Welcome!

By registering with us, you'll be able to discuss, share and private message with other members of our community.

Sign Up Now!

The Australian National Football Team General Discussion*OFFICIAL*

Quicky said:
Part of the US trip? NZ, USA and Canada are pretty dull opponents with little variety in playing styles. I would have liked to have games against some latin flavoured teams for the US trip.
Click to expand...
Wholeheartedly agree!
 
NoMates said:
I think whole general public feel let down by this and so would Ch10 and Paramount, everyone loves the do or die games and for TV the play offs rate the highest so Ch10 and Paramount miss out on lucrative matches to sell add revenue on these games plus the FA miss out on ticket sales for home play off matches. I mean it’s good we qualified directly but the implications of not doing it the hard way everyone misses out on that extra revenue and games on TV. Buy the time the Socceroo's play at the world cup they will be much forgotten with the hype of plays offs gone people will just move onto the next phase of their life like AFL and NRL.
Click to expand...
I was pleased to qualify in this last phase.

However, you’ve raised some good points given our unique Aus football scenario.
 
Decentric said:
I was pleased to qualify in this last phase.

However, you’ve raised some good points given our unique Aus football scenario.
Click to expand...
Australians love the underdogs statice and i think this differs from reg football fans compared to the normies - As football fans want to Qualify directly but when the Socceroo's play in do or die games the whole country comes together and show support. The win against Saudi was mute due to it being behind a paywall with a lot of people wanting to watch the game hell my mum got up to watch it only to find it wasn't on Ch10.
Just compare when we beat Honduras in 2018 and Peru in 2022 to now? Sure the win over the Saudis made the news but there just wasn't any mass hype like with people in the streets celebrating like we had seen with the Peru match etc. The win over Japan made more hype then the last match again going back to being the underdogs.
I mean no one wants to see 1997 play offs all over again or 2002 it kills us but it also brings us all together.
Then you have the revenue Play off matches bring, sponsors for advertising on TV and ticket sales on home games. Its a big lose for the FA and Ch10/paramount +.
Ill be still watching the AFC and then Intercontinental play offs as i hope Asian can have 9 sides representing the continent.
 
Last edited:
NoMates said:
Australians love the underdogs statice and i think this differs from reg football fans compared to the normies - As football fans want to Qualify directly but when the Socceroo's play in do or die games the whole country comes together and show support. The win against Saudi was mute due to it being behind a paywall with a lot of people wanting to watch the game hell my mum got up to watch it only to find it wasn't on Ch10.
Just compare when we beat Honduras in 2018 and Peru in 2022 to now? Sure the win over the Saudis made the news but there just wasn't any mass hype like with people in the streets celebrating like we had seen with the Peru match etc. The win over Japan made more hype then the last match again going back to being the underdogs.
I mean no one wants to see 1997 play offs all over again or 2002 it kills us but it also brings us all together.
Then you have the revenue Play off matches bring, sponsors for advertising on TV and ticket sales on home games. Its a big lose for the FA and Ch10/paramount +.
Ill be still watching the AFC and then Intercontinental play offs as i hope Asian can have 9 sides representing the continent.
Click to expand...
Excellent post, NM.
 
Pat Jennings wrote:

'What has Teague done to place him above Triantis, Balard and Nisbet?

He has played the last 2 ALM finals. In one Nisbet was the MOM. In the other a winger as a CM was MOM.

Teague should be considered as a squaddie at best. We have better players than him, his age and younger.'

All good points made by Pat Jennings. Fair play to PJ.

I've transferred this from Aussie Abroad, because it was derailing the thread - my fault too.

I listed 7 criteria Aus national team coaches use to evaluate players, and that all players have strengths and weaknesses.

1. Technique - 4-5 specific areas
2. Ball-winning capacity - divided into 3 facets.
3. Game sense- individually - and - ability to follow a team game plan and work cohesively in a team unit.
4. Football conditioning.
5. Communication.
6. Mental strength.
7. Leadership and experience.

I'm also a bit frustrated that so many G and G posters think that players like Triantis are so much better than what we have.

Moreover, that they don't recognise that Popa ( with vast experience as a coach) will have evaluated the likes of Triantis and Balard playing with, and against, Socceroos on the training ground in camp, comparing like for like.

My position is that I'm surprised that Popa with 18 points from 8 games, 5 wins and 3 draws, including 5 matches against really strong teams Japan 1 and 2, Saudi and Indo, does not receive more support and admiration from the Aus football community.

After 2 games with a dejected Arnie ( who had great success until recent times) the Socceroos had 1 draw against Indo and 1 loss to a mediocre Bahrain in the last home and away WCQ round.

Nisbet - is a different case. Have been very impressed with him at CCM and his last Socceroos game.

I think he may not have been very involved a lot with Ross County in Scotland (I might be wrong), and, he has moved to Eeerste 2 in Netherlands, not the vaunted Eredivisie.

From what I've seen to date, Nisbet should be close to selection. I also subscribe to the notion that national team coaches select Socceroos, not overseas club coaches.

Criteria 3, 4, 6 and 7 could have been decisive factors in Teague being selected over Triantis for China and Japan 2.

In criterion 2, Teague won a lot of hard balls against China with a plus 7 ledger, contesting 8 unique 1v1 duels.

Teague didn’t get to as many against Japan, but still won 3 out of 3 unique 1v1s contested in the first 45 mins.

Against Saudi when he came on as a sub, he contested 5 unique 1v1 duels, with a plus 1 ledger.

So Popa has selected a good ball winner to screen the defence in Teague. Teague will only get better at his age, and at his stage of his career isn't as good as O'Neill as a 1v1 ball winner - yet - who was outstanding whenever O'N was on the pitch.

Criterion 1- Nisbet is a decent technician - better with first touch, handling speed, passing and moving in tight paces, dribbling, than Balard and Triantis.
As Number Ten, Nisbet is better in Criterion 2 than Teague in an attacking context. However, Teague's passing as a DM/midfield screener against China with 1 and 2 touch passing was as good as O'Neill's - which amazed me! Not as good as his Melb Vic DM teammate, Jordi Valadon, though.
 
Last edited:
🪜📈 We climb two spots after the latest release of the Men's FIFA Rankings.

We jump into 24th in the world, while gaining 24.02 points following wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia. 👊

🗞️ More details: bit.ly/FIFA-Rankings-July25

#Socceroos
 
JS96 said:
🪜📈 We climb two spots after the latest release of the Men's FIFA Rankings.

We jump into 24th in the world, while gaining 24.02 points following wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia. 👊

🗞️ More details: bit.ly/FIFA-Rankings-July25

#Socceroos
Click to expand...
I think 24 flatters us.

I'd love it to be true, but we aren't that good.
 
Mr Cleansheets said:
Scotland down to 47 I note.

Would love to see a match between Oz and Scotland. The contempt for Oz football and footballers on Scottish forums is breath taking.
Click to expand...
Sad to read this.

I'd love the Socceroos to play Scotland in Africa, West Asia, South Asia or South America. Scotland would be right out of their comfort zone, climatically and culturally.

Aus is a battle hardened global team, with vast experience in tough conditions. Also, used to being underestimated. Aus may have even had more tough games against international powerhouses.

Scotland isn't. They've rarely ventured out of UEFA for decades.
 
Decentric said:
Sad to read this.

I'd love the Socceroos to play Scotland in Africa, West Asia, South Asia or South America. Scotland would be right out of their comfort zone, climatically and culturally.

Aus is a battle hardened global team, with vast experience in tough conditions. Also, used to being underestimated. Aus may have even had more tough games against international powerhouses.

Scotland isn't. They've rarely ventured out of UEFA for decades.
Click to expand...
I'd love to play them at the World Cup but...
 
Decentric said:
I couldn't get a hit on JS's link.

Where is Aus on ELO, Grazor?

Where is Japan on ELO and FIFA rankings? I still rate them much, much higher than us.
Click to expand...
we are 30th to japans 17th

World Football Elo Ratings

Ratings for national football teams based on the Elo rating system.
www.eloratings.net

Elo's can fluctuate quite a bit. Here is Australia, notice the sudden spike at the far right due to our last 4 matches. We are probably realistically slightly lower and having a short term burst of form
Screenshot 2025-07-10 at 10.21.14.png


Japan is here

Screenshot 2025-07-10 at 10.22.48.png
 
Mr Cleansheets said:
I'd love to play them at the World Cup but...
Click to expand...
So would I - in those continents I've suggested.

Scotland would completely underestimate us.

To the Dutch's credit, they are very respectful of Aus. Ditto those in the know in Denmark. Even Argentina stated in their media, what a high quality team Aus was in Qatar after they beat us. And that is what one expects at World Cups - high quality teams like Aus. Messi, the keeper and coach all said similar!

Peru thought we were a joke before they played us in the sudden death play off!
 
Decentric said:
So would I - in those continents I've suggested.

Scotland would completely underestimate us.

To the Dutch's credit, they are very respectful of Aus. Ditto those in the know in Denmark. Even Argentina stated in their media, what a high quality team Aus was in Qatar after they beat us. And that is what one expects at World Cups - high quality teams like Aus. Messi, the keeper and coach all said similar!

Peru thought we were a joke before they played us in the sudden death play off!
Click to expand...
So did Uruguay in 2005, even though they only beat us 1 - 0 at home before the Sydney match.

Probably the best night of my life, that one.
 
Decentric said:
I think 24 flatters us.

I'd love it to be true, but we aren't that good.
Click to expand...
In a team and game management we are but definitely not in skill. However, the rankings are flawed. Iran rank high and aren't very good resorting to a lot of time wasting and results only against ME teams over decades who all submit to them.
 
A game against Scotland would be really open. They can have their day and we can have our own stupid defensive lapses. We can also have a water tight day at the back but nothing forward. Gone are the days we score cohesively in open play.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top