Tag Archives: fifa

Sportzfan Radio #182.1

@SportzfanRadio now available on iTunes!5 December 2010 182.1 – ‘Hostilities’ start early with Daniel noting that Stan is growing a beard and is dressing like a metrosexual.  Guest panelist Axel Dench is welcomed  by the Panel and the Professor comments that he thought the Melbourne Tigers, given their recruiting of seven footers, may have called on Axel to fill out the roster.  Daniel is on NBL “import” watch and indicates he thinks Eric Devendorf will survive but Craig Winder from the 36ers was wound up.  He also confirms LeBron James did the ‘powder clap’ and that the game between the Cavaliers and the Heat was like an NBA finals game.

Mark Fiorenti comes on to talk about the failed Australian bid for the 2022 World Cup.  He is shocked that Qatar won and that the Aussies only received one vote in the first round and therefore was eliminated.  Mark believes we may have been too honest and not cunning enought to get the required votes.  Axel wants to know how Australia could have been so blind sided by how countries would vote.  Mark believes we could have been naive and other countries thought getting Australia out early inproved their chamces in latter rounds.  The Professor asks just what we could have gotten for our $45 million spent on the failed bid.  Australia’s bid video gets unanimously panned by the Panel and Mark says it looked more like a tourism advertisement whilst Daniel says the sports stars we used may be big here but not to the rest of the world.  Mark thinks our next bid won’t be until the 2040 World Cup.

The Panel look at a tweet from Lisa Hayes regarding Tom Brady becoming a spokesperson for UGG clothing.  We find out that Daniel is a New England Patriots fan.  The Professor has Daniel speechless twice in a few minutes saying Tom is the elder brother the Brady Bunch never spoke about.  Daniel says the only thing he likes better than basketball is Star Wars and Axel says he gave out more Star Wars autographs than for basketball.

A tweet from Craig Eyles is also discussed regarding the Australian cricket team and the Ashes.  Stan says there aren’t enough players playing cricket and not enough care about whether we win the Ashes or not.  He says we should sack the selectors and Daniel actually agrees.  Axel believes the Aussie fans are front runners and tend to fall off when Australia is not doing well.

Australia’s 2022 World Cup bid becomes a Greek tragedy

Professor’s Rant #4

I’ll start this rant by repeating what I said on Sportzfan Radio last Sunday (see show #181.2) – I would love Australia to get the 2022 World Cup (a view shared by The Gelding, but not Daniel or Stan – is that OK Daniel?). 

The report on the assessment of finacncial return to FIFA  from each of the bidding countries, which has only been recently released (more about that later), seems to be a fatal blow to our chances. 

Given the findings of the report, what are the chances of Australia getting the nod when the vote is held in the early hours of tomorrow morning?  Zero, zilch, zippo, naught, nil, zip.  Get the picture?

Why?  It comes down to simple mathematics – which Board would vote for an option that reaps the least (that’s right, the least) profit for it?  Think about that question for a second or two…now roll it around……easy to answer when you consider it.  Let’s for good measure add that the favourite in this five horse race is the USA ,who just happens to be the country that reaps the most reward for FIFA if they are to be successful with their bid.  The answer becomes a no brainer!

Even if I am wrong and the USA aren’t successful, there are still three other bids that make more money for FIFA.  I can’t see a kangaroo, Hoges and Julia Gillard making up for the giant cash shortfall. 

Ask yourself this further question should you still be struggling with the economics of the situation.  If you were a share holder in FIFA Inc., would you want the voters to vote for a bid that would give you the least money in your pocket to pay increasing mortgage rates and rising electricity and gas bills?

Yet another question.  If FIFA had released the report much earlier (ie when bidding opened) would Australia have run as hard or invested as much money.  I think not!  Synics like me wonder why the findings of this report have only come to light in the last week of the process.  You don’t need to be a Rhodes scholar to work that one out.  Why would FIFA reveal findings that would stifle the competition?  Another no brainer – they wouldn’t.

On Sportzfan Radio, we have queried from the start the wisdom of making such a large investment in a bid that was against the odds from its very beginning.  We felt the money would be far better spent putting resources into growing the game at the grass roots level and enhancing the A League and its teams.  Make no mistake, the local product needs to improve significantly if we are to be rated a credible force in world soccer.

So in the end, what will we have?

Nothing for $45 million dollars.  Shareholders just love that sort of equation!

To quote Paul Dalligan “ah, yep!”

Pim’s on Ice – now for a real coach

The autopsy has been conducted, the eulogy delivered and the culprits drawn and courted so now it’s time for Football Federation Australia to move on and recruit our next national team coach.

The likely replacements include Paul LeGuen, Sven Goran Eriksson, Carlos Alberto Parreira and Marcelo “EL Loco” Bielsa.

Prior to assessing the credentials of these candidates, I should say that the Socceroos prefer to play a confident, attacking, proactive style of football – one that reflects our true sporting culture. We witnessed the benefits of this style of play under Guss Hiddink at the 2006 World Cup.  These playing characteristics obviously affect the selection of coach. Further, the coach must instil the players with technical qualities and believe in the youth of our proud nation.

Now for the candidates…..

Paul Le Guen

Le Guen had successful coaching stints at French clubs Lyon and PSG and Scottish giants Rangers. He recently resigned from his post as the national team coach of Cameroon following his side’s inglorious exit from the World Cup after losing all three of its group matches. Further, and despite boasting the talents of players such as Samuel Eto’o and Alex Song, Cameroon were the first team officially knocked out of the 2010 World Cup.  The abovementioned results speak for themselves….

Sven Goran Eriksson

Erikkson enjoyed an extremely successful tenure as a club football manager in the Swedish, Portuguese and Italian leagues from 1978 to 2001, most notably with Italian club, Lazio.  In the period 2001 to 2006 he coached the England national team.  Despite having coached many of England’s “golden generation” of players, Eriksson failed to take England beyond the quarter final stages of both the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and most notably, failed to engineer a win over a ten man Brazil side in the 2002 World Cup quarter final.  Further, Eriksson had a disastrous and short stint as the manager of the Mexican national team – in fact, immediately after he was sacked in April 2009 the Mexican fans’ association held a ‘victory rally’ attended by approximately 30,000 angry supporters! In short, Eriksson has been unable to replicate his club football success on the international stage.  Finally, he would cost a pretty penny.  In my opinion, it would not be money well spent. 

Carlos Alberto Parreira

We’re getting warmer now….

Parreira has enjoyed a distinguished coaching career.  He coached Brazil to victory in the 1994 World Cup, 2004 Copa America and the 2005 Confederations Cup.  Further, he is one of only two coaches that has led five national teams to the World Cup: Kuwait in 1982, United Arab Emirates in 1990, Brazil in 1994 and 2006, Saudi Arabia in 1998 and South Africa in 2010. 

Nevertheless, and somewhat surprisingly, he failed to take Brazil beyond the quarter final stages of the 2006 World Cup.  This, despite having attacking talents such as Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Adriano and Robinho at his disposal.  Further, and like Eriksson, he will not come cheap and frankly, I would prefer seeing Football Federation Australia investing the money in grassroots football and unearthing the next Harry Kewell and Tim Cahill. God knows we need more of them….

So that leaves the madman, Marcelo Bielsa

Bielsa coached the Argentine national team from 1998 to 2004 and enjoyed mixed success.  The team exited the 2002 World Cup at the first round but were runners-up at the 2004 Copa America and won the 2004 Olympic Games.   Bielsa is the current coach of the Chilean national team and it is here that he has truly worked wonders.  Under his guidance the team has undergone many historic firsts, including their first win over Argentina in official matches and beating Paraguay away from home for the first time in nearly thirty years.  Further, Bielsa fast tracked many young talents throughout Chile’s qualification campaign and employs an attacking brand of football – Chile scored the most goals in the South American qualification stages of the World Cup. 

Bielsa’s relationships with the media are also good. 

His interviews are stimulating and he has been known to field every last question from the assembled media at his press conferences.  Further, he once famously stated:

“Every section of the media should get the same attention from me, from the capital’s most prominent TV channel to the smallest newspaper in the provinces”.

A refreshing change from “Pim’s and (very) dry” who, amongst other things, publicly smashed the A-League and later, rather than backing away from his comments reportedly remarked, “I’m Dutch, we’re honest”.

Bielsa is reportedly paid $1.5 million per annum to coach the Chilean national team – a figure less than what Football Federation Australia paid the man who couldn’t get and/or afford a decent haircut.  

There are increasing suggestions Bielsa will leave his post now that Chile has exited the World Cup….

As Deborah Harry once sang, “I want that man”.

Mark “The ‘F’ Word” Fiorenti – discussing all things concerning the World Game.

Australia vs Serbia: The Chevaps tasted good but only if we’d sampled them sooner…along with a side of Sauerkraut

“Don’t bother chasing women or buses…..Chances are, you’ll miss both” – author unknown.

The same arguably applies to World Cup and tournament football.

The Socceroos’ inspiring 2-1 win over Serbia was brilliant but not enough to earn qualification for the second round of the World Cup. A team only gets three bites of the cherry and Australia effectively wasted one of them against Germany. As such, it was always playing catch up football and needed a miracle to progress.

Having said that, the Socceroos earned some redemption and will go home with their heads held high. Pride in the shirt has been restored and Australia’s second ever World Cup win (and first over a European nation and heavyweight, I might add), removed any doubt they deserve a place on the World’s biggest sporting stage.

The Socceroos were (finally) due some luck at this tournament and they certainly rode it against the Serbs, who were close to their best despite the scoreline. A combination of wasteful finishing, particularly by Milos Krasic, and Mark Schwarzer’s brilliance kept Serbia at bay in a one sided first half. But a dominant second half performance by the boys in green and gold secured the points and some well earned respect.
Continue reading Australia vs Serbia: The Chevaps tasted good but only if we’d sampled them sooner…along with a side of Sauerkraut

Australia vs Ghana (Part II): I see Red. Full stop.

A few days ago I reviewed Australia’s gutsy performance and 1-1 draw against Ghana.  That performance gave the Socceroos a glimmer of hope going into their third and final group game against Serbia.

In short, I was impressed by the Socceroos’ fighting spirit and tactical set up to earn some redemption in Rustenberg.

All this, whilst playing a majority of the match with “10 men”……

As promised, today “The F Word” gives his thoughts on “that penalty”.
Continue reading Australia vs Ghana (Part II): I see Red. Full stop.

Australia vs Ghana (Part I): I see Red (on and off the field). But shades of green and gold, too.

“90 minutes, 90 emotions” – A –League advertising campaign.

So imagine what a week in football does to a supporter!

And what a week it was in Australian football. The debacle in Durban, the media circus and fallout that followed, a(nother) controversial sending off and finally, some redemption in Rustenburg.

The Socceroos’ World Cup campaign hangs by a thread but Australia’s draw with Ghana was a sharp reminder of what is possible in a green and gold shirt.

Pim Verbeek’s tactics against Germany were negative and nonsensical.  Further, the Socceroos appeared devoid of pace, creativity and passion. The performance against Ghana however, was a drastic improvement and the 10 men who remained on the field at Royal Bafokeng can hold their heads high.
Continue reading Australia vs Ghana (Part I): I see Red (on and off the field). But shades of green and gold, too.

Aussie soccer officials finally see the writing on the wall!

As US comedian RonWhite says “You can’t fix stupid, because stupid is forever”.

Stupid is exactly what the Aussie bid for the 2018 World Cup was!!

As we discussed with Mark Fiorenti on Sportzfan Radio several months ago – Australia had NO chance of success with the bid.  The Aussie camp was still trying to convince us that we were a realistic bidder, notwithstanding Sepp Blatter (FIFA President) telling anyone who cared to listen that Europe would be the preferred venue (for that read will be the venue) in 2018 and FIFA also reinforcing that with Australian representatives at every turn.

It took our own Asian Football Confederation to jolt us back to reality when its President came out in support of the European bid this week.

One wonders at the capacity/capability of those running Aussie soccer not to be able to see the forest for the trees.

The AFL/NRL must be laughing out loud at the time and money wasted on that part of the bid.

What does that say for the 2022 bid?……more on that one later.