Austrailan Press lays down the smack to Bruce!

[Bigrose30]

http://www.theage.com.au/news/soccer/rank-arena/2005/12/06/1133829597028.html

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world-cup-2006/forget-england-we-want-to-play-the-yanks/2005/12/06/1133829597323.html

http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/Australia-a-weak-Cup-team-US-coach/2005/12/06/1133829573662.html


This is amazing! Let the smack talking begin!


Edit: Dwight Yorke also weighs in, even after Bruce's compliment towards him:

"Trinidad & Tobago star Yorke last night bristled at Arena's suggestion. "The manager of the American team is entitled to his opinion," he said. "Hopefully when he comes up against one of us we can shove the words right back in his face. America was in our [qualifying] group. They know they were very fortunate to beat us. They are not a brilliant team like they are making out to be … we've been playing them for years, they are not that special."

Yes! I love it!

[FlashMan]

personally, I believe in letting sleeping dogs lie

getting a bounch of ex-English inmates all wound up 'cause of a few unnecessary quotes seems non-strategic

on the other hand, we could alwayz just fight banshee with banshee

[Beck11]

I think [Arena's] comments might just show what he knows about the real world. I find his comments naive, but it doesn't surprise me, coming from a US coach. I mean, where has he been?

This pretty much sums up the overwhelming feelings of the rest of the world in regards to the US.

[Bigrose30]

The best part about all this was that they are taking Bruce's comments waaaaaaaaaay out of context. He was trying to explain to the American press how hard the world cup is, and especially this time around.

He picked out China and Saudi Arabia as easy games for the last time around, and then compared them to new faces this time around...and then brought up that Austraila has a full compliment of European-based players...to prove that even the 'easy' out isn't really easy at all.

But now they want to talk sh**? I say bring it on.

And seriously, Dwight Yorke can go f*** himself. So you beat Bahrain? A country who's population is about 680,000, and who's fans didn't seem like they knew they were allowed to cheer. The only reason T&T even made it to the Hex is because of the cupcake draw they got in the semi-finals. I've said it before and I'll say it again...they couldn't hold a candle to a full-strength Honduras squad with Guevara. And if Jamaica ever got some quality coaching they'd be the clear-cut CONCACAF #4, maybe even #3.

I only hope T&T keeps their GD in single digits so as not to eliminate that final half-spot that Jack Warner managed to get for them. It'd be a shame if Honduras or Jamaica didn't have a chance to claim it in the future.

And to think, I rooted so hard for them against Bahrain.

[ChelseaMatt]

Bruce's comments were definitely taken the wrong way-- what he was saying, basically, was even the teams least feared on prior record (T&T hasn't been to the world cup ever, and Australia hasn't been in 30 years) are strong teams-- he was saying that there are no easy draws--- the same way he says that CONCACAF is a tough region.

Personally, I'd rather face an Asian team than an African team. I was not pleased with the allocation of pots.

[Serie Zed]

"You'd probably say they're the weakest teams, but just look at the quality they've got on the pitch. All of Australia's starters play in Europe and T&T have got Dwight Yorke and Stern John up front -- both playing for EPL sides."

Bet Arena wishes he'd been clearer.

But let the thin-skinned nutters get their backs up over nothing. As a US fan, used to watching the hysterical rantings of my fellow fans anytime they're 'disrespected' by Jim Rome, ESPN, God, etc, I know it only goes to prove they do indeed have doubts about their side.

[ghazi]

What did he say that was wrong or inaccurate? Australia IS considered one of the easier teams. . .who's their biggest hurdle to the World cup other than Uruguay? The Solomon Islands or Fiji??

Dont get me wrong - i think the Aussies are talented with a healthy Kewell, Viduka, Bresciano and Cahill, Shwartzer. . .but Bruce acknowledged that.

he wasnt saying they sucked. He said the PERCEPTION is that they suck, but they are talented. What's wrong with that?

[JRstriker12]

Man, that's a tough Confederation Austrialia is in. ;)

http://www.oceaniafootball.com/index.cgi?sID=21

[shooter6065]

Bruce's comments were definitely taken the wrong way-- what he was saying, basically, was even the teams least feared on prior record (T&T hasn't been to the world cup ever, and Australia hasn't been in 30 years) are strong teams-- he was saying that there are no easy draws--- the same way he says that CONCACAF is a tough region.

Personally, I'd rather face an Asian team than an African team. I was not pleased with the allocation of pots.

You might be the only one in the world to read it like that.


That was a stupid, stupid thing for Bruce to say. It's usually better to close your mouth and let people think you are stupid than to open your mouth to prove it.

[Davids26]

Robbie Slater: "I think [Arena's] comments might just show what he knows about the real world. I find his comments naive, but it doesn't surprise me, coming from a US coach. I mean, where has he been?"

Longest tenured national team coach in the world, 2 Gold Cup titles, Qualified twice for the World Cup, World Cup quarterfinals.

I think the real questions are, Where has Robbie Slater been? and Why is he so naive?

As far as Yorke's comments, have T&T ever even beaten the US???

[Luc11]

.Quote:by Robbie Slater

I think [Arena's] comments might just show what he knows about the real world. I find his comments naive, but it doesn't surprise me, coming from a US coach. I mean, where has he been?


actually the US has been to the the past five world cups, including the quarter finals at the last one w/ Bruce Arena at the helm.

But where the hell has Australia been they haven't qualified for the world cup for 32 years?

[NBlue]

It appears the Australian press has, very successfully, made a mountain from a molehill. Well Done.

I know they speak English over there but is it possible they utilize some other form of grammar? It is more than obvious that BA was giving them a compliment and yet its also more than obvious that several Aussies were to stupid to understand his comments in that light. Of course, I'm relatively certain that the Aussie papers wrote the commentary in that manner on purpose -- it will sell papers afterall . . .

[Chicago1871]

Slater said he would be delighted if the Americans ended up in the same group as Australia. "I would rather the Socceroos got into a group with the US than any of the other teams that may be ranked in the top tier," Slater said.

"Our squad has a lot more quality than theirs and I would back (Socceroo coach) Guus Hiddink against any coach."
Guus Hiddink = http://www.tvacres.com/images/captain_kangaroo2.jpg ?

[Allamerican74]

Must have been a slow news day in Oz. Much ado about nothing. Arena is right. Most would say they were the weaker sides in the WC but they are still very strong unlike 2002.

[dwm5]

I don't know why Arena chose Australia as an example. In the Elo Ratings, for example, they're ranked 24th in the world, and 18th among the World Cup teams, not that far below the US (14th and 13th). The weakest two teams are TNT and Angola.

[DCFAN96]

Who cares, the truth hurts if they can't deal with it then so be it. I'd love to have Australia in our group theres no doubt in my mind that we'd beat them. I won't even comment on Yorke's statements, when was the last time T&T beat the US???? When was the last time he scored against the US???? Hes just bitter, he can't honestly believe T&T has any chance of winning it all next year.

[ButlerBob]

I think it's going to be interesting to see how Austraila does in the next WC qualifing when they are part of a stronger region of Asia. I find Yorke's comments ammusing. Here's a guy that can't cut it any more in the EPL talking smack. It's also good to know that their press is as lazy as ours and recycles quotes in a number of articles.

[Adam Zebrowski]

the aussies will be playing in asia from now on...so they shiould get better...

no more 2-0 leads over iran with 10 minutes to go AT HOME, only to blow it 2-2....

of pot 2, ivory coast and ghana are the more troubling...

the rest, I'd take any of them...

[scarshins]

apparently their players are as annoying and stupid as their fans

I hope we draw them first game

[roarksown1]

"Tobin admitted the US had improved dramatically over the past 10 years, but said they had been helped by having a far easier passage to the World Cup finals than the Socceroos."

This is my favorite ... where has this guy been is the real question ... Australia plays two competitive matches in all to qualify (against Uruguay) and only got through on penalties.

Hats off to them and all, but they've got no clue whatsoever about the CONCACAF qualification process compared to their own.

Australia plays team where they rack up 17-0 scorelines to pad their goal differential ... I hardly imagine there's one team in the hex they could get more than three goals past.

It's laughable this guy Tobin's comments.

Oi, Oi, Oi indeed...