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World Cup Qualification Thread for 2026 - Socceroos/Asia

Also fine for Ballard to be picked. My only point is what more can Teague do? He’s playing well over the last 12
Months. He’s good enough
 
LFC said:
I'm just catching up on threads/posts having been away....wish I kept away haha with the understanding meltdowns I'm seeing re the coming game.
Who would have thought 20+yrs ago we'd be shaking in our boots and lacking confidence playing Indo come '25 !
I can't disagree mind you, really don't know what to expect but it sure will be riverting viewing very very soon.
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Who would've thought 20 years ago that the best player in the EPL in a team that is leading the premiership by 12 pts would be an Egyptian. Who would've thought 20 years the best team in the last 10 years Man City, is rebuilding their team around another Egyptian.
Football is far more global than it was 20 years ago.
 
Robbos said:
While not disagreeing with you, that removing the AIS, the NYL & academies did have affects on our ability to produce another GG.
However, football has changed & countries that were more on the Physical end of the spectrum (like we were in the early 2000s) has struggled, including England.
While the likes of Trimmers & Marovski were great in the NSL, likewise Archie Thompson at the start of the A-League, they were not superstars like Kewell & Dukes,.
Look at a player like Jackson Irvine, these are the players we used to produce, his CV is very good, captain of a Bunesliga side, one of the top 5 leagues in the world, but we know for all his industrious play, his skills, first touch is rather poor.
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whist I agree in the tone of your post not entirely re the physical apsect of todays game.
Ofcourse touch/ability has improved re wing backs etc BUT the physical side is still there in plenty.
Argies/Uruguay/Germans/Dutch/Spanish still go in hard when on the press and defending, just that all players have better touch/technique than the past gens.
 
Robbos said:
Who would've thought 20 years ago that the best player in the EPL in a team that is leading the premiership by 12 pts would be an Egyptian. Who would've thought 20 years the best team in the last 10 years Man City, is rebuilding their team around another Egyptian.
Football is far more global than it was 20 years ago.
Click to expand...
ofcourse it is a global game afterall - keeps expanding and openning doors.
 
Robbos said:
While not disagreeing with you, that removing the AIS, the NYL & academies did have affects on our ability to produce another GG.
However, football has changed & countries that were more on the Physical end of the spectrum (like we were in the early 2000s) has struggled, including England.
While the likes of Trimmers & Marovski were great in the NSL, likewise Archie Thompson at the start of the A-League, they were not superstars like Kewell & Dukes,.
Look at a player like Jackson Irvine, these are the players we used to produce, his CV is very good, captain of a Bunesliga side, one of the top 5 leagues in the world, but we know for all his industrious play, his skills, first touch is rather poor.
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I find it amusing that no-one has compared Irvine to Yedinak. Both had/has similar poor touch, yet managed to captain teams in a top 5 league and ostensibly both are/were one of the first picks for the coach each week in their club teams. And the funniest thing of all is that none bag Yedinak though acknowledging his shortcomings.
I suspect our performances would be less if not for the qualities that Irvine brings to the team.
 
LFC said:
whist I agree in the tone of your post not entirely re the physical apsect of todays game.
Ofcourse touch/ability has improved re wing backs etc BUT the physical side is still there in plenty.
Argies/Uruguay/Germans/Dutch/Spanish still go in hard when on the press and defending, just that all players have better touch/technique than the past gens.
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I totally agree 100% here, when I talk physicality, I'm also talking about running & athletes.
I take the example of Hendo & Milner under Kloop, they were physical beasts, they could run all day & their first touch were immaculate & their transition from defence to attack was very impressive on the counter. However they didn't have great ability to get behind a defensive unit.
While Argies had De Paul, they had Messi & D Maria.
 
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Hillbilly55 said:
I find it amusing that no-one has compared Irvine to Yedinak. Both had/has similar poor touch, yet managed to captain teams in a top 5 league and ostensibly both are/were one of the first picks for the coach each week in their club teams. And the funniest thing of all is that none bag Yedinak though acknowledging his shortcomings.
I suspect our performances would be less if not for the qualities that Irvine brings to the team.
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Yes exactly when Jedinak had Luongo & Kruse (pre ACL) under Ange, Irvine had Mooy & Rogic under Arnie, what has Irvine got now under Poppa.
 
Robbos said:
Who would've thought 20 years ago that the best player in the EPL in a team that is leading the premiership by 12 pts would be an Egyptian. Who would've thought 20 years the best team in the last 10 years Man City, is rebuilding their team around another Egyptian.
Football is far more global than it was 20 years ago.
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20 years ago Chelsea was building a squad around an Ivory Coast player while Manchester Utd favoured Ukraine and France.... Football has been global for a long time mate.
 
Monoethnic Social Club said:
20 years ago Chelsea was building a squad around an Ivory Coast player while Manchester Utd favoured Ukraine and France.... Football has been global for a long time mate.
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Ivory Coast was a very physical man, big & strong & dark.
Egyptians are Arabs, same as the players we play in the Asian qualifications.
 
huddo said:
DM midfielders who can distribute, whm? Who played as a DM for several seasons elevating a woodenspoon team to Grand final winners before moving into a more advance role because they can distribute and then won a JWM because of that said distribution?

But let's go for Teague....
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I would have picked Balard personally. Nisbet is better in a more advanced role imo and Popovic's system doesn't leave him with a role. I don't like Popovic's system for this reason, too light in midfield.

Anyway i'm just trying to explain why I think Teague got picked. I do think he places a lot of weight in having coached players before, I think that's a trust thing. I don't like that. This idea that Popovic is holding some sort of grudge is nonsense though imo.
 
I am going with a modicum of blind optimism this time round. I am calling 3 straight wins for our next 3 games.

Teague is a great team player. He combines with his teammates to improve the play. It was a similar story with Nisbet at CCM. They both improve the players around them. I cannot comment on Nisbet now because I have not seen him for ages but I rated him when he was with CCM and would have put him well above Teague at the time for the positive influence on attacking play specifically.

Based on the quality of general play in the Aleague, and the long time since the Socceroos last played, I am going into these games with a very positive outlook.

Once I see us playing on Thursday night and my distant memories get refreshed I might be brought back to earth with a thud. But for now - we are playing at home with a capable squad (not our best squad) and it is time we started to lift our national football ego again. I think we will score early and as long as Poppa doesn't try to protect the lead (no small hope) we will win it.

Come on you Roos. Getting bloody excited for this game.
 
Monoethnic Social Club said:
I don't follow your point?
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Well if you don't see that there is a greater array of talent from many parts of the world not only playing, but starring in the top leagues around the world then there was when Greece won the Euros then you aint looking.
Plus Drogba was a very good player, but Salah is a great player, probably the greatest to have played in the PL & he's an Arab.
 
Robbos said:
Well if you don't see that there is a greater array of talent from many parts of the world not only playing, but starring in the top leagues around the world then there was when Greece won the Euros then you aint looking.
Plus Drogba was a very good player, but Salah is a great player, probably the greatest to have played in the PL & he's an Arab.
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No mate, I dont agree with this... (I mean yes sure about Salah, is a phenomenal player) but about the spread of talent... You mentioned Greece's golden generation who pretty much ALL played in Europe for the big 5 leagues mind you, in and before 2004, now its special to have two Greek players in EPL and a handful in Portugal....

Ever since the 3 foreigners rule was stopped in (late 80s or early 90s) by UEFA comps and domestically there have been players from all over the world in the big 5 leagues... If anything more so 20 years ago than now.... Look at Real and Barce 30 years ago for example.... spot the Spaniard.
 
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