Zeroagainst

Our destiny lies beyond this World Cup

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2010-07-22T23:33:39+08:00

World Cup done and dusted. The body clock is back to normal, and I am weening myself off the increased doses of caffeine and late night vegemite toast.

Like many others I have been reflecting on what this World Cup has meant for Australian Football. The conclusion? The journey is just as important as the end result.

32 Nations fought long and hard for qualification and a chance to grace the fields of South Africa in the hope of snatching an elusive win, the chance to dream of taking the scalp of a Germany, Spain, Italy or Brazil. Socceroos fans around the country and the world dreamed of a repeat performance, and maybe, a better performance than last time, or maybe just a bit of Karma.

But, if I could take the liberty of getting all Les Murray-esque for just a moment, Football is not always a game that rewards hope or delivers justice. It is often a cruel master that punishes weakness and inadequacy as relentlessly as it deals out inexplicable results, undeserved victories and little reward for massive effort. Like life itself, the best and most gracious do not ways come out on top. A mirror to society, and a reminder that yes - life is hard. A team game, that requires a melding of minds beyond the 11 players on the field, the subs on the bench or the manager steering the tactics. And so many variables to throw off the best laid plans...vuvuzuelas, Jabulani, Pim Verbeek etc.

Cruel Master.....

So when there is imbalance, uncertainty, a chink in the armour, lack of resolve and just downright poor decision making, we get results like the one for the Australians against Germany at this World Cup. Football, however, like life, can also spring a surprise and turn of fortune like no other sport. As football fans we know this, and this tension is what addicts us to the game.

What the Australian general sporting public are also beginning to realise, though, is that as one tournament comes to a close, so many new opportunities arise for the game. The talking points are massive no matter what the results. New managers, Asian cup campaigns, a new set of qualifiers to play, new young stars emerging, a new A-League season - these just scratch the surface of what we have to look forward to seeing and reading about. The implications of Australia as a respected world football nation, as we now undoubtedly are, mean that our football destiny is not tied up with making the second round of a tournament, or playing friendlies against England to a sell-out SCG. The exposure the game gets from being part of a massive world movement should sustain it in perpetuity.

Our destiny lies beyond this World Cup, and in fact it lies beyond any World Cup. It is tied in to the swelling tide of momentum that simply comes with being part of World Football..

So was I disappointed we did not make the round of 16? Yes. But this World Cup lacked the overwhelming urgency for success that lingered over Germany '06. It was not do or die for the game in Australia, because with every year that passes, with every event, it is becoming clearer that we are mixing comfortably into the company of other nations who love the game.

So it eased the pain. We should enjoy the ride, and look forward to the next four year journey and all that it throws our way.

This article appears in Half Time Heroes World Cup Review Edition

Get it!

Awesome Germany

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2010-07-04T21:00:25+08:00

No diving. No whinging. No theatrics.

Just pure Football.

Cruel Kewell World

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2010-06-20T01:45:15+08:00

If it's not his groin, it’s his arm. Harry Kewell’s body parts are once more the talking point of Australian Football.

For proud Aussie fans watching World Cup 2010, it hurts, because the slow motion and stills give us the real answers. There is movement of the hand, but it seems to be associated with an attempt to chest the ball. Look at his head though - perfectly still - he has no idea, the ball is coming so quickly. Deliberate - no way! Unfortunately however, if the arm is extended from the body, it is deemed that way.

Harsh, harsh luck. Whatever the case, proud Socceroos, you can hold your head high.

images via Videos : Ghana v Australia : The World Game on SBS

Footage Found: Aus v Chile WC 1974

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2010-05-01T22:53:53+08:00

Stuff of Legend, and our only points in the 1974 World Cup in Germany..

If you are trying to put faces to names, the line up looked like this:

[1] Jack REILLY (GK)
[2] Doug UTJESENOVIC
[3] Peter WILSON
[4] Manfred SCHAEFER
[5] Colin CURRAN (-83')
[6] Ray RICHARDS
[7] Jimmy ROONEY
[8] Jimmy MACKAY
[11] Attila ABONYI
[12] Adrian ALSTON (-65')
[20] Branko BULJEVIC

Substitute(s)
[21] Jimmy MILISAVLJEVIC (GK)
[22] Allan MAHER (GK)
[9] John WARREN
[10] Gary MANUEL
[13] Peter OLLERTON (+65')
[14] Max TOLSON
[15] Harry WILLIAMS (+83')
[16] Ivo RUDIC
[17] Dave HARDING
[18] John WATKISS
[19] Ernie CAMPBELL

Coach
Rale RASIC (AUS)

Now and Then

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2010-03-26T17:56:06+08:00

What would a pub conversation between a football fan of the past and a football fan of the present be like? In the week after the stunning close of A-League season 5, Zeroagainst draws a literary long bow to help you find out.

Present: The A-League Grand Final only drew a shade under 45,000 people this weekend. Disappointing really. I was expecting over 50,000.

Past: 45,000 people! What..the Glory vs Brisbane Strikers?

Present: No, no - Sydney vs Melbourne....exciting game - just a pity it wasn’t on free to air - so many more people would appreciate the game if it wasn’t only on Fox.

Past: Wait..you mean Michael J Fox has a soccer show on Channel 7? Does it air before midnight...my boss is losing patience with me at work because I keep sleeping in after watching NSL Match of the Day at 1am in the morning after Hour of Power and the re-runs of Skippy.

Present: No, not Michael J Fox...FoxSports - you know...PayTV? Looks like they will even get the World Cup broadcasting rights. At least we’ll get to see Australia at the World Cup on free to air this year, for the last time...

Past: What, the Rugby world cup?

Present: No, idiot, the World Cup. The FIFA World Cup...

Past: The Socceroos are in the World Cup? What? You mean we finally grabbed one of those half places FIFA throw our way every four years?

Present: No... that was part of the last World Cup..This time we qualified over 6 games via the AFC - the Asian Football Confederation.

Past: Wait..we are part of Asia? We have made another TWO WORLD CUPS?

Present: Yeah this is our third campaign. But we will struggle to make it to the round of 16 this time - they all know what to expect from us.

Past: Wait you mean we made it through to the SECOND round of the World Cup! What happened, did we naturalise half a dozen European footballers?

Present: Umm, no actually the first team Socceroos play in top leagues all over the world and A-leaguers get snapped up by clubs abroad every year.

Past: That would make Soccer Australia happy, I bet.

Present: Mate, soccer is regularly called Football now. We even have a Football Federation of Australia.

Past: That’s something! Same old personnel though I bet...

Present: No - you don’t understand - there was this thing called the Crawford report..Anyway, it doesn’t matter. I am just worried that the new A-League teams that came in this year aren’t doing too well There is a new team in Melbourne next year, and a second Sydney team coming - the game is growing too quickly and the clubs are losing money.

Past: Hang on. There are new clubs forming every season, but they are losing money? How does that work....? People are still running scared from investment in football, hey?

Present: Well, actually, they are lining up to invest. The FFA are pretty strict about business models and the like, though. Not every Tom Dick or Tony gets granted a franchise.

Past: Next thing you are going to tell me we are going to HOST a world cup!

Present: Well actually we are bidding for the 2018/2022 tournament hosting.

Past: Sheesh! That must be annoying the crap out of rugby league.

Present: Actually it's the AFL that's kicking up a stink.

Past: Don't tell me...they have a world cup now, too.

Present: aahh no mate....things haven't changed THAT much.

Past: Of course what was I thinking.... Now, if only we had our own Champions League...

This story also appears in the March 2010 edition of Half Time Heroes, Check it out!

Marquee means marquee.

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2010-02-10T21:21:15+08:00

Lessons for the A-League Season 6.

With some exceptions and a few surprises aside, crowds at the A-League this season have been disappointing to say the least. A couple of weeks ago, however, Robbie Fowler and the Fury pulled an extra 7000 fans on the Melbourne Victory average for the year. 27,000 fans came along to see Robbie Fowler, aka God, play against the Victory in the Melbourne Capital. In a season where a 12,000 gate is seen as a successful attendance, that crowd was a highlight for the year. It was clear that the fans came to see the Fury marquee, and it highlights an important lesson for clubs going into season 6 - we need strong marquee brands to keep building interest in the clubs and the competition.

What makes a marquee truly Marquee? I think clubs have lost their way on this a little. Marquee doesn't mean a player who was a star in the A-League last year, or a player with outstanding ability, or even a fringe Socceroo who has been playing 2nd division in Nepal and wants to come home to pasture. Marquee means Marquee with a capital M. Charisma, pulling power, a cult status with fans - and it’s not just about talent. A Marquee player needs to tick some pretty special boxes. Has he played for a huge team overseas? Did they sing songs about him at his old club? Has your son or daughter got a poster of him up on the bedroom wall right now? Has he got a personal line of Nike/Adidas/Puma clothing? Will Les Murray blush like a schoolgirl when interviewing him? You get the picture.

Of course he still needs to be able to play the game - I am not calling for Romario or Jardel re-runs here. But if many of these boxes can’t be ticked, then clubs are probably better off taking their money and paying for a guest player that can, even if it is for a handful of games.

No John Aloisi Marquee is going to get the average Premier League loving punter to the stadiums (despite this last fortnight’s spectacular resurgence). Not even a Serginho van Dijk or a Carlos Hernandez, no matter how electric they have been this year, is going to stir my Olympiakos loving uncle back to the game he once frequented weekly. David Beckham’s visit with the Galaxy in 2007 against Sydney uncovered a hidden glut of sport’s consumers looking for that Marquee factor. The Cove banner said it all on that day- “70000 people, we play EVERY week”. In a sport’s market saturated with competition, and lets face it, often ignored by the mainstream media, clubs need to keep thinking big.

If there is one thing that Season 5 crowd figures have shown us all, it is that the A-League needs to leverage the vast market of player talent that football offers from around the world, to snare the occasional superstar that adds an exotic flavour to the round ball game. Real marquee players provide the hook, and the atmosphere of a decent crowd this generates brings the buzz that will attract the curious and the old heads alike. Then its up to the football itself to keep them there. That’s a lesson for another day.

This story also appears in the February 2010 edition of Half Time Heroes, Check it out!

Rumour: Socceroo's World Cup strip revealed?

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2010-02-04T21:53:03+08:00

Football shirt mega-site football shirt culture reveal what they say is the Nike designed Socceroo’s Home and Away strip for this year’s football festival in South Africa, the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Pop on over to their site for a sneek peak.

Found: England World Cup Bid - Secret Weapon

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2010-01-20T18:27:30+08:00

Great shot of Bob Marley on Tour in 1973, stopping in at the local sports store to admire the wares. A big football fan, Bob Marley named his first son Ziggy after a soccer term that meant to zig-zag and dribble the ball. Anyone got a credit for this photo? - it’s a cracker......Don’t let the Pommie bid team see this image, it might push their bid over the edge.

Inside the mind of a 10 year old.

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2009-06-21T19:17:34+08:00

SBS’s Phil Micallef put together this transcript of an interview with the News Ltd Editor responsible for the Tim Cahill beat-up.

It’s an interesting insight into the way the Tele journo’s think. In the middle of this passage, the News Ltd Editor comes across as quite frustrated:

Football people get a very good coverage from Fox Sports, SBS and Fairfax. Why would any football fan buy the Telegraph, whose coverage of the game is at best unsatisfactory? "I genuinely believe that we have the best soccer coverage of the main newspapers in Australia. Just because we don't publish what the FFA wants us to print all the time doesn't mean our coverage is unsatisfactory . The most passionate of fans might agree with what you're saying but I can assure you that the general public - and I'm not here just to put out a paper for soccer fans - gets a fair coverage of the game. Last year we had three soccer writers and you've done a bit of work for us too."

Yes, but for all the space you give football, one cadet journalist would have been enough, wouldn't it? "No, I disagree with that. By the way you keep referring to the game as 'football'. Why are the Socceroos not called 'Footballroos' then!"

Very simple, mate. The Socceroos are a brand and you don't change the names of brands. "But don't you think that for most people in Sydney going to the football means going to the rugby league!"

This guy truly comes across as a 10-year-old kid who can see his toys being taken away from him and cannot help but throw a tantrum...

The truth comes out a little later:

So can we expect a decent coverage of the World Cup next year?"Our coverage will be bigger and better than last time. Obviously the space we will throw at it will be determined by advertising support. Nobody supported the A-League when it started as we did. We had an eight-page liftout and had the full backing of the FFA. The Sydney Morning Herald throws a lot of space at rugby union because they get a lot of money from rugby advertising, we give rugby league plenty of space because we get a lot of money from rugby league advertising. If we get the same level of support during the World Cup we'll do the same with soccer...

And if you don’t, Mr News Ltd? I guess you’ll have to pay off a few more witnesses aye? Or how about a few faked emails?

Some Perspective..

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2009-06-20T10:58:13+08:00

Sun Herald Football Luminary Matthew Hall (www.twitter.com/Matthew_Hall) summarises the week that was for Tim Cahill saga:

In brief: "Tim's welcome anytime," claimed a guy called Mim Salvato, the owner of the bar where Cahill's shenanigans took place (or not).

And puts it all in perspective:

It's a jungle out there - as Cahill has discovered over the past few days. The saga is further complicated by News Ltd's financial interest in rugby league, a sport riddled at the professional level with so much controversy it should hold its own World Cup just for poor behaviour. Australia would be clear favourites but, on his worst night out, Cahill would struggle to qualify for that tournament.

It's clear the knives are still sharpened, even after all these years, ready to slash at any opportunity and despite the claims of 'support' of the FFA World Cup bid by rival codes. Australia faces a tough road to securing the hosting rights in either 2018 or 2022. Unfortunately, some of it's biggest battles will be within it's own borders, where our bid will be subject to deliberate thwarting through the jealousy, envy and fear of rival codes.

Batten down the hatches for another stab on the back page from the Sunday Tele tomorrow morning...

Jones Jumps to Cahill's Defence

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2009-06-15T22:25:52+08:00

Alan Jones on 2GB gives the Sunday Telegraph’s Neil Breen a huge serve over the reporting of the alleged incident involving Tim Cahill. Breen states a couple of times that the story had been raised to show how NRL players are treated much more severely than other sportsmen for any off field trouble they get into. It is clear the Tele has been feeling the strain of months and months of bad news for it’s betrothed NRL. Even if the allegations against Cahill were true, they hardly equate to the continuing and shocking record of anti-social behaviour by NRL players ‘out of hours’.

Now normally, I am no fan of the Jones’ bulldozer style of interviewing...but...um...somehow, I found no sympathy for the dinosaur on the other end of the line. I am sure many Football fans around Australia and back in Everton would feel the same way.

Click the link below for the audio:
Alan Jones gets stuck in

Australia's World Cup Bid 2018-2022 Launched

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2009-06-14T19:27:25+08:00

Despite News Limited best attempts to tarnish the occasion, the 2018-2022 bid got underway in fine style today in Canberra.

The Blatant vested media interest trying to blemish Cahill & the World Cup Bid being launched today was thinner on hairs than a Pim comb over. Just another Dinosaur trying to divert attention away from yet another NRL scandal. The fact that the telegraph editors RANG Buckley to DEMAND an enquiry is absurd! "We demand you make this a story!". Let’s see the CCTV footage. Let us see the Police Investigation. At LEAST get Chk Chk Boom Girl to fake an eye-witness account!

If the dinosaurs at Murdoch Press don't understand the sport and cannot cover it, their job is threatened and they become irrelevant, so the next best thing they can do is to bring it down. Same old story. Meanwhile, a successful World Cup bid would bring in multiples more revenue to the country than most major sporting events combined.

Click below to watch the official film. Its a cracker.

That'll do Pim. That'll Do.

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2009-06-07T12:46:46+08:00

We are a Football Nation torn.

On the one hand, we breath a collective sigh of relief as we gain a point in Doha and qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

On the other hand we have that familiar empty feeling that comes with winning ugly. Maybe we were spoilt by Guus Hiddink.

The analysers will tell us all that we need to change our system drastically to play and be successful against the European powers. The knockers will say they were bored to tears. The bandwagoners will puff up their chests and parrot the morning papers. Those of us old enough to own scarves and jerseys that carry words like ‘Australian Soccer Association’ and ‘Soccer Australia’ will remember the ghosts of qualifications past - cue the drama of the 1994, 1998, and 2002 campaigns.

For me, for the first time in a long time - actually, the first time ever - I found myself agreeing with ABC pundit Gerard Whateley’s comments on Offsiders this morning:

I do think that's why it's so important that we don't take this morning for granted. Because in all likelihood we won't make the next World Cup is the risk. I know it's not the celebration of kicking the penalty goal and having the signature moment, but I agree with you, I turned the radio news on this morning and it was the third item in sport and I think it should be the lead item in the news full stop.

We need World Cup qualification to get into the Nation’s sporting psyche. Let’s not take a World Cup qualification lightly. We ARE there, one year early, undefeated and with zero against on the group table. We may not be there next time around because next time we simply might not be good enough, lucky enough, smart enough.

As for South Africa 2010, yes, we have plenty of work to do. Verbeek has already given hints in his post match interview that the defensive and conservative approach is an important platform from which he can build. But, to build a team is one thing. To build a footballing nation though, we need World Cups under our belt, and that is the point.

We may be a Football Nation torn, but every time we qualify for a World Cup, we get closer to becoming a Football Nation.

Socceroos record TV audience..again

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2009-04-04T16:14:39+08:00

The Sydney Morning Herald Reports today that:

An average viewership of 431,000 tuned in to watch Pim Verbeek's men move to within touching distance of next year's World Cup, with a peak half-hour audience of 508,000 viewers...Nearly one million viewers tuned in at some point during the match, although the final figure does not include those who watched the game at Foxtel-enabled venues.

That’s a record audience for Australian Pay TV. I guess Fox will still be interested in renewing those television rights in a few years time.

Asian adventure pays off for the Socceroos

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2009-04-03T23:40:03+08:00

We always knew the path through Asia would be good for the Socceroos and Australian football. More games against meaningful opposition, a real chance to avoid sudden death qualifiers just months before the World Cup itself, certainly no hostile last minute playoffs against hardened South American opposition, and a new and lucrative market for its players and the local game.

During and after our first Asian Championship we also experienced the more difficult aspects of the move to the Asian Football Confederation. The broad scope of its membership meant that the National Team would be playing in hot, energy sapping conditions one round, then playing a freezing China the next. Pim’s lads would face relentless distractions in between, ranging from flightless chickens on the playing pitch to monotonic and mesmerizing drones over stadium loudspeakers, to fly in fly out 48 hour jaunts to who knows where.

However, this week’s victory against Uzbekistan at a stormy Sydney Football Stadium brought the acute importance of our move to Asia to bear in no uncertain terms. We have all but qualified for the World Cup 2010 a full year before the event even starts. Even though the hapless Qataris have left us with a little more work to do, our qualification is all but secured and we have the best part of a year to prepare for our second successive World Cup campaign.

It’s a far cry from the painstaking playoffs that plagued us in the 80s and 90s and the emotion charged qualification path in late 2005. We now have a year of preparation that will include yet another potential windfall for the FFA as we draw the attention of other top flight national teams. Talk of a match against the Dutch in Sydney or Melbourne has already started, and no doubt many a savvy promoter has pondered an Australia vs England matchup to build the excitement up towards South Africa 2010. The side will have time to consolidate combinations and experiment with variations in formation and approach (two up front, anyone?). In the mean time, there is still the Asian Cup qualification to keep the edge on and remind us all that football is a funny game and there are never any certainties no matter who you are or who you play.

However it pans out, the team that runs out for Australia at World Cup 2010 will have a solid preparation under its belt. We won’t be left wondering just what these Socceroos are capable of achieving. We’ll be watching in South Africa.

Anzac Day Football

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2009-03-24T22:49:56+09:00

The FFA has today announced an annual football match against the Turks to commemorate Anzac Day each year. It starts immediately this year with the young Socceroos playing in Turkey, and in 2010, a match will be held in Australia, with the hosts of the match to alternate from there - and depending on commitments in South Africa, it could be the full senior National Team that gets the guernsey.

Despite the cries of protest that you will hear from dinosaurs attached to the other codes over the coming days, weeks and on the weekend itself, you have to admit, it’s a pretty legitimate event and a masterstroke by the FFA- and not just financially.

This football calendar year, the Turkish Super Lig clubs poached players from around the football world, including names such as Roberto Carlos, Milan Baros and our own Harry Kewell, and spent upwards of 50 million pounds stirling in the process. The Aussie roll call extends to Bruce Djite, Mile Jedinak, Michael Petkovic and James Troisi

The Turkish version of Foxtel, Digiturk, bought the television rights to the league in 2004 for 135.85 million New Turkish lira (US$99 million). Did I mention the Turks are football MAD? No doubt there will be a decent attendance when games between the flagship teams are eventually played each year, and no doubt the FFA will earn some extra dough from the deal.

The big rub, however, is the geo-political advantage of having a mate (pardon the Anzac Day pun) on the border between Europe and Asia. As the SMH reports:

With Australia lobbying for the 2018 World Cup, this could prove vital given Turkey's influence on Eurasian football and the Islamic world.

Yes, Rebecca, we have bigger fish to fry than out-doing Rugby League, AFL and Union on a public holiday weekend. This is where the big boys play. It is the World Game after all ;-)

FFA using viral video to promote the Sydney WCQ?

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2009-03-18T22:35:30+09:00

Apparently, yes.

Ad Agency Lowe, based in Sydney, has made this viral video to promote the April 1 Uzbekistan vs Socceroos World Cup Qualifier in Sydney. Looks like it is soaring across the interwebs. According to twitter sources, it is in the top 100 You Tube clips this week.

Help the cause by clicking play below....

Soccer (sic) threatens cousins sellout Part 2

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2009-03-01T23:55:26+09:00

Melbourne Victory vs Adelaide United @ the Telstra Dome.

Attendance: 53,273 (a sellout).

Ben Cousins vs Collingwood Men’s Netball Team @ the very same ground two nights earlier....

Attendance: 37,121 (not a sellout).

I know....one was a Grand Final (Football) and one was a pre-season cup match (AFL)....and that’s exactly why there should never have been any debate.

Thank you and goodnight.

Mission Ugly

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2009-02-11T23:32:36+09:00

Japan 0- Australia 0

Australian players raising there hands in the air in celebration at the fulltime whistle was a tell-tale sign. They had a mission to come away with a result at Yokohama, and as ugly as it looked, it was mission accomplished. For 90 minutes there was surge after surge of Japanese attacking play that could just not find the final pass, or moment of brilliance to strike a killer blow. It seemed like the dam would break and the goals would come flooding, particularly in the last quarter of an hour where we continually lost the ball in midfield.

Tim Cahill was visibly upset at being replaced towards the final whistle. Understandable for a top flight competitive athlete. But it is a manager's job to marshall the talent and keep the eye on the prize. Keeping Cahill and Kennedy on the pitch, together, may have been the most obvious choice, indeed the Japanese probably expected the move. However, sticking with the lone striker paid dividends for Verbeek in terms of our chances of qualification to South Africa. Granted, not so much for the purists who despise the one striker solution.

Schwarzer once again pulled off routine yet solid saves to keep Australia in the match. Craig Moores experience in top flight football helped put the lock on the chain. Lady luck slipped the key into her breast pocket, and we survived. A deflected shot spraying wide when a Japanese goal seemed certain provided an elegant synopsis. Japan, after making this match the focus of a 5 week training camp, and in front of a fantastic but expectant home crowd, was under too much pressure to get a win, and they simply could not step up. For the Aussies to come away from the game with a draw is one thing. To keep Japan scoreless at home with just a couple of days in camp, a weakened midfield and a raft of injuries is another. Although we are not mathematically there yet, we have one big fat green and gold toe in South Africa.

Soccer (sic) threatens cousins sellout

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2009-02-04T22:10:15+09:00

Jackass of the week this week goes to Greg Denham of ‘The Australian’ for his story on how the A-League finals could, via a combination of wins and losses to certain teams in both the A-League finals and the AFL pre-season cup, prevent a debut in front of home fans for the troubled player. It’s too convoluted to explain - have a look at the link.

So what is Mr Denham’s point? That Football is denying AFL fans a chance to see poster boy Cousin’s return?

Although thats implied in the headline, reading a few lines further reveals all:

The (AFL) league yesterday said it would be more profitable to play it at Subiaco Oval, based on a similar attendance figure. In Perth the AFL pays a lower ground rental than at Telstra Dome and has better stadium rights. It has less access to revenue streams at Telstra Dome...

Don’t let a ‘soccer’ bashing headline to grab a readers attention detract from the truth, aye Greg? And what about the inevitable sellout of the Dome by Melbourne Victory fans if they make the football final?

Eee-owwww!

Fowler a coup for Fury

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2009-02-05T01:06:03+09:00

Not since Dwight Yorke have we had a player of such calibre grace the competition; A player who will get the turnstiles ticking over; A player with a chequered history, no doubt.

Despite his indiscretions, this guy is the fourth-highest goalscorer in the history of the Premier League (120 goals) - Scowsers still refer to him simply as ‘God’, and still at the relatively young (as far as marquee imports go) age of 33, he has the potential to deliver big time.

Pic via Tenacious T

With crowd averages dropping back to season two levels in this fourth season, the FFA has been banking on the addition of the Fury and the Gold Coast to inject some more variety into the fledgeling competition. They will be over the moon with this signing, following on the heels of Gold Coast’s Jason Culina signing a few weeks ago.

It’s easy to see why. If you are a Liverpool fan over the age of 20....hell, if you are a football fan period, you’ll put your backside on a seat when the North Queensland Fury rolls into your town. Players like Fowler are the guys we grew up, or grew old watching, and they are coming to a town near you.

I’ve written about the tremendous advantage that football, as a truly world game, has over and above all the other domestic competitions in this country. This is yet another example of what a global talent pool can offer the Australian sporting market.

Season 4 is barely over, yet the buzz for season 5 is well and truly building.

Will you two goons just get a friggin' room.....

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2009-01-18T00:21:53+09:00

Mr. and Mrs Old Soccer, Frank Farina and John Kosmina, have been at it again this week, with the jibes and comments coming thick and fast. Once again, rather than focusing on his failure to extract a win for the club that should NEVER miss an A-League Finals series, Kosmina grabbed the pressroom headlines with a bizarre tirade against his ‘mate’ Farina after another sideline incident.

Frank will no doubt keep his job next year at the Roar with what potentially could be a top two finish after next week’s final round. With Craig Moore doing his best impression of Ronald Koeman slotting pinpoint passes from 40 m, Charlie Miller back on the pitch and looking sharp, and the dutchman Van Dijk finally taking opportunities in front of goal, they may give the Reds and Melbourne a rattle at the top.

Kosmina, on the other hand, has to go, and the sooner the better for Sydney FC. See you next year Sky Blues.

A-League's plumbing will see it through

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2009-01-11T11:54:01+09:00

There has been much wringing of hands of late regarding the A-League’s ‘player drain’ - a particular favourite of the bandwagon media dinosaurs that see the loss of talent overseas as a key reason as to why the game will never take off in this country (I don’t want to drag Wilson back into the discussion, and I wont be linking to her link baiting article....I am sure you have all seen it), but also a genuine concern for all who support our young competition.

Many have written about the fact that losing our best is just a fact of A-League life.

The way I see it, however, it is also the key to the Leagues success, and the point of difference between it and other codes. Let me explain by taking the drain analogy a little bit further......

Its a Kewell, Kewell world

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-03-30T18:37:07+08:00

The troubled one, Harry Kewell. is set to make his return next month, after 9 months of rehabilitation.

We all know the cliche line: The man they apparently call 'sick note' has never been able to consistently reproduce the mesmeric form he had at Leeds, form that opened doors to Chelsea, Arsenal, Barcelona and his boyhood fantasy club, Liverpool FC.

But the glimpses have always been there since those times - wonder goals for the Reds, ripping Uruguay apart in Sydney and just being on the spot vs. Croatia to send us hurtling into our quarter final frenzy. There have also been the heartbreaks - coming off injured in the Champions League Final, or hobbling onto the bench straight from the dressing room before the Italy QF.

He'll run out in a reserve grade team for Liverpool, and once again we'll all hold our collective breath and hope he won't tweak, pull, tear or break anything in the leadup to the Asian Cup. So it was for the lead up to the World Cup in Germany, so it is again this year for I-M-T-V.

The buzz around the football web used to be that without Harry, we were always behind the eight-ball. Since his enforced absence, however, the National Team has thrown aside the need for the 'one saviour' crutch. The total football approach of the Hiddink era re-inforced the fact that no individual is greater than the whole team. Sure, Australia is a far better side with him in it, but now I think its more that Harry adds a new dimension to our attack, rather than being a crucial linch-pin that keeps the wheels on the wagon. I would worry more if a Vinnie Grella or Jason Culina were unavailable for the AFC Finals because that type of player has a larger impact on our overall system.

Now the talk is of Harry moving on from Liverpool, and I imagine the Asian Cup Finals and his return this year will outline his destiny for the years to come. For a guy who has had so many troubled weeks of injury, he is still the best player we have ever produced. Hopefully this won't be yet another heartbreak return, and we'll see him in Sydney and Melbourne again in June.

Best of luck H, break a leg....

Pim is coming up trumps

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2008-03-29T18:24:33+09:00

In my opinion, the Socceroos draw with China this week has solidified Verbeek's position as the man to take us to the 2010 World Cup.

The way the guy responded to the late injury dramas, his ability to think outside the box and utilise an otherwise pedestrian Brett Holman in such a way as to frustrate the Chinese shows he has the class and nouse to get us through.

Although we were impotent up front, that was not the point of the exercise; We clearly have a manager that can get a team to stick to a game plan and see the big picture, despite trying conditions.

3 goals for and zero against after two games, on top of the table and two points clear, with a round of two home matches and two away coming up in June.

Its looking good.

Forsatti foiled again...

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2008-02-06T18:23:03+09:00

Australia 3 - Qatar 0

Best moments of the match tonight:

1. Pim returning an out of play ball with a curling pass from a right foot instep.
2. Forsatti sitting on his chair with his head in his hands.

The Socceroos played inspiring, entertaining, quick flowing, and pressing football (at least for the first half, after which they got tired and needed a biscuit.......fair nuff......it's a long plane trip.)

Thank you. Goodnight.

A-League cracks a 15k average crowd for season 3

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2008-01-20T18:21:05+09:00

...when you take out the Kiwi Phoenix....

15,005 average for the home/away season.
14,610 average when you kick in the kiwi factor.

Very respectable.

[Thanks Ozboy]

We Want It All

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-11-06T18:19:59+09:00

Cockerill:

The football community in this country now wants everything, and it wants it now. The legacy of the World Cup is that expectations have been raised to unrealistic levels. Verbeek will satisfy the cultural cringe which demands a foreign coach for the Socceroos, but the honeymoon won't last long. Australia is not a major football power, at least not yet. But plenty of people think it is, as Verbeek is about to find out.

Sad but true.

Pim Verbeek lands the job

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-12-06T18:17:57+09:00

After much heartache, and heartbreak, courtesy of 'dirty' Dick Advocaat, Ben 'Mr. Invisible' Buckley has announced Pim Verbeek as the new Australian Senior National Team Coach - and the good news is he has signed until 2010 and he will live in Australia.

Pim - let me be the first to call him 'Pimmo' - sports a poor track record at club level but did help Aussie Gus with the sensational Koreans in 2002.

Wikipedia says

Pim Verbeek (born March 12, 1956 in Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland) is a Dutch football manager who was the head coach of the South Korea national football team until July 2007. Verbeek was also an assistant under predecessors Guus Hiddink in 2002 and Dick Advocaat in 2006.

The Korea Football Association signed him to a coaching contract on June 26, 2006 until 2008. His brother Robert Verbeek is also a football coach. Pim led Korea to a third-place finish at the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, guaranteeing them an automatic berth in the 2011 tournament. He resigned after the third-place game, however, saying he needs a break from coaching for approximately five months.

Note: Don't make the mistake of comparing his CV to Hiddink, Advocaat, Houllier et al. Instead compare him to a Troussier, Viera, Klinsmann, et al, or better still Frank Farina or Arnie.

We just do not have the $$ to do any better. So for the money I think Buckley did OK.

'Avago Pimmo!!!!!!

David Beckham and The Galaxy

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-11-27T18:16:22+09:00

What a gamble by the FFA. Anything could have happened, and almost did, with sprained ankles, punches and play acting all possibilities that never really materialised.

Now every paper you pickup is splashed with the success of the night. People in the streets are discussing how Beckham 'Bends it'.

Worth the bucks to bring him out here? - no doubt. Worth the risk of it flopping? Could have been soccer bashing fodder for many, but even the bashers will find it hard to deliver drivel in the face of the theatre of the curling free kick, the ankle scare, the good ol' aussie blue, the red card, the embraces with Juninho and Middleby, and the pictures of the crazy fans. And Beckhams media magnetism.

Kudo's to FFA. And to Channel Ten, thanks for commercial free broadcasting.

And to the Cove boys.."70000 people, we play every week" - a great banner for the occasion!

ABC Offsiders

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-11-24T18:15:11+09:00

I don’t know why I put myself through it every week...why I even bother watching a show I know is full of afl and rugby league cronies. But I do, and every single time i feel like vomiting on my tv.

It's just as much what they do not say as what they do. I expect to only get a few minutes of A-League coverage - I am used to that - but to not even acknowledge the Olyroos achievements this week, nor give a breath of information about the socceroos kicking ass overseas, let alone preview some freakin HAL matches just beggars belief.

With Barry Cassidy no longer hosting this show to provide even a mild temper to the moronic droning of the afl inbred journos and the tokenistic presence of a nsw old guard rugby league man Roy 'slap me in the face in the dressing room while I am butt naked' Masters, the only reason I would continue to watch the show is to see them keep bickering amongst themselves as to which code is the greatest, whilst the true football grabs a larger and larger foothold in this country.

The only highlights they did show this morning were of Kevin Muscat kicking an ad board whilst the skinny AFL journo (Whattley, or whatever his name is, who, I am told, makes his living pushing the horse racing barrow in Victoria) made some comment about how the crowds have been segregated, then went on to with a sarcastic commentary on the Beckham money spinner as if to infer that his beloved code would never stoop so low.

Problem is they can't reach that high buddy.....Demetriou can only dream about doing what the FFA can do regularly; set up a full house international 'friendly' match that draws over 80k a pop and generates instant $$..........oh wait a minute, thats right, AFL do play the 'test' against the irish...thats no sports marketing gimmick is it? But it is international - pity it's not even the same GAME.

Why in Isaac Newtons name they call the show offsiders is beyond me as, seeing as there is no offside in afl, and as afl is all they seem to talk about they may as well change the name to something a bit more representative of the insular codes that pay their wages. Or at the very least call it the Melbourne Sports Show, so I can turn off on a Sunday morning and go for a walk outside or something.

Guus, you f****d us

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-11-22T18:13:21+09:00

Russia slides through the final round of Euro qualifying under the blessed wing of Guus Hiddink.

The domino effect on world class football managers is set in motion as England bomb out, sack their Manager Steve MacLaren.

All of a sudden any remote (and I do stress *remote*) chance of the FFA signing a Mourinho or a Fabio Capello go out the door as they immediately declare their interest in the England job.

Which leaves us with a chance of snagging manager by email......Jurgen Klinsmann....or whatever his name is.

Newcastles favourite code

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-08-23T18:12:15+08:00

Despite what Jets owner Con Constantine has been telling people, it feels like the Coal City will always be a Rugby League Town.

However, to it's credit, the Joey Johns daily, aka the Newcastle Herald, ran an interesting article comparing crowds for the Jets and the Knights.

Although some of the logic is flawed - comparing the last 5 home matches for each team in a way that presents as if they were played at the same time, the bottom line result is very interesting....

Jets past 5 home crowds-----------Knights past 5 home crowds
v mariners 14026---------------------v Raiders 11349
v Sydney 20980-----------------------v Rabbitohs 16320
v Mariners 14828---------------------v Roosters 15171
v Victory 19601------------------------v Dragons 12573
v Sydney 24338-----------------------v Panthers 14351

Total: 93773----------------------------Total: 69764
Average: 18754-----------------------Average: 13952

Before we get all hot and bothered though, it's worth remembering that the Jets last 5 home games were in a run up to trying to get a spot in the semi's (including the last game that was a semi). whilst the last 5 from the Knights have have seen them wrestling to avoid the wooden spoon - not exactly the type of run to the end of the season that makes you want to go out on a cold winters night and watch rugby league.

Speaking of not going anywhere, the new rugby comp is not doing well.......despite the spin.

Drop-ins from around the Football Galaxy

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-08-16T18:09:55+08:00

Michael Enfield, USA International and former member of team Galaxy, aka known as the team that David Beckham plays for now, may have had a few regrets when he joined Sydney FC right before David Beckham rolled into LA and put the entire LA Galaxy in the world spotlight, and potentially, in the world football shopwindow.

Doesn't sound like he is too worried though.

Enfield is a great example of a phenomenon that is starting to emerge as a feature of the A-League, and is a sign of a healthy future - the comp is a haven for those about to be great, or those who were great and want to be great again. The football is quality, there is exposure around the world and the crowds are decent. In fact when Dwight came here in year 1 A-League the talk was of 'retirement village', sunny weather and nightclubs - a great place to wind down the career.

All of a sudden of he goes to the north of England again - so much for the retirement village theory. The real story was he was struggling for form, came to Sydney, picked up some cash and enough confidence to captain his country in World Cup 2006 and is now back in the top flight EPL as part of Roy Keanes Sunderland.

Other examples of career resurrections are also there to behold - Alex came to Melbourne Victory, stayed a season despite the weather, and has now grabbed a nice little earner state side for FC Dallas.

This year we have Juninho - out of sorts with clubs in Brazil, and Super Mario Jardel, who so far seems on song and here to do the business. Even youngsters who left our shores are coming back to cut their teeth - I would've tipped Kaz Patafta to come back to Australia in twenty years, not just two, even on a loan out.

So what is Enfield thinking? He probably would have been surprised to find out that his new club was all of a sudden lined up to play his old club half way around the world, in November, when Sydney FC take on the Galaxy in a soon to be sell out fixture.

He'll get his exposure all through the A-League season, get to see the bright lights of LA in November, and maybe even learn a thing or two from a Samba King. Don't expect him to be here next year if he goes well though...

Will Sydney watch Sydney now?

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-08-03T18:08:46+08:00

Before yesterday there are some pretty good reasons to go out and watch Sydney FC in Hyundai A League Season 3. A new coach that demands a more tasteful approach to football in Branko Culina. World class defenders in Tony Popovic, young up and comers like Mark Milligan and Alex Brosque, and war horses like Steve Corica.

But yesterday, Sydney was gifted Juninho Paulista by Frank Lowy (to be recouped in part by a Carney transfer fee no doubt). To most of us he is a name on the roll of players that got rattled out as Brazil slowly geared up into the World Cup 2002 and, right under everyones noses pulled off yet another World Champions trophy.

And Juninho Paulista was integral. You don't just play 50 times for Brazil's national team and play 5 out of 7 games in a World Cup finals campaign because there is no one else around to take your spot. Brazilians demand blood. This guy was good.

That alone is a reason to pack the stadium at the first home game. The fans deserve better than what they were given last season, and the club now deserves the fans to come back, because they have delivered on a true marquee player. Other clubs may boast a marquee who is a name in Australian football and perhaps known to a a few overseas - Stan Lazaridis for Perth, Craig Moore for Queensland and....Ante Covic for Newcastle(?). But Sydney have taken the notion of what a marquee player is meant to be and stepped it up a notch. As frustrating a wait as it has been, they have got their million dollar man.

Whether he will perform on the field is another matter. The signs are good . He looks fit and trim, and he has a distinctive lack of ego about him.

The chance to see a truly world class player, to swing to the samba rhythms provided by the Sydney Brazilians who will undoubtedly show up with their drums, whistles, and dancing girls and boys, and the promise of an attractive passing style of football encouraged by Culina should be reason enough to get off the couch and get to the games.

Attendance Stats for Sydney FC in the Hyundai A-league

2005/06 Sydney FC Average Crowd 19,647
2006/07 Sydney FC Average Crowd 17,449
2007/08 Sydney FC Average Crowd ?????

Ole!

Silver Lining

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-07-23T18:06:24+08:00

The Australia v Japan match on Saturday created a new Australian pay TV record audience with an average of 419,000 people watching the game on Fox Sports.

A-League of their own

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-07-16T18:04:51+08:00

Stand up Mark Milligan, David Carney and Michael Beauchamp.

This is what its all about. 1-0 would have been a satisfactory result. 2-0 a better one, but 4-0 is emphatic. Against the run of play, yes. But for once the Australians played like a mature football outfit, kept their heads and just marked up (most of the time). Ironically it was the young guns who led the way.

There are few better ways to silence your critics, and it's the way we all hoped it would have been from the start.

The analysis will sober us up, and the hangover will reveal that we now have to sleep with an in-form Japan on Saturday night, and that at the end of the day we beat a minnow of world football and it felt like beating Brazil.

But as I noted here, days like these are where we steel ourselves for our Asian qualification path, World Cup 2010 and beyond. And the Socceroos of the future led the way.

Leaps of logic

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-07-15T18:02:25+08:00

How do you turn a good news football story into a negative anti-soccer one?

Here is a piece from, where else, the Melbourne Herald Sun, in the 'Soccer' sports section:

Fans switch on for switched-off Socceroos

July 10, 2007 12:00am
AUSTRALIA'S wobbly draw against Oman in its first group game of the Asian Cup attracted an average audience of 345,000, making it one of the biggest sporting events in subscription television history.

The figures don't include those who watched it at pubs and clubs.

......OK thats a great story - a huge TV audience for a game against a relative unknown football nation, and an acknowledgment that many more are watching in clubs and pubs or at Conaldo's place.

This came on top of Seven's coverage of the Essendon-Geelong game which was the highest-rating Friday night home-and-away match in Melbourne (500,000) since Collingwood played Port Adelaide at Telstra Dome in Round 14, 2005 (572,000).

Ummm, what do you mean 'came on top of'...? That game was on free to air, accessible to every Aussie with a TV set...

Watching the soccer got us wondering

here we go.....

about those flares you sometimes see at games.

Noooo? really what a surprise - I wouldnt have expected such a train of thought from you!

Did you know the basic flare costs about $60 and prices can soar to as much as $120 for the rocket variety?

Did you have to look that up on google or ring around a few places to make this story take up an extra few cms on the web page?

So where do kids get the money to let them off at soccer matches? They don't. Most are stolen from boats.

Oh touche, touche - of course they are, and that means that the Pay TV television audience was so big (remember that train of thought?) because....ummmm......the kids who go to football matches steal flares from boats...

RIGHT!

But thats not enough to fill the 'soccer' story quota for our Herald Sun reporter.

A VIETNAMESE man was killed in an accident as he drove his motorbike through Hanoi to celebrate his country's Asian Cup victory against the United Arab Emirates.

The man died yesterday when he crashed into a traffic sign.

Be warned..watching 'soccer' and celebrating a victory can be hazardous to your health, and may cause you to swim in frigid Melbourne waters to steal fireworks out of boats, then drive erratically through the streets of Hanoi without a helmet on.

Welcome to Asia

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-07-10T18:00:47+08:00

Welcome to Asia, Australian Football.

The torrid encounter against Oman, and, no doubt, the pain that is yet to come against Iraq and co, is the reason we will probably equal or better our performance at the next World Cup in South Africa.

Most of us, including this two-bobber, celebrated when we were accepted into Asia. The exposure, the tougher but fairer qualifying route, and the increased quality of the opposition would mean Australian Football would no longer be spinning it's wheels on the world and domestic scene.

I believe the Asian Cup will show us what that really means. Hard slog, reality checks, reputations and millionaire players count for nothing. Just performance on the park. And what that really means is that the National Team will get better. What we may just see at this Asian Cup, though, is that performances may get worse in the short term, until we make the shift in mindset.

Until earlier this year we didn't see the other side of the coin - stifling heat and humidity, stretcher bearers as 12th and 13th men, intolerant refereeing and monsoon showers.

Come qualifying time for the World Cup next year and into 2009, however, and there will be no more surprises, and no more naiveté to trip us up against teams like Iran, as has happened in the painful past.

The lads may have the bottle to do well in this tournament, but our opener has shown that there are many elements besides pure football to overcome. Hard games against wily opposition will make us stronger, and gutsy efforts to overcome these tough obstacles build the legend and draw the fans.

The Asian Cup looks set to be all it promised to be - an excellent proving ground for the Australian game and the 2010 Socceroos.

Sydney FC Go Free to Air

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-07-04T17:59:17+08:00

...for a day on 27th November 2007.

Ben Buckley(a.k.a. Mr Invisible) on the FFA website: “I am also very pleased to announce that Network Ten will broadcast this major event live nationally in a three hour special presentation."

He was, of course, talking about the upcoming visit by 'the team that David Beckham plays for now' (a.k.a. LA Galaxy).

Well, its a start. From lil things big things grow.

Leeding the way

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-07-01T17:57:21+08:00

Ahhh......the good old days...

Thanks to the Age

Thats what I was reminded of as I watched the Socceroos v Singapore highlights on SBS this afternoon.

Kewell takes on and skins a player on the left flank, and crosses in for Mark Viduka to nod it into the back of the net.

Not since those heady days back at Leeds Utd have we had the chance to enjoy a match when both Harry and Dukes have hit the score-sheet in the most convincing of fashion.

I'm an optimist, and whilst many have criticised the performance as being a lack lustre one, I put it down to a stiff week of intense physical training in stifling conditions. For me its more important to see the big man Viduka putting some goals away for country as per his club form, Schwarzer making some great saves and the side recovering after a dodgy first half effort.

And when you look at the quality that was sitting on the bench or not even named in the starting squad. you have to look forward to the coming month with many positive thoughts.

I will be watching some of the games live, thank goodness, thanks to Conaldo's generosity, or the local Newcastle pub. But kudo's go th the Australian FourFourTwo website - your text commentary was fantastic for us non Fox viewers.

Kewell and Viduka, thanks for bringing back the memories...

Brett Emerton: Superman

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-06-09T17:56:07+08:00

Ok he couldn't take a free kick to save his life. And I do cringe when he takes a pot at goal from 30 m out.

But as news.com.au points out, Emo may just be the fittest man in one of the fittest teams in Australian sport.

Running an average of 12 km in a match is one thing, but doing it up to 3 times a week (as per the EPL and associated comps) is phenomenal. For the 55 games, including Socceroos performances, that he played last season, that's 660km over 11 months...equivalent to running more than 1 marathon every month.

So when the guy plays 50+ games a year at club level, and then backs up for every game the National Team plays, you know for sure where his massive Phar Lap heart is.......did I just make a horse racing analogy?

Zeljko Kalac: AC Milan Cheerleader

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-05-17T17:52:24+08:00

You've gotta love Spider.

Every time there is a picture of the Milan players celebrating a goal or their latest victory, an inevitable 7 foot figure looms large in the camera lens, patting people on the head in celebration. Tracksuit clad. Keeper gloves always on, strapped and fixed, ready for action. Jumping up and down, a million dollar smile on his face, celebrating with his team mates.

In fact in a recent May 6 interview with SBS he confessed he was the team clown, relaxing some of the other players who were taking things a bit too seriously.

I can just see it now - Spider standing over a scowling Gattuso in the dressing room - 'relax mate, its just a Champions League quarter final'

He has even taught them Aussie slang. Cue Jesus loving Kaka....'Hang on mate, I just gotta go choke a brown dog....'' (That works on so many levels).

And I'll never forget his laconic description of life as a professional footballer on the SBS's fantastic program, The Away Game.

Monday sleep, eat. train. sleep. train. eat
Tuesday eat. train. sleep. free time. eat. train.
Wed train. eat. train. sleep. train

etc etc

You have to admire him - he maintains a positive attitude at Milan, despite his perpetual presence on the bench - he has only played 3 UCL games for Milan. Yet he is the quintessential optimist and always comes across as being someone who is happy to bide his time.

I guess when you think about it he has a lot to be happy about.

Zeljko joins Harry Kewell and Craig Johnston as the only Australians to own a European Champions League medal. And he has re-signed with Milan for another 2 years. Maybe he knows his time will come. Dida won't be there forever.

And, take note all you parents sending your kiddies off to AFL camp over summer, maybe he is just OK with getting the $350 000 winners bonus, just for being there in Athens and just playing his small part this season.

Onya Spider, I'd be laughing too.

Cocu Cola: The Real Thing

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-05-17T17:49:27+08:00

As I type this it looks like SFC is going to miss out on what would have been the most significant signing for the A-league since its inception. SBS news have just reported that talks with the 36 year old Dutchman have all but reached a stalemate, and their focus has turned to to Jay Jay or Benito - and there is even a rumour that the right Aloisi may be in talks with the club.

Better football pundits (than I will ever be) have said in the past that what the Sydney FC and indeed, the A-league, is missing is quality world clarsh players pulling the strings on the pitch.

This is what football culture in Australia will eventually be built upon - a classy build up to a goal, a superb through ball, an intelligent switch of play. Football is its own best advertisement when the ball is moved around the park from player to player with effortless finesse, and players like Cocu can deliver this sort of game. This is what most Europeans know, and what the typical Aussie sports fan does not yet know he or she loves to see.

If the story is indeed true and the Sydney FC have missed out on Cocu then the whole HAL, and indeed we, the footballistas who read obscure blogs like these, have missed out on a leap forward in football entertainment in this country.

Where have all the good times gone?

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-04-18T17:47:24+08:00

Or should I say, where have all the band-wagoners gone?

Watching the Australia vs China game in the pub the other day, I was a lone viewer squinting at a tiny, volumeless screen, surrounded by a sea of rugby watchers playing pool and barely glancing at the three big screen plasmas that were up in the main bar of the local establishment, showing back to back rugby type games.

But before long, I had curious on-lookers joining me in my little corner, checking the score, and asking if this was live or a replay. In fact a common theme for the night was - 'Oh I didnt know this was on'

I have noticed a similar phenomenon for Syd FC and Adelaide U ACL games - no one talking about it much over the water cooler, and general dis-interest across the board.

The theme continues with the fare of our favourite Socceroo World Cup heroes.

Harry's back - no interest. Cahill injured, Craig Moore's hammy, Viduka's form, Brett Holman's hair band, where has Guus gone to? - no one seems to be bothered.

Let alone Olympic Qualifiers for the Olyroos and Matildas (anyone catch Mel and Kochy praising Katie Gill for her hat-trick in the 10 - 0 drubbing of Chinese Taipei by the Matildas the other morning? Nuh).

I have to say, though, when you bring it up with general sports fans, you can see a gleam in their eye - I think there is a chink in the psychic armour of traditional resistance to the game which has been worn down by the efforts of Lowy and Co. No amount of effort by the axis of evil is going to drag that down too quickly.

But I guess this post is just a clarion call to all the band-wagoners - the Asia cup is coming, and the Aussies are going to win it - and we are going to beat the pants offa the Argies and the Uruguayans in front of sellout Aussie crowds, to boot.

If you know any of these guys, spread the word cause they probably won't know its coming.....get your seats on the wagon now...it leaves town around the end of May......

Digging to China

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-03-11T17:42:41+09:00

I have been pondering this week, how big a television audience the Australia vs China friendly match will draw. I am not talking about Foxtel Subscribers. I am thinking more about how many Asian viewers there will be. According to this guy's figures, it could be a bucket-load.

So lets start here....8.28 billion Asians watched the world cup. Now of course thats cumulative, over the course of the largest single sporting event in the world.

After about 10 minutes of hunting around on this interwebby thing, I found this page, which floored me...

There are 250 million regular football fans in China.

In fact, this is such a nugget, its worth a copy and paste:

China has more television sets than any other country in the world, which means that it represents a huge and growing audience for football.

These television sets are being well and truly used. 400 million Chinese watched the China versus Brazil match at the 2002 FIFA World Cup™. In total, China delivered a cumulative viewing audience of almost six billion to this event, representing 20% of the global audience.

Over 50% of the population in major Chinese cities chooses football as its favourite sport. Team China matches have an average TV rating of at least 30%. With at least six leading Chinese players now playing for European clubs, the standard of play is rising sharply and audience interest is keeping pace.

Okay thats good. Its time to get the old calculator out...

Lets see, if the football viewing population of China is potentially 250 million, and team China Matches average a TV rating of at least 30% , then thats 75 million people.

No that cant be right.....

250 000 000 x 0.30 = 75 000 000

That is right.

So nearly four times the entire population of Australia will tune in to watch the game on Saturday night in China.

Thats ridiculous.

Lookout Joey Johns

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-03-15T17:33:44+09:00

Before I moved into the Newcastle area I knew that Andrew Johns was a popular figure on the local scene. I knew that he was a local boy done good and that the Novacastrians were proud of him.

What I didn't realise was HOW proud of him they are. He does ads for just about everything under the sun, is always being talked about and there is a news story on Joey Johns every single day. 'Our Andrew' is everywhere.

I am not exaggerating. Every single day there is a story on Andrew Johns in the paper, on NBN (home of RL) and on every radio station north of Gosford.

Every little trivial detail about his life is big news. Yesterday it was 'Joey goes surfing before the big match'. They love the guy - I got no problems with that.

But lately there has been a new face that has been appearing in the papers and on the tele more than is normal.

I keep hearing the unmistakable voice of a bloke who has grown up playing the wog ball game around us effniks. Nicky Carle. Last week it was on the back of the Newcastle Herald showing Nicky in a local climbing Gym. Nicky Carle. A fortnight ago, he had just won the HAL Player of the year and Newcastle couldn't get enough of him. Nicky Carle.

And the big news this week, Nick Carle has been selected to play for the Socceroo's against China on March 24 in Guangzhou. There he was again, in the papers.

The town that has the Greatest Player in the WORLD in Joey (Ray Warren, 2005), now has a new face to pin its hopes on.

Lets hope he does us proud.

Somebody pinch me

zero@zeroagainst.com — 2007-03-10T17:31:17+09:00

Somebody pinch me,

It's late on a Wednesday night and I'm clicking furiously on my mouse trying to refresh the world game website live match commentary. It's the first night of foray into the AFC Asian Champions League by Australian teams - the much heralded and anticipated entry into Asian club football that would ice the cake that was baked by the Crawford Report just 4 short years ago.

Sydney FC lead 2 goals to 1 against a team of Chinese I had not heard of until a couple of months ago. The goals have been sensational.

I see the highlights on a commercial free to air sports show that night (I don't have Fox), preceding rugby league, afl and even the cricket. Names like Ufuk Talay and Stevie Corica roll off the presenters tongue, and 'do it again for Sydney.....'.

Wait a minute this is Australia - How the hell did we get to Asian Champions League highlights on Channel 10, home of Neighbours, AFL and The Simpsons???

When the Pratten Park 'riot' happened in the mid 80's, who was involved? - Sydney Olympic, obviously but who else? (Was it Sydney City?) Although I can honestly say I can't remember, I could Google it and find it in an instant.

But I do remember the important bit. I remember the sinking sinking feeling of shame and embarrassment as my sport was dragged through the mud by anyone who could put hooligan and soccer in the same sentence. Blown out of all proportion ala White Eagles bus windows.... but mum and dad Australia said soccer is for thugs, so lets go watch rugby league (!).

I admit it, as a kid growing up I would play in 2 comps of 'soccer' during the week with a passion - get to training early, get dressed 5 hrs before the game on Saturday (some things don't change even in o35's), kick the ball around the house incessantly....but my heroes were Slippery Steve Morris, Rocket Reddy, and Dougie Walters, not Gary Phillips, Peter Katholas or Marshall Soper....

Soccer as a mainstream entertainment sport was off the radar, except for those FA Cup nights or late Saturday nights EPL on ABC where we cheered for teams we sort of knew about, like Liverpool, Everton, Notts Forest - as an alternative most of us at best followed the premiership and that was that. The hard core read Australian Soccer Weekly and knew about Greek teams or Serie A. The Wold Cup disappointments would come and go, which would spark some interest. But at Aussie club level?

Not to say there was not some quality football on offer in the old NSL. But it was not in the mainstream psyche.

Of course, I know that there is an obvious reason to the focus on football these days - much has been written about the launch of the A League, Dwight Yorke, Foxtel deals, THAT night in November, the World Cup and THOSE mornings in June with the Socceroos, the 50k crowds at the Dome, Dutch football directors and Weetbix Kids.

And I know there is a damn long way to go.

But I have a feeling that at last the game is on the mainstream radar.

Now let me just Google Uruwa Red Diamonds.......