World Cup Soccer News - australian soccer

Asian Cup 2015 Australia

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 05:11:13 +0000

The Football Federation of Australia (FFA) on Thursday formally handed over its bid for the AFC Asian Cup 2015 finals at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur in AFC House. AFC President Mohammed Bin Hammam received the bid book from FFA Chairman Frank Lowy in the presence of AFC Vice President Zhang Jilong, AFC General Secretary Alex Soosay and FFA CEO Ben Buckle. Australia is the only candidate to bid for the 16th edition the Asian Cup tournament. Mr Lowy said “We at the FFA are dedicated, honoured and privileged to make AFC Asian Cup bigger, better and more successful than the previous editions. “It’s my honour to present the bid book and I can tell you that Australia is excited to host this event at all levels, sporting, government and the general public." Tags World Cup Pens World Cup Posters Asian Cup Australian football

Verbeek in Oar, but is Tommy ready?

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:58:23 +0000

The absence of a genuine goalscorer is tempting Australia coach Pim Verbeek into including rookie 18-year-old left winger Tommy Oar in his World Cup 23. The cards could be falling perfectly for the diminutive Oar, who only turned 18 in December but who scooped the A-League young player-of-the-year gong last month and made his Socceroos debut on Wednesday night in his hometown. Oar's dazzling performance on the left flank caught the eye as Australia limped into the 2011 Asian Cup finals with a lifeless victory over Indonesia in Brisbane, but the usually coy Verbeek's reluctance to play down his chances of making the World Cup in June took everyone by surprise. "I wish I could keep the pressure down but I must be honest, I thought he played a fantastic game," the Dutch coach beamed after the win. "I can say a few things about areas he can improve but I think he was fantastic." Although the sight of Oar taking the fight to the Indonesians was a welcome one, it again only served to reemphasise Verbeek's most pressing problem: who will score Australia's goals in South Africa. Japan-based targetman Josh Kennedy, a 2006 World Cup squad member, has all the physical attributes but has found the target just six times in 17 appearances after another duck in Brisbane as the side's lone striker. Scott McDonald is yet to open his account in 15 Socceroos internationals and is currently out of favour with Verbeek. The former Celtic forward is no certainty to be included and needs to get among the goals with Middlesbrough to prove he's worth a chance. In the pecking order after Kennedy and McDonald is a raft of wildcards including talented Bruce Djite (no goals in eight appearances) and twice-capped Nikita Rukavytsya. The latter doesn’t even have his thumbnail picture on the official Football Australia website, but Verbeek is certain to have noticed Rukavytsya banging them in for Belgium top flight side KSV Roeselare since his January loan move. All that has left renaissance man Harry Kewell seemingly in pole position to occupy an unfamiliar lone frontman position for the Group D opener against Germany. Kewell is currently sidelined with a groin problem, but has grown in stature since leaving behind a Premier League career 18 months ago. And it is Verbeek's inclination to deploy Kewell in attack which might create a vacancy on the left for Oar. The teenager's dramatic rise to the fringes of the World Cup is very much a consequence of Verbeek's attacking conundrum rather than a clamour for the Dutchman to take a him to South Africa. Oar is already on the verge of leaving the A-League with a host of Dutch heavyweights rumoured to be circling. And he's also drawn numerous comparisons with the teenage Kewell, who received his first Socceroos cap in the 1996 friendly against Chile aged 17 years and seven months, admitting that he models his game on the Galatasaray star. But, as Verbeek also noted, shining against the 137th-ranked Indonesians on home turf is a world away from dazzling against the Germans. The Dutchman said: "Let's try to keep it normal for the boy. Please don't mention him as the next Harry Kewell. Let the boy just develop. He had a great year and it will be very difficult to stay on the same level." Oar also faces stiff competition. Holland-based David Carney looks certain to be included as an option for left-back or further forward on that flank, while Verbeek favourite Dario Vidosic can also operate there as well as anywhere across midfield and attack. Copyright © Marc Fox and Soccerphile.com Tags Soccer News football

Kewell going it alone

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:33:07 +0000

Their names tripped off the tongue together for so long it's a strange feeling to think Mark Viduka is relaxing into unofficial retirement while Harry Kewell's career is undergoing a perfectly timed renaissance for club and country. Viduka has not played for the Socceroos since 2007 and decided against keeping his European career going after his contract with Newcastle United ended almost a year ago. He's since divided his time between Croatia and Melbourne, and has given no indication of wanting to ever play again. Meanwhile, Kewell's past 18 months in Turkey with Galatasaray could hardly have gone any more to plan. In blazing contrast to his unhappy five-year spell at boyhood idols Liverpool, the 31-year-old's fitness has rarely been called into question, he is adored by the Gala supporters and has the confidence of coach Frank Rijkaard. The golden boy of Australian soccer has come a long way since gambling on a move to the Turkish capital in 2008. Kewell's burgeoning reputation in England was ruined on Merseyside. Nobody there recalls the Leeds United teenager who tore right-backs to shreds and snubbed Manchester United's interest to move to Anfield. The Aussie winger is principally remembered for hobbling off midway through the first-half of the 2005 Champions League final in, all of places, Istanbul, jeered and heckled by his own supporters as he succumbed to another groin injury while Liverpool were being batted by rampant Milan. Kewell was also substituted in the FA Cup final in 2006 with the same ailment, with those episodes and others leading Liverpool fans to conclude their £5 million signing was damaged goods and needed shipping out. However, Kewell's improved fitness record since leaving England for Turkey has seriously undermined that opinion with Liverpool's medical staff coming under fire from his agent Bernie Mandic last month for their apparent poor treatment of him during his time there. The platform for Mandic to make such a stinging attack has been laid by the buoyant Kewell's stunning impact at Gala. He carefully managed to avoid too much criticism for contentiously joining the club Leeds fans love to loathe after two of their supporters never returned from the Uefa Cup semi-final clash in 2000. And ever since Kewell's individual performances have been on an upward trajectory. In a recent interview with the Turkish Football Federation's monthly magazine, the Gala No.19 claimed to have been "reborn" since his transfer, while he now is considered by some supporters the most popular foreign player in Turkey since George Hagi. That's some statement considering the Romanian playmaker won a Uefa Cup, European Super Cup and four league titles during his five years in Istanbul. With Kewell approaching the end of his current contract in June, Galatasaray supporters have already started pleading with him to stay amid transfer rumours of a move by Marseille to take him to France, even setting up a website called www.staywithusharry.com dedicated to keeping him at the Ali Sami Yen stadium. The left-footed winger or emergency striker says he's in no rush to leave after settling into Istanbul life. Domestically as strong as ever, Gala are also through to the last 32 in the Europa League, while in January Kewell was joined by compatriot Lucas Neill. Following hot on the heels of Mandic's comments, there's a hint of irony surrounding Kewell's latest injury setback. He is currently sidelined with a groin tear, a problem that was first thought sufficiently serious to place his World Cup participation under a cloud. The latest prognosis is that Kewell will return next month, and has been pencilled in to play for the Socceroos in their farewell match against fellow qualifiers New Zealand in late May. Despite Tim Cahill's irresistible form in the Premier League with Everton and the fine displays of Mark Schwarzer, Kewell's name remains intrinsically linked with Australian football success in many corners of the world and he will again have a role to play in South Africa. Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek's greatest concern heading into a group phase that has pitched Australia against Germany, Serbia and Ghana is the make-up of his strike force. Verbeek's options are so limited , the temptation is to play Kewell , who scored a crucial goal in World Cup 2006 against Croatia, as a lone striker, similar to the way Rijkaard has occasionally used him this season at Gala. How the Dutchman would love a fit and firing Viduka as the focal point of his attacks in South Africa. But he might just have to instead hope that Kewell can reproduce his club form in the green and gold in what's likely to be his last major international tournament. Copyright © Marc Fox and Soccerphile.com Tags Soccer News football

Jets fume at Van Egmond defection

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:21:08 +0000

You have to think that Gary van Egmond had endured enough turmoil in his 32-month stint at the helm of the Newcastle Jets. To some, it was no huge surprise when Van Egmond, an affable 44-year-old and former A-League coach of the year, this week handed in his resignation to outspoken Jets owner Con Constantine. Any brownie points his side had earned from reaching the knockout phase of the AFC Champions League had evaporated in Pohang as the Steelers ran out 6-0 victors last week, eliminating them from the competition. Such a heavy defeat would often be enough to prompt many trigger-happy chairmen to act or noncommittal managers to walk away - notwithstanding Van Egmond had recently penned a contract extension tying him to the Jets until 2013.

Lay off and look forward: Schwarzer

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:59:23 +0000

The move into the Asian confederation has created so many possibilities for the World Cup-bound Socceroos, but it has unexpectedly robbed them of something - a proper climax to qualifying. Few punters will forget that November night in 2005 when a bare-chested John Aloisi wheeled away after scoring the decisive penalty in Australia's shootout victory over Uruguay, a goal, which combined with Mark Schwarzer's heroics, confirming only the country's second appearance in a World Cup finals. But a scratchy goalless draw in Doha was never likely to provide the impetus for anything resembling the party which followed in Sydney three-and-a-half years ago.

Interrogation not required

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:45:48 +0000

Australia's courageous Socceroos will wait until after their April World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan before undergoing the kind of self-interrogation critics of the national side suggest might be needed right now. Pim Verbeek's side dug deep in Yokohama against Japan on Wednesday night, exhausting even more luck from their depleted reserves to salvage a 0-0 draw. It was the national team's third straight unconvincing performance since sweeping aside Qatar 4-0 last October. On all measures, the home side should have won and claimed the outright lead of Group A from their closest challengers. Japan were slicker in possession and frugal at the back where the defenders easily coped with lone striker Tim Cahill. Only poor finishing led to the goalless stalemate which, with three of the final four qualifiers on home soil, clearly suits the top-of-the-table Socceroos. Australia's finest were central defensive pairing Lucas Neill and Craig Moore, with left-back Scott Chipperfield also worthy of a mention after two months sidelined with a foot injury. But Neill, who must quickly recover from the 14,000-mile round trip to face Middlesbrough in the FA Cup on Saturday, was nonplussed about Australia's latest indifferent display. “It's not been ideal - the way we've flown in for a day and then had to play,'' he said afterwards. “Come the next game against Uzbekistan (at ANZ Stadium on April 1) if we don't perform well we'll have to start questioning ourselves. "But with eight days to prepare for a tough home game I think you will see a much more attacking side with more chances created." Verbeek's men could wrap up qualification for South Africa in April - in stark contrast to 2005's memorable double header against Uruguay which went to the wire. Then, the Socceroos squeezed into only their second finals thanks to Mark Schwarzer's penalty shootout heroics - and that after a long and winding final campaign in Oceania. The Uzbeks travel to Sydney bottom of the group after their surprise 1-0 home defeat to Bahrain, with victory likely to leave Australia at least six points clear of the third-placed Bahrainis, the team the Socceroos host in June. “Tonight we won't talk about the negatives," continued the West Ham skipper. “We're just happy to have kept another clean sheet and if we win our next game at home, technically we're probably there.'' No case for the defence The Newcastle Jets - deposed A-League champions following a disastrous title defence when they won just four times - have commenced the inevitable cull which follows such a lacklustre campaign. Ahead of their AFC Champions League group opener next month, Gary van Egmond has unveiled a brand new central defensive pairing in Ljubo Milicevic and Ange Costanzo and three new strikers. Milicevic, a former Australian Olympic captain, has been out of the spotlight since his contract with Melbourne Victory was terminated amid allegations of substance abuse - claims he denies. Meanwhile, Costanzo arrives from Champions League finalists Adelaide United and further helps soften the impact of losing Socceroos centre half Jade North to K-League side Incheon United. Van Egmond's overhaul of his forwards after Newcastle scored just 21 times in as many matches last season includes the acquisition of two foreign strikers in Dutchman Donny de Groot and Italian Fabio Vignaroli. The Jets have also brought in journeyman forward Sasho Petrovski who becomes the first A-League player to represent all three NSW clubs. Petrovski, the one-time Socceroos striker, played for Sydney FC in seasons one and two before joining the Central Coast Mariners. Joel Griffiths is on-loan to Chinese Super League club Beijing Guoan until the end of the calendar year. Copyright © Marc Fox and Soccerphile.com Australian Soccer News Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

Carney's a Canary

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:13:06 +0000

Socceroo David Carney has reunited with former Sydney FC assistant Ian Crook after agreeing a deal to join Norwich City on loan until the end of the English domestic season. He becomes Crook and new manager Bryan Gunn's first signing since they took charge of the Carrow Road club last week. Carney has been out of favour with Sheffield United manager Kevin Blackwell this season after taking his place as one of three over-age players at the Beijing Olympics. Despite playing 26 times for the Blades last year following his switch from Sydney FC, the 25-year-old hasn’t made a single league appearance this term with his senior national team spot coming under pressure from the returning Scott Chipperfield. And Australia boss Pim Verbeek's recent warning to any Socceroos regulars not enjoying first team football at club level is the clear motivation behind Carney's transfer window move. "With the World Cup coming up in 2010 he wants to have the chance to show what he can do so he has an opportunity of a place in the Australian squad," Gunn told the official Norwich City website. "He has a tremendous left foot and is a confident goalscorer who is technically gifted." Carney made 34 A-League appearances, scoring seven goals, and helped Sydney claim the inaugural league championship in 2005/06. He was primarily used as a left winger, but has won the majority of his 17 national team caps as a left-back including as a member of coach Graham Arnold's 2007 Asian Cup squad. "Ian gave a very high recommendation of David and his capabilities and was happy to recommend him to us," said Gunn. "I know there were other clubs interested in him - both in this country and in Europe - and I really hope he is able to use his abilities to help us in the battle we have ahead of us." Norwich are in relegation trouble after dropping to 19th place in the English Championship, 14 places below Sheffield United, the club Carney is under contact with until the end of the 2009/10 campaign. Carney is expected to take his place in the club's squad for Friday's trip to fellow strugglers Doncaster Rovers. Former Melbourne Victory central defender Adrian Leijer, now at English Premier League side Fulham, is another Australian being linked with a move to Norwich. Copyright © Marc Fox and Soccerphile.com Australian Soccer News Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

Turning tides

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:44:37 +0000

How the saga involving Jason Culina ends will take its natural course. But the fact an A-League side is holding its own in negotiations with the current PSV and Socceroos midfielder is being lauded as a milestone for the domestic game. Culina is a first choice for national team coach Pim Verbeek and arguably plays at the highest standard of any of Australia's overseas stars in Eindhoven after appearing for PSV in this year's Champions League. The 28-year-old son of former Sydney FC coach Branko is rarely injured and was one of the country's outstanding players leading into the 2006 World Cup. His form over the past 12 months for the national team hasn't perhaps maintained that same level. But he has retained his position in PSV's midfield under coach Huub Stevens and has been offered extended terms to remain with the Dutch club when his current deal ends in June. Reports suggest Croatian outfit Dinamo Zagreb are the other major European player in the hunt for Culina's silky services. But it's the ballsy ambition of expansion A-Leaguers Gold Coast United which has made the overseas heavyweights sit up and take notice. United have reportedly offered Culina a three-year $3.6 million deal to become the club's marquee acquisition with Gold Coast coach Miron Bleiberg believing the fledgling club have presented the most attractive all-round package. "My understanding is that we are his top choice but if something comes up that interests him more, then I'll accept it," Bleiberg told the Gold Coast Bulletin. "To date, the only Socceroos players who have come home have been just one step from retirement. With Jason you are looking at a player in his prime. "Even at a big club like PSV, he still looks outstanding every time I see him. He would provide the gloss and class I am looking for." Culina aside, United, bankrolled by mining magnate Clive Palmer's billions, are causing shockwaves around the league some seven months before they officially join the competition for the 2009/10 campaign. Melbourne Victory and fringe Socceroos defender Michael Thwaite has been the latest big name addition to the Coast's inaugural line-up, a group of players looking increasingly likely to deliver on the outspoken Palmer's promise of winning the A-League title in their maiden season. Thwaite is another local player who's elected to remain in Australia rather than return to Europe. The 25-year-old was loaned to Melbourne by Norwegian champions SK Brann and was expected to return to Scandinavia at the end of the current A-League campaign before joining the Gold Coast. Livewire Queensland Roar striker Tahj Minniecon has also had his head turned by the Coast's offer of becoming their inaugural under-23 marquee player. He will double his yearly salary by moving to the Roar's nearest neighbours, but the switch does intensify the hostilities between the pair. Earlier this season, Bleiberg was branded a clown and a liar by Queensland skipper Craig Moore after the colourful manager claimed he hadn’t tapped up a single member of Frank Farina's current Roar squad. The usually reserved Moore was moved to rubbish Bleiberg's comments and said he knew for certain the former Roar boss had spoken to team-mates. Minniecon's subsequent move suggests Moore was telling the truth. Palmer and Bleiberg's continued boastful comments seem set to make the Gold Coast the team most rival sides will take aim at when the new season kicks off this coming August. They previously announced the signings of Wellington's prolific striker Shane Smeltz and Newcastle's Adam Griffiths, plunging those clubs' playoff challenges into crisis. Another three currently contracted A-League players have made the similar journey to the tourist strip. Copyright © Marc Fox and Soccerphile.com Australian Soccer News Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

Turning tides

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:44:33 +0000

Adelaide couldn't give a damn

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 12:28:57 +0000

New world clubs couldn't care less if the Club World Cup is derided by Europe, or the rest of football's established order. That's the message coming loud and clear from Aurelio Vidmar, a former Oceania player-of-the-year and current coach of Adelaide United following the A-League's club's fairytale final third of 2008. Adelaide have been the A-League's most consistent performers in the three-and-a-half seasons since the competition's inception and as such deserve the plaudits they've received for themselves and on behalf of the league in general. However dubious their path to Fifa's showpiece club competition, there is simply no precedent for predicting the advantages of competing in the Club World Cup on a league in its infancy. Coming hot on the heels of an appearance in the AFC Champions League final simply confirms Australia's burgeoning status in Asia, a confederation they only joined in 2006. “The tournament has been a terrific vehicle for the promotion of our game back home and it has been a tremendous experience for our club,” Vidmar trumpeted after Adelaide pipped the African champions Al Ahly , of Egypt, in front of 35,154 fans at the Yokohama International Stadium. Those comments hit the mark back home, right across the A-League. The Reds might have had their dream tie against Manchester United scuppered by a slim loss to nemesis Gamba Osaka, the recently crowned Asian champions after a stunning final win over Vidmar's side. But Adelaide came through the tournament with a record of just that defeat in three matches after edging past New Zealanders Waitakere United in the opening game. At home, they also remain top of the A-League table with a game in hand over closest rivals Queensland Roar and Melbourne Victory, and two on the Central Coast Mariners and Wellington Phoenix. “By finishing fifth and with our experience in the Asian Champions League, it has really lifted the profile of the game in Australia and it hopefully gives a lot of confidence to the other A-League clubs that they can do well in the Asian Champions League to get to this point," continued Vidmar. “It has been a tremendous ride which hasn’t been easy but we’ve learnt a lot from playing these games and it certainly puts the club and the game on the map back home. "When you win games at this level it lifts people’s eyebrows and awareness of what the football can and will be like in the future.” Meanwhile back in Australia, a betting scandal has engulfed three of the league's protagonists. Former Australia captains Kevin Muscat and Craig Moore, and Scottish import Grant Brebner, have all been shamed after admitting placing bets on matches involving A-League sides. Moore and Muscat received small fines and a public dressing down by Football Federation Australia (FFA) for gambling on the outcomes of matches they weren't themselves involved in. However, Brebner was handed a two-match ban as well as a fine for his remarkable decision to place a wager on his own team, Melbourne Victory, to lose to Thai side Chonburi FC in the Champions League group stage. The only saving grace for the recovering gambling addict was he wasn't actually selected in the Victory's travelling party to Thailand because of a groin injury. The 31-year-old former Manchester United trainee is a popular figure in Melbourne and recently inked a one-year extension with the club chasing a second A-League premiership in three seasons. But what his team-mates will make of the Scot betting on them to fall flat against the Thai underdogs only time will tell. Brebner said: "I apologise to my club, team-mates, our fans, my family and the FFA for my actions. I want to make sure everyone is aware that I haven’t involved anyone else. “I understand and accept the consequences that come with my actions.” You feel the personal cost might be rather more profound. Copyright © Marc Fox and Soccerphile.com Australian Soccer News Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

Viduka and Moore back, but for how long?

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:34:43 +0000

Mark Viduka and Craig Moore, two of Australia's stalwarts from the last World Cup in Germany, continue to refuse to commit to South Africa 2010. But Pim Verbeek's confident progress in charge of the Socceroos is allaying fears Australia still rely on a handful of big name players to advance their international cause. Viduka's greatest concern is a long-standing Achilles tendon injury. He surprised many by meeting up with the Australia squad in Brisbane ahead of their 4-0 cakewalk against Qatar, but Viduka's long-term Socceroos future wasn't on the agenda according Verbeek. The Dutchman still takes Viduka's word of last April when, on a whistlestop trip around Europe, Viduka promised he'd play a part in South Africa. Verbeek added that the fact Viduka simply turned up in Brisbane - despite not being named in a 35-man extended training party - was proof enough of his national team commitment. However, Viduka was primarily back home to gauge a second opinion on his troublesome injury from Socceroos medical staff, a problem which reportedly will not require surgery and might see him playing again in the English Premier League this season. “It’s a step-by-step process to play for Australia and the first stage is to get back playing for my club again,” Viduka told the Australian press. “I don’t want to rush anything. “I’ve got to be 100 per cent fit and sure in my mind that my heel is strong enough. When that happens I’ll be back for Australia. I’ve always loved playing for my country." Moore, meanwhile, made a comfortable return to international action after a self-imposed eight-month exile but after the match again refused to be drawn on committing to a second World Cup finals. Injury is not the major concern for Moore, who's in his best shape for some seasons and is enjoying the slower pace of life playing for Queensland Roar and living on the sun-kissed Gold Coast. It has more to do with the scheduling of the Australia domestic season for the former national team skipper. Moore, whose European club career appears closed, doesn't believe he'll necessarily be in the right shape come June 2010 and South Africa. The A-League season finishes in February, meaning a significant break from competitive action and that's a worry for central defender. Before the 2006 World Cup, uncertainty over Viduka and Moore's national team future would have caused waves to crash through the Socceroos camp. Not these days. The fact that the biggest question in the build-up to the Qatar qualifier was whether Moore would even win his place back from Chris Coyne speaks for itself. Moore's experience and better use of the ball from defence saw him replace the Colchester United captain. He'd had little to do but slotted back into the green and gold as if he'd never been away. Viduka, however, might not return with such ease. There might have been a glimmer of envy as he watched German-based striker Josh Kennedy put in a man-of-the-match display in Brisbane, scoring once and beautifully setting up another for Brett Emerton. Scott McDonald, Kennedy's strike partner, looked less at home, but Verbeek is unlikely to want to play Kennedy and Viduka together upfront in any case. There's Harry Kewell to come back from a groin strain too. While competition for outfield places has heated up, Verbeek's dilemma over his goalkeepers for the World Cup refuses to simplify. Mark Schwarzer has committed to playing through to 2010, setting himself the private aim of 75 national team caps before he hangs up his gloves. But Schwarzer will be 37 by the time the tournament rolls around and there is precious little pressure on the incumbent goalkeeper. "Obviously it's been a little bit of a concern. The major issues are players are not playing regular football," said Schwarzer. "There are talented goalkeepers out there but if you're not playing week-in week-out football it's very difficult to be chosen for your national team. That's probably the biggest concern for the national team." Whereas at the 2006 World Cup under Guus Hiddink there was no clear No.1 (Hiddink turned to Schwarzer's deputy Zeljko Kalac for the crucial group decider against Croatia), there's now no obvious No.2 to the Fulham custodian. Since taking charge of Australia at the start of the year, Verbeek has selected a remarkable nine goalkeepers for either training camps or matches And that doesn’t even include Jess van Strattan, the former Juventus goalkeeper who recently agreed terms with incoming franchise Gold Coast United. Van Strattan will be first choice for the newcomers when they enter the league next August and might just have left himself enough time to push for a spot in South Africa. Copyright © Marc Fox and Soccerphile.com Australian Soccer News Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

'Cornflake' banishes demons

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 01:42:15 +0000

It's been an emotional couple of weeks of Adelaide's Robbie Cornthwaite. The club's foundation defender has not only found himself unwittingly dragged into a spitting storm but he's also been the target of abuse from his own supporters for scoring a horror own goal in the away leg of the AFC Champions League quarter-final against Kashima Antlers But on Wednesday night in Adelaide, Cornthwaite banished all those demons with a tie-winning headed goal which secured a 2-1 aggregate win over the 5-time Japanese champions and a passage into the final four. The relieved 22-year-old Australia defender dived to nod home Cassio's precision centre for the only goal of a pulsating ACL encounter at Hindmarsh, afterwards revealing the anguish he'd suffered after putting through his own net a week before to jeopardise Adelaide's chances of making history. No Australian club has previously reached the semi-final stage of Asia's premier club competition. “I did try to put the own goal out of my mind as much as possible but the thing is other people do not let you forget it," Cornthwaite told local football website The World Game. “Even before kick-off while I was warming up I heard one of our supporters urge me 'to score for us and not for them this time'. It's always there at the back of your mind." The player affectionately known around Adelaide as Cornflake debuted for the Reds as an 18-year-old and has steadily developed into a reliable first-teamer under coach Aurelio Vidmar. He suffered heartbreak earlier in the year when overlooked for a berth in Graham Arnold's Olympic squad for Beijing after breaking into the under-23s during May and June. But the significance of being handed the No.2 shirt last worn by retired Reds legend Richie Alagich has not been lost of the lanky defender and he described his well-taken winner against Kashima as an "amazing feeling". "It’s something I’ll remember for a long time. It was like scripted for me after what happened in the first leg," he said. The goal will have also erased the tension of a fortnight which has seen Cornthwaite embroiled in a spitting controversy involving Melbourne's Ney Fabiano. The Victory's Brazilian import was earlier this month banned for nine matches - reduced to six games on appeal - for expectorating on Cornthwaite in the sides' heated round four clash. Melbourne have since relentlessly proclaimed Fabiano's innocence, pointing to his previously clean disciplinary record and even going all CSI by enlisting a biomechanist and a speech pathologist to support their argument that spittle had been projected because Fabiano was shouting in his native Portuguese. Cornthwaite has remained tight-lipped on the latest incident in a simmering feud between two clubs which invoke a degree of hostility whenever they meet. His supporters believe Melbourne's passion to overturn their star signing's ban ignores Cornthwaite's unblemished A-League reputation and the fact that, although occasionally naïve in his defending, he remains a reliable professional. Few consider Cornthwaite a player who would, or even probably could, fake his reaction to Fabiano's discharge in his direction, whether accidental or otherwise. The challenge most likely stems from Melbourne's desire to reinforce their encouraging opening to the fourth A-League season. Top-of-the-table and unbeaten after five rounds despite twice finishing with 10 men, Ernie Merrick's former champions are clearly serious on putting a chequered 2007/08 behind them. Sydney are level with Melbourne on 11 points with Adelaide four points adrift in third. The Central Coast Mariners and reigning champions Newcastle Jets are tied for fourth place. Copyright © Marc Fox and Soccerphile.com Australian Soccer News Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

Weekend of upsets

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:48:25 +0000

Last weekend's string of unpredictable results in the English Premier League has been mirrored in Australia proving the A-League remains as competitive as ever. While Hull City were shocking Arsenal and Wigan upsetting big spending Manchester City, closer to home joint league leaders Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory both lost matches they were widely anticipated to win. With crowds down significantly on the previous campaign and the introduction of the two new Queensland teams delayed for 12 months, it was not the set of scorelines A-League doomsayers were predicting. Football's popularity is constantly tested at this time in the Australian sporting calendar. The traditional football codes - AFL and rugby league - stage their respective showpiece deciders over two weekends in late September and early October while round ball officials simply pray to come through unscathed. But Adelaide United's surprising passage to the AFC Champions League semi-finals has already propelled Australian football into continental minds this past week. And over the weekend unlikely victories for bottom-placed Wellington Phoenix and erratic Queensland Roar generated more column inches. Wellington stunned Sydney by coming from behind to register their first win of the season and their first A-League triumph in the calendar year. Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert had been given the dreaded vote of confidence during the week but despite seven personnel changes - including both first choice central defenders and No.1 goalkeeper Glen Moss - his side prevailed with Tim Brown rifling home a 76th minute winner. "It's been a difficult period and although there's a long way to go, it's a nice one given the circumstances," Herbert said afterwards. "There's a lot of belief in this group and this was a real testament to the boys. They really stood up for a cause." Queensland undid 10-man Melbourne with late goals from youngsters Michael Zullo and Tahj Minniecon, a pair of strikes which conjured up more than a hint of a similar turning point last season. 12 months ago, Zullo and Robbie Kruse scored against Wellington on their A-League debuts to propel the Roar into a 12-match unbeaten run which saw them narrowly miss winning the premiership on the final day of the season. Even coach Frank Farina recognised the parallels and remains convinced his side can push Sydney and Melbourne all the way for the title this year. "I've told the players over the past few weeks if we continue to play in the manner we have been playing things will turn. Tonight was the night that it turned for us," Farina assured Queensland supporters. Next up for the Roar is Sydney away this Friday. Meanwhile, exhausted Adelaide - playing just three days after disposing of Japanese greats Kashima Antlers in the AFC Champions League - put away champions Newcastle thanks to a second-half brace from Brazilian Cristiano. “They’ve gone through five games in 16 days and that’s a massive effort,” coach Aurelio Vidmar said. "There was a bit of doubt in my mind tonight about how they were going to come up and they were a bit flat. "But for the boys to go out and really squeeze every last bit of energy they had in their bodies was a superb effort.” The race to become the league's leading goalscorer is also closer then ever before at this stage of the season. Six players, from six different clubs, are tied for the lead with four goals apiece including 2007/08 Golden Boot winner Danny Allsopp of Melbourne. Queensland's Scottish playmaker Charlie Miller scored in each of his first four A-League appearances to break Kevin Muscat's record while Cristiano, Perth's Eugene Dadi, Mariners striker Matt Simon and Kiwi Shane Smeltz complete the list. Copyright © Marc Fox and Soccerphile.com Australian Soccer News Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

Two's company for Verbeek

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 22:39:50 +0000

The entire A-League has been handed a weekend's recess to allow the national team to concentrate on their World Cup qualifying visit to Uzbekistan on September 10, but it turns out only one side will actually be affected by national team coach Pim Verbeek's call-ups. After finally being convinced to elongate the regular season to allow byes over FIFA-recognised match dates, Australian football authorities must now wonder why they bothered. Indeed Gary van Egmond of the Newcastle Jets, the reigning A-League champions, will be the only coach pleased with how the build-up to the Socceroos' qualifier in Tashkent has played out. In goalkeeper Ante Covic and defender Jade North, Newcastle provided the only two local league representatives in Verbeek's extended 27-man squad. The seven remaining sides were unaffected. North, Newcastle's championship-winning captain, missed the recent friendly against South Africa in London because he was on duty as one of Graham Arnold's three overage players at the Olympics. Covic, meanwhile, has been a regular backup for first choice No.1 Mark Schwarzer under Verbeek, although also missed the South African clash at Loftus Road. Verbeek overlooked Melbourne's Archie Thompson, most probably because of the ankle injury he returned from the Olympic Games carrying. Thompson hasn't played in either one of the A-League's opening rounds during August. Norway-based left-sided defender Shane Stefanutto won a recall but there was no place for Nicky Carle, the former Newcastle attacking midfielder who joined Crystal Palace from Bristol City during the northern summer. Uncontracted Mark Milligan, the former Sydney FC midfielder, was also included. Verbeek made it clear in a teleconference to Australian reporters on Wednesday night that he was preparing for the Tashkent tussle with his eyes wide open. "Everyone is focusing on Japan as the big team in the group but I know Uzbekistan from before [when he was the South Korea national coach]. They were the first team to qualify for this round, so there is no reason to underestimate them," said the Dutchman. Australia have scheduled a warm-up game against Holland after receiving a bye on match day one. Uzbekistan, meanwhile, face Qatar in Doha first up. Verbeek feels the Uzbek challenge will be as close to playing a European side as Australia will find in the AFC. Despite earlier comments from senior players about their worrying lack of knowledge about the central Asians, the Socceroos coach calmed nerves by assuring he'd watched DVDs of their opponents on a number of occasions. "For me there is not a big surprise," he said. "They play a Russian style of football - physically strong, skilful with good organisation and the fans will be very fanatic. "It is an interesting challenge. It can help qualification if we can get a good result over there (but) it won't be easy." In local news, Football Federation Australia have confirmed two new sides will expand the league to 10 teams from the 2009/10 season. Gold Coast United and North Queensland FC will now have a year to ensure they've the resources to compete with the eight established clubs. "Expansion of the A-League is a critical issue to the continuing evolution and growth of football and this is a very exciting day for the FFA, everyone involved in the A-League, Gold Coast United and North Queensland,” said FFA boss Ben Buckley The A-League will continue plans to grow the competition to a 12-team competition in 2010/11. Fourteen teams is considered the saturation point. Australia's 27-man squad Michael Beauchamp (Aalborg), Mark Bresciano (Palermo), Jacob Burns (Unirea Valahorum), David Carney (Sheffield United), Scott Chipperfield (FC Basel), Chris Coyne (Colchester United), Ante Covic (Newcastle Jets), Jason Culina (PSV Eindhoven), Bruce Djite (Genclerbirligi), Brett Emerton (Blackburn Rovers), Richard Garcia (Hull City), Vince Grella (Blackburn Rovers), Brett Holman (AZ Alkmaar), Brad Jones (Middlesbrough), Josh Kennedy (Karlsruher), Harry Kewell (Galatasaray), Scott McDonald (Celtic), Mark Milligan (uncontracted), Lucas Neill (West Ham), Jade North (Newcastle Jets) Michael Petkovic (Sivasspor), Mark Schwarzer (Fulham), Matthew Spiranovic (FC Nurnberg), Shane Stefanutto (Lyn Oslo), Mile Sterjovski (Derby County), Carl Valeri (Grosseto), Luke Wilkshire (Dynamo Moscow) Copyright © Marc Fox and Soccerphile.com Australian Soccer News Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même Allemagne; Dempsey dies

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 12:16:28 +0000

EURO 2008 SF: Germany 3-2 Turkey, Basel Boral 22', Schweinsteiger 27', Klose 79', Semturk 86', Lahm 90' "They can play games like this, when maybe they are not the best team, and still win. That is why they are so good." Fatih Terim, Turkey's coach, could have uttered these words tonight, but in fact it was Bruce Arena after Germany had edged the States 1-0 in Ulsan in the 2002 World Cup quarter-final. Only two years ago, we were talking about how long, or rather short, Germany would last at home in the World Cup. Jurgen Klinsmann's team had been the most inept German 'elftal' (eleven) in living memory in the run-up to the 2006 tournament, but then surprised the doubters by reaching the semi-final. Now the Mannschaft have reached the EURO 2008 final with a 3-2 win over an arguably better team, nodding heads are attributing their triumph to simply being German, a synonym for depressingly successful. A Protestant work ethic (Colombia's Achilles Heel), physical force and endeavour (Portugal's downfall), mental toughness (the Dutch weakness), self-belief (count out the Spaniards), efficient organisation (bye-bye England) and a resolve to keep fighting until the end (Au revoir Les Bleus) in an 'all for one, one for all' spirit of teamwork have been in the German genes for so long, their roll of honour comes as no surprise: SEVEN World Cup finals (won three of them) and SIX European championship finals (won three of them so far) is an amazing record confirmed by Euro 2008. England have, in comparison, reached one final ever... In 1994 and 1998, Germany exited the World Cup before the semi-final stage. A colourless performance at Euro 2000 had everyone expecting them to collapse in the 2002 World Cup; instead they reached the final. Then another weak German eleven in Euro 2004 boded ill for the following World Cup, yet Germany finished third. Even in eras of weakness, they bounce back strongly. But wait a minute, didn't Croatia beat them 2-1 in this tournament? Did not the Germans look clearly second best that night, their status as early favourites following their victory over the Poles suddenly diluted? A week is a long time in football; Croatia have now been eliminated, Germany have beaten their conquerors, Turkey, and have reached yet another final, prolonging an extraordinary record. "They always put up a good show," a drunken Finn opined to me about the Germans, slumped on a Swedish park bench in Norrköpping at Euro '92. He was not wrong. Despite all the close scrapes and near misses of outrageous fortune, 'Germany are always there' is the shrugged conclusion we must draw once more, however short memories are in football. Incidentally, thank God tonight's game was in Basel and not Vienna. The Austrian capital witnessed a thunderstorm so strong it forced the evacuation of the central FanZone fifteen minutes before the end of the game. Two people were trampled in the rush to escape the tempest, requiring hospital treatment, while those who did make it to nearby bars would not have seen Miroslav Klose's strike, as the Austrian TV channel showing the game, ORF1, lost its signal for eight minutes due to the inclement weather. German TV suffered a similar break in transmission, thanks to a thunderstorm near Basel knocking out the picture relay. Vienna's central FanZone, the largest at EURO 2008, has played host to crowds of up to 100,000 people on match nights. * * * Charlie Dempsey, the Scots-born New Zealander who was President of the Oceania Football Confederation for an amazing 36 years, has died aged 87. Dempsey famously hit the world's headlines when he abstained in 2000 from voting for the destination of the 2006 World Cup, thereby handing the tournament to Germany instead of its expected hosts, South Africa. The world's cameras were suddenly focused on a rather doddery old Scot who had decided not to vote as a member of FIFA's 24-strong executive committee on the most important sporting tournament in the world. Dempsey claimed others had attempted to bribe him and that he had no wish to make enemies by voting. As it happened, Germany ran a hugely successful World Cup in 2006 and South Africa got four more years to prepare to host it, winning the vote for 2010 unopposed. Dempsey rather should be remembered for promoting football in a country obsessed with another sport (rugby union) and getting Oceania to join FIFA as a full member confederation in 1996. Soon after the World Cup vote in 2000, Dempsey quit as President, dismayed at the media assault on him and his family on account of his perceived cowardice. Oceania is still fighting for a permanent place in the World Cup Finals, after New Zealand's poor performance at the 2005 Confederations Cup persuaded FIFA President Sepp Blatter to change his mind about awarding it an automatic qualification slot, precipitating Australia's unprecedented move to the Asian Football Confederation in 2006. Dempsey's proudest achievement was seeing his beloved New Zealand compete in the 1982 World Cup Finals in Spain. (c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting