AUSSIE AUSSIE !!!!! I watched the game LIVE in Chicago, in full Aussie support gear, complete with Socceroo tee and Aussie flag. And let me be the first to tell all of you that walking around Chicago dressed in Socceroo/Aussie colors the day of the BIG USA vs Honduras, can get you a few nasty comments. WHY ISN'T EVERYONE EXCITED ?! Where are the videos clips of people celebrating in the street, the same scenes that I stayed up all night, watching and praying four years ago ? First things first, I want my dark blue Australia Away kit with Tim Cahill's name on the back, so where can I get one now that we have qualified ASIDE from the national team website...it''s a $165 US dollars. I know that money does not grow on trees but neither do Socceroo kits !!!!
You're a trooper Nothing too bad was said I hope. There's just a bit less excitement and rejoicing when you secure qualification with a 0-0 in a distant land at 4am with two games in hand as opposed to a sudden death penalty shootout at home with a hated opponent. Also expectations have kinda jumped since the last time, people expect us to qualify in style. That's the Aussie temperament I guess...
Last time we hadn't qualified for 32 years, and it happened through a penalty shootout. You can't have it any more dramatic than that. Also we had already qualified this just sealed it.Expectations are (perhaps unrealistically) higher than 4 years ago when it was such a do or die situation, so till the day where we win the world cup don't expect grown men in tears in federation square.
Why nasty comments? I'm assuming that your an Australian living in Chicago? If you are, they shouldn't give you crap, but if your an American supporting Australia, then I'd expect that treatment.
Nice to hear from you again Jess. In regards to your Cahill jersey- how about on this site? Maybe Huss has one for you! Well done to the lads and to Pim as well, job well done. Mission accomplished.
And we made the front page of the FIFA website! http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1067749.html#aussies+create+history+without+fuss
Gday All I am new here and have read all the comments with great interest. I am wraped we have made the World Cup and hopefully we can be a force in 12 months time. One Thing we should all do now is predict what we think our 23 man Squad should look like. Here is mine for all of you. Goal Keepers: M. Schwarzer (Fulham), M. Petkovic (Sivasspor), A. Federicci (Reading) Defenders: M Milligan (Shanghai Shenhua), L Wilkshire (Dynamo Moscow), L Neil (West Ham), C Moore (Queensland Roar), M Beauchamp (Aalborg BK), M Spiranovic (FC Nurnberg), S Chipperfield (FC Basel), S Jamieson (Adelaide United) Midfielders: B Emerton (Blackburn Rovers), M Bresciano (Palermo), T Cahill (Everton), J Cullina (PSV Eindhoven), V Grella (Blackburn Rovers), C Valeri (Grosseto), H Kewell (Galatasaray) Strikers: J Kennedy (Karlsruhe), S McDonald (Celtic), M Viduka (Newcastle United), B Djite (Gençlerbirliği), NRukavytsya(FC Twente) Unlucky To Miss Out: D Carney, C Coyne, J North, B Holman, M Sterjovski, R Garcia, M Jedinak, N Burns, J Troisi, A Thompson. Obviously 2 biggest surprises are Jamieson and Rukavytsya but we need a couple of young players with pace to get in behined defences and create overlapping runs. Love to here other peoples opinion and squads.
Heya Billy, welcome aboard! I'd go with: GK: Schwarzer, Petkovic, Jones/Covic/Federici - Schwarz still clearly on top, only competition for 3rd DF: Neill, Moore, Chipperfield, Wilkshire, Milligan, Coyne/North/Beauchamp, Spiranovic Status Quo rules here too. Was considering putting in Jamieson but Neill and Moore are no spring chickens so good to have more than one reserve CB. MF: Kewell, Cahill, Grella, Culina, Bresciano, Emerton, Carle, Carney, Valeri This is just ridiculous, all these guys in bold are going to be 30+ this time next year. Can see Carney/Carle making way for the Sterj too. FW: Kennedy, McDonald, Djite, Viduka/Troisi Would like Viduka fit and playing for us, I think he and McDonald would complement each other perfectly. But as it is this is a weak-ass strike lineup. Its a little worrying the extent to which our mainstays are going to be the same guys as last go around (bolded) , particularly in midfield and how little competition there is for some of these spots.
I'd actually take Bouzanis in place of Petkovic. I don't see Petkovic in any long term plans. Not sold on Beauchamp at international level. Too slow and gives too many fouls away. It's too early but I think this time next year Holland, Troisi, Vidosic, Zullo and probably even DeVere will be in aroiund the NT set up. In fact I'd go even further and get Esposito capped before the Italian NT start sniffing around. I doubt Viduka will be going to South Africa. I'm not a huge fan of Holman but Verbeek seems to be so he'll be going as will Jedinak and Garcia. I also don't consider Thompson unluck to miss out. Isn't up to international standard. Blitzes at A-League level because that's about where he's at.
The five things Pim must do before South Africa Really Cockers- there's a Captain Obvious article if I've ever seen one!
Not what I want, but my predicted 23 man squad GK - Schwarzer, Petkovic, Federici Defenders - Neill, Moore, Wilkshire, Chippers, Carney, Beauchamp, Spiranovic Midfielders - Grella, Kewell, Bresc, Culina, Emerton, Valeri, Carle, Holman, Vidosic Forwards - Cahill, Kennedy, McDonald, Djite
congrats on qualifying...I'll be cheering for USA, but i'll also be cheering for australia as my second team hope u guys go far in the world cup
I was looking at bruce djite's wiki page and saw that he could of played for USA, but he chose australia...oh well, your gain, our loss he looks to be an up and coming player
Djite could have played for USA, Ghana or (I think) Togo. Australia was always his first choice though as he has been here since he was about 3yo.
Didn't he go to AIS, too? From my understanding you have now to play for Australia if you go to AIS after the Croatians, notably Simunic, deserted their native country after resources had been poured into their development. So he wouldn't really have a choice. Simunic... Subotic... names and stories are so familiar.