisions and hatred. Before World Cups can become honest ALL men must become honest.

“…you can also admit that they have been the victims of some very poor decisions and bad luck in the past. ” Tell me some please John!

“You will also have to see the faults in other teams such as Holland, Germany, France and many others who have taken certain dishonest opportunities to win games.” Daryl is suppose to talk about the 32 teams. We will talk about those teams later. Why didn’t you mention “England”?

Your logic is: “there are so many thefts, rapists and killers around everyday life, so don’t talk about it.” Why we have a blog here? Why we can’t have a review and try to make the game better. Wouldn’t the game (soccer) go better if we keep every mouths shut? “Talk about it” or “not talk about it” will not make absolute fairness. But it may be fairer if we make a review on it. Let’s review and do better. That is the part of the game, soccer. “Talk about it” or “not talk about it” there are still thefts, rapists and killers. That is part of our lives. We need to talk about it hoping there may be less.

“The world cup in 2006 has only showed me how horrible people can be toward one another. I have never seen so much disrespect and cruelty amoung people as I have seen during that World Cup.” Please elaborate and give examples. I am a bit astonished by what you have said. Seems, you are like talking Vietnam War or World War II.

“This event is suppose to bring nations together in unity but all it does is create divisions and hatred.” The are unities in each and every country. We call this “affiliation”. I think, “This event is about bringing different soccer nations together to show their passion in soccer, effort, talents, different style of soccer playing and most importantly sportsmanship in a honest way.”

“Before World Cups can become honest ALL men must become honest.” What you implied is: “No games or matches are honest. It is because that there is no honest people in this world. Surely, before, now and future, we cannot have an absolute perfect world, then we will never have a perfect World Cup” What you implied is true. But that is what it is. Review and discussion is part of our lives and part of the game, soccer.

Everyone has a certain degree of love and hatred. But should there be no way of acknowledgment and venting through official and non-official means, then hatred might escalate and become the acts of hooligans.

Am I honest? Are you honest?

Summarize what Daryl and Nick said, Lucas Neill made a clumsy tackle and Fabio Gross capitalized by doing a “half dive”.

No kmmak2000, we should talk about it, but with compassion. You should always love and not hate even when you have every reason to. Venting your hate will only lead to violence.

“Please elaborate and give examples. I am a bit astonished by what you have said.” I do not wish to repeat any of the awful posts I have read on this website after the world cup final and don’t be astonished at what I say just open your eyes and your ears. For the worst hatred comes from men’s hearts.

Am I Honest? I try with every ounce of my being to be honest and I hope you do to. No need to respond as I will not return. Peace and Merry Christmas to you all.

No, venting in a good way will not result in violence, you are wrong, John. So, I am not honest?

“Before World Cups can become honest ALL men must become honest”. What you are trying to say is ALL men are not honest, so let alone World Cups”. This is a crazy advocation. We keep trying to make the game better. Review and discussion is one of the elements of the game.

So, Italy was disadvantaged or unlucky in the past, then they are legitimate to cheat. Similarly, the Australian coaches tell the players to cheat if unseen or there is a good opportunity. So, in the coming African World Cup next year, if a socceroos player cheats he should not be punished officially or un-officially because in 2006 Italy cheated on them. This is crazy. If soccer is heading that direction, then it is heading to demise. I will not be engaged in any soccer activity if this really happens. We are advocating “fair” play, the same as FIFA advocating.

Have you got any small “hatred” in your heart? How would you deal with it? I am telling you the best way is to talk to someone: to be understood and understand whether your thinking is right or wrong from the feedback of one who has heard you sayings. I have open my eyes and ears, and heart as well, to learn logical and sensible sayings, and ready to learn from them.

Merry Christmas

“…we should talk about it, but with compassion”, John.

Another very big word thrown at me: “compassion”.

Talk to a girl friend with “romance”. Talk to students with “seriousness”. Talk to audiences with “funs”. But how come “talk soccer with compassion.”?

I think we should talk soccer with passion. I don’t mind “talking soccer with compassion”, if soccer is developing in that direction. But tell me how? Give me examples.

Didn’t I compassionate enough in this blog? Didn’t I compassionate on socceroos? Or didn’t I not compassionate on Fabio Gross? Why should I be compassionate on Fabio Gross?

Haven’t you, John, talk soccer compassionately enough?

Accidentally, I discovered that there is “World Cup Team History: Argentina (Part I: 1930-1982)” in this site. And in this topic you John have an input, “Nice country – but terrible sportsmanship.” (December 11th, 2009 at 9:59 pm) Is this saying compassionate enough? I hope that “John” is not you, “John”.

I have my ears, eyes and heart open. I really want to learn how to “talk soccer with compassion”.

John…you never have a yarn about football with your mates over a beer, or in the backyard… We are just talking about a sport we love as fans – no harm in that. I have solved most of the worlds problems, wars, financial issues over a chat with mates. Haven’t once had a Nobel prize and not expecting one. Lighten up. :D

The Australian squad is weaker than 4 years ago and a coach that is not as accomplished. I think they will struggle to get any points in the Group stage. I am a huge Socceroos supporter but I think they are surely the 4th best team in the group. I really don’t know where the goals will come from. First thing for the coach is to get Mark Viduka to come back.

There was teen Michael Owen, then Wayne Roonie.

It was a bit worrying that the latest socceroos were too old. But, maybe, there are Tommy Oar and Matthew Mckay.

1 – 3 down to Italy. 0 – 3 down to Brazil. Honestly, who would think USA could advance in the 2009 Confederation Cup? They had just one more goal than Italy to do so.

Be optimistic!

In 1998, France won Brazil in the final with 2 simple headers by Zidane (3-0 final). Maybe, Joshua Kennedy can get similar goals.

I enjoy these entries, when are you going to finish them?

Dionee, they will continue after the Africa Cup of Nations. So expect more in early February.