cool thread

clearly qualifying for the world cup was a watershed moment for me

before that I played as a kid as was curious about the brisbane strikers and the socceroos but had trouble finding out how to watch. Fortunately I missed the iran game and argentina game but heard a lot of people talk about it. I did watch the 1-0 uruguay home match and read the paper report the next week on the loss, I was expecting to qualify since I knew little about international football. I remember seeing the score 3-1 in the papers. I'm guessing my memory is faulty and I couldn't bare to see the even worse score of 3-0 .

When I started watching the a league I remember seeing a Uruguayan player and being surprised he wasn't in the Uruguayan national team!

It is quite an adjustment going from other codes to football!

It was also strange seeing a couple of games of aussies abroad in europe before seeing the a league and how different the style was. The ball barely touched the ground in the A league in the first few years!

Wish I followed aussies abroad back when we had players in top leagues. Oh well, hopefully we produce that quality again one day

Rugby League/ football upbringing so it was both shaped balls in the backyard. My Australian grandmother brought a rugby ball home once and my Hungarian grandfather threw it over the back fence.

Football was all over the school playground and there was enough of it on TV to make you think it was something big. Still remember WC 98 starting and everyone in class had the guide and was trying to work out who would win.

Even at 9 years old I don't think my heart has ever been torn so much in football than Iran. Nothing has come close. Hannover European eliminations or relegations or Australia bowing out of a tournament just didn't hurt like that.

JS96 said:

Rugby League/ football upbringing so it was both shaped balls in the backyard. My Australian grandmother brought a rugby ball home once and my Hungarian grandfather threw it over the back fence.

Football was all over the school playground and there was enough of it on TV to make you think it was something big. Still remember WC 98 starting and everyone in class had the guide and was trying to work out who would win.

Even at 9 years old I don't think my heart has ever been torn so much in football than Iran. Nothing has come close. Hannover European eliminations or relegations or Australia bowing out of a tournament just didn't hurt like that.

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Lucky I didn't watch it I suppose though in a funny way I do feel I missed out since it is such an important part of our history. Bad history is still history

Biggest pain in a game I've had was a tie between our south korea quarter final loss at the last asian cup and the 4 nil walloping from Germany in 2010

I've escaped easily by comparison!

grazorblade said:

Lucky I didn't watch it I suppose though in a funny way I do feel I missed out since it is such an important part of our history. Bad history is still history

Biggest pain in a game I've had was a tie between our south korea quarter final loss at the last asian cup and the 4 nil walloping from Germany in 2010

I've escaped easily by comparison!

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In the heat of the moment I think the South Korea game is the 3rd worst in my own personal experience. Iran, Italy, SK.

It's just because we were seconds away and blew all those other chances.

To be fair we've gotten a lot of what we wanted. Syria, Honduras, Peru among others where it could've gone differently. It didn't, but those games left you shaking hoping it'd be alright.

The Tunisia game was so tense. I so wish Maclaren had gotten the assist to Leckie.

In regard to the thread question, it was 2018 WC Day 2. A hot summer Friday. Russian had beaten Saudi the day before in something of a anticlimax.

I went to a pub right after work and watched Uruguay win late against a voting Egypt. Had a workshop during Iran Morocco, drama at the death. It wasn't about the low goal count but the colour and excitement of a new tournament beginning.

Evening hit at a beer garden and Spain and Portugal played an epic. Some colleagues not interested in football asked why so many people were hyped. My response was the world cup at least is something you build up for over 4 years and in Australia's case it was very rocky. It was simply our turn to finally play in the tournament we'd worked to get to for 4 years. There's just something about the colour and hope early in a tournament that is good for the mood. Until you lose of course.

The follow day we played France then there we more matches.

melbcityguy said:

What's your first memory of getting into football

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And yours ? Considering you ask

Who got me in ?
My Popa
Had a soccer ball I suspect from the moments I could walk and family gatherings outside playing games with relos.
Memories playing at the catholic school playground and school teams in the local comps, I still have the collection of cloth flags you'd get for winners 2nd and 3rd places.
Gala Days omg they were huge when you were a little fella - knock out comps and Association Clubs march past's, huge procession.
All the area was packed and so so many people.
All this was leading up to the '74 WC.

Combination of the little PVC ball that was part of Happy Meals for the 1998 World Cup, and seeing my older brothers' trophies in our little wardrobe mirror nook, wondering how they were a thing considering I had never seen any live football at that point

Initially the 1970 World Cup in Mexico the brilliance of Brazil, Pele, Carlos Alberto, Jairzinho and England going out to West Germany, the Gordon Banks Save v Brazil in the group stages

As I am from Hull started watching Hull City a fair bit they were Div 2 back in the day had a decent team but its Liverpool that won my heart

The 1971 FA Cup Final which was huge back in the day was Arsenal V Liverpool as we did back then we picked a team – I picked Liverpool and they lost after extra time to a Charlie George banger.

From then on my Dad took me to Anfield a few times and when I was around 16-17 started going with my mates on the train to Liverpool stand on the Kop and pay around 50p (AU$1) to get in just glorious days watching Dalglish, Keegan, Heighway, Toshack and the like.

Never stopped supporting them since (over 54yrs now) as for playing I was pretty average Sunday pub team but just loved the game. Then my son started playing and of course I got involved with a little coaching until he was in the NPL and now my time is filled by watching him play and of course Liverpool

My sister's friend gave me his Sega Mega Drive. Don't know why, he was probably trying to score

Anyway, FIFA International Soccer came with it and I was hooked. Soccer was never part of my school days from start to finish, the schools and the students only ever played footy, cricket and basketball. I saw a soccer ball once in about year 10 I think haha.

The first match I remember watching was a Socceroos match in Oceania on SBS. Just checked the results from that era and there's only one match around that time, October 1996 away to Tahiti!

I never knew the NSL, it was never mentioned at school and I never saw it on tv or the news, even the bad stuff I don't remember seeing. When the A-League was getting off the ground it felt like a proper professional league was coming for everyone to follow.

If I had my time again I would've taken up soccer instead. But you don't know what you don't know. I wish they had "player days" at my schools, but I wouldn't have been surprised if those schools declined them anyway

Kevin Keegan71 said:

Initially the 1970 World Cup in Mexico the brilliance of Brazil, Pele, Carlos Alberto, Jairzinho and England going out to West Germany, the Gordon Banks Save v Brazil in the group stages

As I am from Hull started watching Hull City a fair bit they were Div 2 back in the day had a decent team but its Liverpool that won my heart

The 1971 FA Cup Final which was huge back in the day was Arsenal V Liverpool as we did back then we picked a team – I picked Liverpool and they lost after extra time to a Charlie George banger.

From then on my Dad took me to Anfield a few times and when I was around 16-17 started going with my mates on the train to Liverpool stand on the Kop and pay around 50p (AU$1) to get in just glorious days watching Dalglish, Keegan, Heighway, Toshack and the like.

Never stopped supporting them since (over 54yrs now) as for playing I was pretty average Sunday pub team but just loved the game. Then my son started playing and of course I got involved with a little coaching until he was in the NPL and now my time is filled by watching him play and of course Liverpool

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Man so jealous !
What a cracker time you had in your young days KK.
Growing up here obviously FACup final on the box here was on so bloody late was testing when I was a young fella - koffs like midnight or later but we hung in as budding football fanatics - our coach would have the whole team over to watch was a highlight being from here.
In the meantime as some posts mention never knew much of the game being afl or rubgy family backgrounds or who they hung around with.
Thanks christ for ethnic blood in my veins.
50bloody p, at the Kop - when I see the prices to day you swallow and think bloody hell.
The LFC players you mention were my idols from farfar away due to the strong english influence here and why they became my club.
Friggin Charlie George, beast of a player !

Prior to many quoting socceroo first experience highlights or drawcards we had alot more Div1 Clubs visit here back in the '70's doing their tours, like Stoke/Birmingham/Chelsea/Aberdeen/Belgrade and countless more......
Held at the Sydney Sports Ground, ol man would take us to games, they'd vs like a todays AllStars but were New South Wales, players plucked from the NSL.
I'd be at the ground marvelling at the visiting players, end of the game we could jump over run on the ground, the pitch was like carpet, I dreamed......
This combined NSW squad had some legends from the game here

Facinating reading some members history and experience.

LFC said:

Who got me in ?
My Popa
Had a soccer ball I suspect from the moments I could walk and family gatherings outside playing games with relos.
Memories playing at the catholic school playground and school teams in the local comps, I still have the collection of cloth flags you'd get for winners 2nd and 3rd places.
Gala Days omg they were huge when you were a little fella - knock out comps and Association Clubs march past's, huge procession.
All the area was packed and so so many people.
All this was leading up to the '74 WC.

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74 world cup! What was that like?

The qualification path was quite difficult and quite an achievement

I keep on forgetting some of you had a choice in the matter...I was brought up surrounded by family who all knew that football is life...
I'm told I was taken to Middle Park for the first time at 3 or 4 years old but earliest memories are probably at 6 or 7, kicking the ball around under the old scoreboard while wolfing down a souva.. occasionally returning to the terraces to check on what was going on on the pitch... and cold nights, up on the couch with dad watching some grainy black and white european or world cup match with sleepy eyes...

Like LFC, every family gathering, Easter, Christmas, New Years, Birthdays, Name Days, Baptisms, even at most weddings... teams where picked, jumpers where put down as goals and blood was spilled.........

Monoethnic Social Club said:

I keep on forgetting some of you had a choice in the matter...I was brought up surrounded by family who all knew that football is life...
I'm told I was taken to Middle Park for the first time at 3 or 4 years old but earliest memories are probably at 6 or 7, kicking the ball around under the old scoreboard while wolfing down a souva.. occasionally returning to the terraces to check on what was going on on the pitch... and cold nights, up on the couch with dad watching some grainy black and white european or world cup match with sleepy eyes...

Like LFC, every family gathering, Easter, Christmas, New Years, Birthdays, Name Days, Baptisms, even at most weddings... teams where picked, jumpers where put down as goals and blood was spilled.........

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Yep never saw an egg ball till I went to public school.
Only in high school did I actually first kick that stoopid shaped ball - learnt to do those torpedo kicks that was cool I suppose.
Used to watch those famed nrl goal kickers run straight to the ball toe bloody kick them - thought wtf these bogans like hurting or fracture their toes - well they learnt latter years how to approach to kick a ball properly approaching the ball from the side.
Wally’s I used to think.

grazorblade said:

74 world cup! What was that like?

The qualification path was quite difficult and quite an achievement

Click to expand...

It was a massive climb to qualify.
So so many games and semi pros - you didn’t consider that at the time - well not at my young teen age.
Apart from having a dad and relos following euro football - spouse I’ve been a euro snob all my life lol but also a proud Aussie - we’re lucky us types we have 2 badges of honour that some can’t comprehend.
Obviously the Azzuri I was behind since a kid and my dad zio’s and friends would be at our place some games very late - I’d hear them and don’t forget it was black and white tv.
Well they went ballistic the Socceroos making it because many were wog blooded Aussie players I suppose and the top anglos.
That 6nil Indonesia win here was epic.
Iran - even back then were friggin a bogey NT little did we know to play but to knock them off on aggregate was a bday pressie for me hence never forget.
My local grass roots club had interest for a fringe bench player was from our club.
He didn’t play a lot but credit where credit is due - one of his Roo shirts is framed in the clubhouse.
Players such as Richard’s Baartz Abonyi Alston Mackay Dougie Wilson throw them all in can admire how much they did and sacrificed for the love of the game and badge.
We were King of the minnows winning that Grp stage I suppose.
The Cup itself well that’s for the ages considering I think only 16 qualified those days - what a feat.

Older than most of you.Born in Sydney and when I was three went to live in the Netherlands-my old man was Dutch.Lived in social housing and from ages 4 to 6 played street football.The oldest boys would have been about 9 or 10 so to get the ball you had to scrap.
On Saturdays my dad took me to watch PSV Eindhoven and if they were playing away the other Eindhoven team who were mainly in the Eerste Division.

Came back to Australia and went to a RU playing school but often went and played proper football for a team in the Manly Warringah comp-this when I was 9 to 11.

I remember being taken to a theatre at Balgowlah and watching the 1962 WC(played in Chile) which was made into a documentary.

My dad used to take me to the old ES Marks field to watch Prague who were one of the top NSW Federation teams in the 1960S.Prague played possession football and actually played games against touring European sides such as Slovan Bratislava,FC Basel and Vfb Stuttgart and gave a good account of themselves.

I saw lots of other touring teams such as Man United( Charlton,Best and Law era),AS Roma,Everton,Chelsea and Moscow Torpedo playing against NSW and Australian rep sides.

I was in seventh heaven when the Socceroos qualified for the 1974 WC.They were semi professionals but did Australia proud in a tough group.

I now follow CCM and they have done well in the A-league despite some very lean patches.During the NSL I followed Marconi though rarely got to games.

Great question.

The first team I ever really took notice of was the Socceroos. I played football as a kid and went to a few Socceroos games with a friend at the old Sydney Football Stadium in the early 1990s. I was in the crowd the day we beat Canada on penalties and drew with Argentina in 1993. My Dad also took me to a few national team games when I was younger. So my first football love will always be the Socceroos.

But my favourite player as a kid was Ned Zelic, and I was absolutely obsessed with Borussia Dortmund. I went to a somewhat dodgy public high school that got quasi-taken-over (administratively) by the state government. They were happy to throw taxpayer money at us and my German teacher was smart enough to apply for it. As a result, I went on a two-week taxpayer-funded trip to Germany when I was 14 and the family I stayed with took me to my first Bundesliga game (1.FC Köln vs Borussia Dortmund at the old Müngersdorferstadion).

I moved to Germany as an exchange student for a year when I was 17 (I think I majored in the Bundesliga) and I shared a season ticket on the Südtribüne with a kid I knew from my high school in Western Sydney. (Long story. I grew up in a weird area). We used to go down to training from time to time to talk to the players, with varying degrees of success.

I hadn't been back to the Westfalenstadion in almost 25 years, but finally got back there last year for Marco Reus' final home game. They're a popular club these days and I had to lean on a connection to get in. (How popular? These are the club's own tickets! Second-last row of the stadium). I'd only ever stood on the Südtribüne in the past, so it was nice to get a different perspective of the ground.

I'm not sure why I was such a fan of the Bundesliga. I have no German heritage whatsoever! But I still watch it today, and I was glad to be able to take my wife to a place I was obsessed with as a kid.

LFC said:

What a cracker time you had in your young days KK.

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Mate knee high to a grasshopper stood on the Kop missed a shitload of goals as the crowd pushed down and swayed often had to fight to stay on my feet - had to wait till I got home to watch the goals on match of the day but wouldnt change it for a thing great days back then the other thing was the Kop stank of piss back in those days plenty of rolled up newspapers if you know what I mean