After the euphoria of making the last 16 at World Cup 2006, Australia are back for another go. Luckily they’ve got most of the same squad as last time around. Whether you think them being four years older is a positive or negative is up to you.
The move to the Asian confederation may have done Australia some good though. That, coupled with what looks like a decent bid to host a World Cup in 2018 or 2022 should have Australia thinking of itself as a more established nation than in 2006. Which is theoretically a good thing.
Not so good was the draw, which set Australia up to face Germany, Ghana and Serbia in Group D. No gimmes. So the odds are possibly against the Socceroos, but Pim Verbeek’s men are more than capable of getting a result in any of those games.
Nickname: Socceroos.
FIFA World Ranking as of April 28th 2010: #20
Group D Matches:
Australia vs Germany – June 13th, 7:30pm, Durban
Australia vs Ghana – June 19th, 3pm, Rustenburg
Australia vs Serbia – June 23rd, 7:30pm, Nelspruit
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Coach: There are several knocks against Dutchman Pim Verbeek, who took over in 2007. First is that he’s basically Guus Hiddink-lite (Hiddink having successfully got Australia to the Second Round at World Cup 2006). Second is that he’s a little disloyal, having ditched South Korea after just a year in charge in order to take the Australia job. Third is that he asks his team to play more defensively than many Australians are happy with.
Despite the knocks, the one basic fact in Verbeek’s favour is that he qualified Australia for World Cup 2010, finishing top of Group A in the Fourth Round of Asian qualifying. But more on that later. The other thing in Verbeek’s favour: He made a promise that if Australia qualified he would sing national anthem Advance Australia Fair live one television. Pim was as good as his word:
Key Players: Veteran goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer provides a rock at the back, while captain Lucas Neill brings the facial hair and tough tackles. But the undisputed key player is Tim Cahill. The 30 year old Everton attacking midfielder is where the goals come from, arriving late in the box or inexplicably winning headers a 5′10″ midfielder shouldn’t be winning. But he’s more than just a goalscorer. Cahill’s a technically sound player who will create chances and keep the midfield ticking.
A more creative but less reliable key player comes in the oft-injured shape of Harry Kewell. Now 31 and playing for Galatasaray, Kewell has plenty of tricks up his sleeve (down his socks?) and can play either wide left, or as a sort of second striker. Kewell’s been out for a few months with a groin injury, but recently made his return to the Galatasaray first team. If he’s fit, he’ll contribute some class going forward. If not, he won’t.
However, what Australia really needs is a striker. Mark Viduka retired from Socceroo duty in 2007, and a suitable striker replacement has not yet been found. Either gigantic 6′4″ forward Josh Kennedy of J-League team Grampus, or not so gigantic 5′8″ Scott McDonald (once of Celtic, now of Middlesbrough), or maybe even someone we’re not yet familiar with, is going to have to step up and score some goals. Because Tim Cahill can’t do it all. Or at least he probably can’t.
Player with best YouTube video: Tim Cahill’s goals for Everton (and subsequent corner flag punching celebration) are certainly worth a watch:
Player with best name: This hadn’t occurred to me before today, but Harry Kewell’s real name is Harold Kewell. Which instantly ages him another 40 years. However, if uncapped Klmarniock attacker Danny Invincible somehow makes the Socceroos World Cup squad, he instantly becomes the winner in this category.
Player with best nickname: Best I could do was “Tiny Tim”, which is apparently what Everton fans call Tim Cahill. Are there any better ones out there that Australia fans know about?
Qualification: Now this is interesting. After years of trouncing Oceania opposition and then being faced with a difficult playoff to qualify for the World Cup, Australia finally upped sticks and moved to Asia in 2007. A gamble for sure, because though Asia had 4.5 World Cup berths to Oceania’s 0.5, it’s a much more competitive region.
Yet Australia sailed through. In the fourth and final round of qualifying – that is, the one that really counts – the Socceroos went unbeaten and finished top of Group A, above Japan.
Interesting: This will be Australia’s first World Cup as an Asian nation. Yet the country remains in exactly the same location as 2006. Just saying.
National Anthem: “Advance Australia Fair”. A slightly more tuneful version than the Pim Verbeek effort above:
Kit: Australia will be sporting this rather unique home jersey.
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World Cup History:
Read the full article: Australia World Cup history.
Expectations: Group D is tough, and Australia knows it. Getting out of this group and matching the achievements of 2006 with a place in the last 16 would be considered a success. Putting up a good fight and finishing third would obviously not be so successful, but might be acceptable.
Squad: TBA.
Blog: Kieran, Luka and Vlado are tracking the Socceroos on Australia World Cup Blog.
- More World Cup 2010 Team Profiles.
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