Frank Arok and Australia vs Israel 1989

Discussion in 'Australia' started by Lior_, Oct 30, 2009.

  1. Lior_

    Lior_ New Member

    Mar 26, 2009
    Club:
    Maccabi Netanya FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Israel
    Hi everyone,

    I was hoping I could get some help from this forum.
    Im looking for some information regarding the events leading up to the Australia vs Israel game in Australia back in 1989. The score was 1-1.
    Basically what I am looking for is a match report and apparently Frank Arok made some anti-Semitic comments before the game, so I was hoping that someone would have some information on that as well...

    Thank you again
     
  2. almango

    almango Member+

    Sydney FC
    Australia
    Nov 29, 2004
    Bulli, Australia
    Club:
    Sydney FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    If saying I hope to send the Israeli Team home losers is anti semetic then he made some anti semetic comments. As for the match, I remember standing in the half built boxes at the southern end because there weren't enough seats for the crowd. Yankos made a defensive error just before half time which led to a goal for Israel. Trimboli got an equaliser with less than 10 minutes left. Arok gave the referee a blast at full time because the ref decided no added time would be played and finished the game dead on 90 minutes. The draw was enough for Israel to win the group but they lost the playoff against Paraguay 2-1 on aggregate and still haven't made it the World Cup to this day. Maybe 2014 will be their year.
     
  3. Lior_

    Lior_ New Member

    Mar 26, 2009
    Club:
    Maccabi Netanya FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Israel
    Is that all he said? Because after Eli Ohana scored the goal, he ran towards Arok kissing his Magen David. Our players dont normally do that, so their must of been some other comments said. Other reports that I have seen refer to this although they dont reference it, so I was hoping someone from this board can either remember or maybe even link some articles that talk about the game??

    I didnt know that it stopped at 90min. Israel made the playoff, but lost 1-0 in Colombia and then it was 0-0 in Israel.

    2014 lol, I wish!
     
  4. almango

    almango Member+

    Sydney FC
    Australia
    Nov 29, 2004
    Bulli, Australia
    Club:
    Sydney FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    Your players played in OFC for World Cup qualifying without much success for most of that decade. In fact I can't remember them beating Australia during that time. I'm sure taking the lead in Sydney was a big enough reason to celebrate.
     
  5. Caesar

    Caesar Moderator
    Staff Member

    Mar 3, 2004
    Oztraya
    I'd never heard of this at all, so I decided to Google it. The only reference on the entire internet I could find was in an unsourced biographical blurb on Ohana, written on some fansite:

    It's mentioned in a few wikis and discussion forums but everything is referenced to the above article.

    Given that if true it probably would have got a fair bit of press at the time, I'm going to say that this is probably fake. At the very least, it's a highly unsubstantiated rumour.
     
  6. almango

    almango Member+

    Sydney FC
    Australia
    Nov 29, 2004
    Bulli, Australia
    Club:
    Sydney FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    Considering the description of the goal I would say its all a fantasy. In reality he picked up a loose ball miscontrolled by Yankos and beat an out of position goalkeeper before slotting it home into an empty net.
     
  7. NoRightFoot

    NoRightFoot Member

    May 18, 2006
    Melbourne, at times.
    Club:
    Malmo FF
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    Was this one of Charlie's big kicks? I was only a boy but I can remember the Israeli's scrambling to get back when it hit the back of the net. Mind you, he saved his best for the Argentines,
     
  8. almango

    almango Member+

    Sydney FC
    Australia
    Nov 29, 2004
    Bulli, Australia
    Club:
    Sydney FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    No, that was the goal he scored in Israel during the same qualifying group. What happened in Sydney was the ball was passed to him, he miscontrolled it and the Israeli striker pounced quickly on the loose ball and scored. Charlie didn't make too many errors at the back, but this was one of them.
     
  9. Lior_

    Lior_ New Member

    Mar 26, 2009
    Club:
    Maccabi Netanya FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Israel
    for anyone interested in seeing the goal again

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6A72zeuosE&feature=related"]YouTube - ‫??? ?? ??? ????? ???????? ??????? 90‬‎[/ame]

    It was Eli Ohana that scored the goal, showed great composure beating the goalie and the defender
     
  10. NoRightFoot

    NoRightFoot Member

    May 18, 2006
    Melbourne, at times.
    Club:
    Malmo FF
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    So why are we seeing it on this forum? Let the Israeli's worry about that. His free kick against them was magic.

    It almost rivals his commentary against Hungary when Muscat scored - "Yeah, and it was, gee, what a great goal!"

    Seriously, they were 2 of the best free kicks I've seen from an Australian player.
     
  11. Gold is the Colour

    Dec 17, 2005
    Perth Australia
    Club:
    Perth Glory
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia

    Yankos v Argentina was one of the best (long range) free kicks I've seen from anyone - anywhere.
     
  12. cmedina1983

    cmedina1983 New Member

    Nov 14, 2008
    California
    Club:
    Sydney FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    That is probably my most favourite goal of all time ;)

    Here it is, for people to watch... over and over again:

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EaqVfIlE9U&NR=1"]YouTube - YANKOS, Charlie vs Argentina - 1988 Friendly Tournament in A[/ame]
     
  13. epris

    epris Member

    May 20, 2007
    Sydney
    love the noise when the ball is stuck

    booooooom!
     
  14. el-capitano

    el-capitano Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 30, 2005
    Sydney
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    I did find this on some random soccer forum- but once again- it could just be another urban legend that started off as pretty much nothing but then its been passed down and expanded upon over time...... ;)

     
  15. almango

    almango Member+

    Sydney FC
    Australia
    Nov 29, 2004
    Bulli, Australia
    Club:
    Sydney FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    This is absolute nonsense. The game was oversold with not enough seats for the crowd. I ended watching from a construction zone at the southern end (they were building the corporate boxes there now) and was asked several times to leave as it was unsafe but told them as there was no where else to go I would leave as soon as the full time whistle went. The crowd couldn't have made any formations, other than a heap.
     
  16. el-capitano

    el-capitano Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 30, 2005
    Sydney
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    That's what I thought. ;)
     
  17. el-capitano

    el-capitano Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 30, 2005
    Sydney
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
  18. mikemodano

    mikemodano New Member

    none
    Luxembourg
    Apr 18, 2021
    Hi, good people.

    I am not here to try and stir anything up. On the contrary, I am just searching for information from the qualification for the 1990 World Cup, and so I thought this was an appropriate thread.

    I am currently engaged in an extensive website project which deals with the 1990 World Cup and not least its qualification. I've covered the UEFA and, most recently, the CONMEBOL sections of that qualification, until arriving in the OFC zone.

    As those of you interested in this era will know, there were just five entries for the OFC zone back then, with both Taiwan and Israel coming into the mix alongside yourselves, New Zealand and Fiji. The qualification had a first and a second phase. The first phase consisted of two-legged affairs for Australia and New Zealand against Fiji and Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) respectively, with both coming through relatively comfortably in the end, even if Australia had, stunningly, lost their first leg in Fiji. The return fixture, though, was won 5-1, with the Fijians getting their consolation goal on 90 minutes.

    Little is known from the first leg in Fiji. There is no footage available, at least not which I've been able to track down so far. I've managed to get my hands on a 45 minute long tape from the second leg in Newcastle (Speers Point), which clearly shows Australia's superiority against an opponent bent on using physique to their advantage.

    Frank Arok was seen setting his team up in 3-5-2 for that second leg against Fiji, and from a bird's view, it would look something like this:

    Jeff Olver
    Gary van Egmond - Charlie Yankos (c) - Graham Jennings
    Alan Davidson - Oscar Crino - Garry McDowall - Jason Polak - Scott Ollerenshaw
    Warren Spink - Graham Arnold

    Does anyone on this forum know if there's newspaper articles, reports (official or even unofficial), footage, interviews (players/management) or such available anywhere? I approached similarly on a New Zealand forum, and one of the users kindly attached articles from their football weekly 'Soccer Express', which wrote about their two matches against Taiwan. Does (or did) Australia have something similar to that weekly publication, and if so, would it be possible for me to find it anywhere online?

    Greetings from Norway.
     
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  19. mikemodano

    mikemodano New Member

    none
    Luxembourg
    Apr 18, 2021
  20. mikemodano

    mikemodano New Member

    none
    Luxembourg
    Apr 18, 2021
    While the two Fiji matches back in Dec '88 are perhaps unknown territory to most, the Bicentennial Gold Cup earlier in the year was perhaps a bigger highlight, not least through that memorable 4-1 win against the reigning world champions. Well, Argentina may have brought what was pretty much a second string team to that tournament, but to thrash them like Australia did was nevertheless an impressive feat.

    I noticed how the Socceroos lined up in 4-3-3 throughout the Gold Cup, and Arok and his then assistant Eddie Thomson were using pretty much identical line-ups throughout, although there were a few altercations along the way.

    Jeff Olver
    Wally Šavor - Charlie Yankos (c) - Robbie Dunn - Graham Jennings
    Paul Wade - Oscar Crino - Alan Davidson
    Frank Farina - Graham Arnold - Scott Ollerenshaw

    Crino, obviously a massive player in this team, got injured early in the tournament, and missed out on the game against the nation where he was born, and so it was Vlado Bozinoski got his first ever start at the age of 24 in an Australia shirt (third cap altogether I believe) in Crino's place v Argentina. However, despite Bozinoski's fine performance which was even capped by a goal, the fourth and final home goal of the lot, Crino resumed his place in the starting XI for the final v Brazil, where Australia were pretty much second best throughout. The Brazilians had arrived in Australia with a much stronger squad compared to their old foes from South America, and would soon go on and reach the final of the Olympics with a lot of the same players. Australia could take a lot of heart and credit from their result and performances in the Gold Cup, though.

    Interesting to see how Arok would switch from a back four then to a central defensive trio for the World Cup qualification which would commence later in the year, and then continue in March '89 with the four group stage matches v New Zealand and Israel.
     
  21. almango

    almango Member+

    Sydney FC
    Australia
    Nov 29, 2004
    Bulli, Australia
    Club:
    Sydney FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    Arok tended to favour (and Eddie Thompson who followed him also) a defensive system that used a sweeper behind two central defenders and two wing backs who played in a four man defensive line in defence but switched to wide midfield players when in attack. More a back 5 than a back 3 in practice unless the opposition was exceptionally weak.
     
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  22. mikemodano

    mikemodano New Member

    none
    Luxembourg
    Apr 18, 2021
    Thanks for your reply.
    Yes, that's what I've learnt, too, from studying the '89 team, although I've not yet reached further than the first group stage match, so it is good to get your verification of my impression so far.
    That development from 4-3-3 to 5-3-2/3-5-2 seemed to happen quite quickly, though, or was his use of a four man backline during the Gold Bicentennial Cup more a diversion away from his regular tactics? He had, after all, been the head coach for a while already in '88.

    This Australian team had some interesting characters. I've quite taken to Charlie Yankos, whom I understand was a big leader, and an easy pick for the captain's armband. Mike Petersen could use both feet well from his central midfield position, and worked really hard to allow the delightfully skillful Oscar Crino to wander ahead. And Graham Arnold, for all his endeavour and battling skills, you just could not dislike.

    I've also had the pleasure of exchanging some opinions with then coach Gary Cole, who had obviously played for the national team earlier. What a wonderfully welcoming gentleman.
     
  23. almango

    almango Member+

    Sydney FC
    Australia
    Nov 29, 2004
    Bulli, Australia
    Club:
    Sydney FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    It's really stretching my memory a bit about formats Arok used in his earlier coaching years. I know the 5-3-2 / 3-5-2 was a pretty regular formation under Eddie Thompson, and as he was Arok's assistant for much of the Arok period I think the formations had a bit to do with Eddie. I always thought Eddie was more the tactical coach and Frank the type that motivated his players to their best efforts. Of course, using the sweeper depends a lot on having a player who can fulfil that role, and during those years we had Charlie Yankos and then Ivan Milanovic who filled those roles with great skill. Eddie used to boast that there was no one in the world who could give us a thrashing and only once in Thompson's coaching period did we have 4 goals scored against us (a 4-1 loss to Japan in a friendly). We reverted to a more traditional 4-4-2 when Terry Venables took over as coach and I don't think we have used a sweeper since.
     
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  24. mikemodano

    mikemodano New Member

    none
    Luxembourg
    Apr 18, 2021
    Thank you once again.

    As for the sweeper position, precisely around this era which I am researching, there was also Andy Koczka who could fill in whenever Yankos was unavailable. Just like during the two friendlies against Swedish champions Malmo, which were played in February (1989), a few weeks prior to the start of the qualification group stage 2021-05-07.png

    I'm quite intrigued by the Socceroos' performance during that 4-1 win against New Zealand, although the opposition were weak. There were some really sound individuals in that side, and it will be interesting to see whether Arok managed to maintain the fine balance through the team once Farina and Krnčević became available. It is Israel in Tel Aviv up next, and according to Les Murray, the Belgium based forwards will be returning to the squad then.
     
  25. almango

    almango Member+

    Sydney FC
    Australia
    Nov 29, 2004
    Bulli, Australia
    Club:
    Sydney FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    They were weak that day, but they did manage to regroup and defeat us in the second game. That result eventually cost us top spot in the group. The games between Israel, Australia and New Zealand in the 1980's were always competitive.
     
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