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Australia - World Cup 2014 Qualifiers
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Topic Started: Aug 31 2011, 07:49 AM (1,134 Views)
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cesc11
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Sep 7 2011, 05:22 PM
Post #16
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Taylor Gang
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sweet, we'll make it again you would think
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WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS - CHAMPIONS OF ASIA 2014!!
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Skywarp
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Sep 7 2011, 05:26 PM
Post #17
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Tadpole's Excrement
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So long as we keep the ball on the floor and don't get sucked into the hoof and rush we'll do it easily.
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Skywarp
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Oct 6 2011, 06:17 AM
Post #18
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Tadpole's Excrement
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We've got a pointless international friendly tomorrow night against Malaysia in Canberra. Then on Tuesday game 3 of the 3rd Round of AFC World Cup qualification against Oman in Sydney.
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Skywarp
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Oct 6 2011, 06:18 AM
Post #19
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Tadpole's Excrement
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It would be impossible to look at Australia's friendly against Malaysia without first touching on the absentees from Holger Osieck's Qantas Socceroos squad.
Missing are much of the Socceroos' backbone for the best part of a decade; Mark Schwarzer and Tim Cahill are injured, while Brett Emerton and Harry Kewell will concentrate on making their much-anticipated Hyundai A-League debuts on Saturday. The quartet boasts 290 caps of experience between them, leaving captain Lucas Neill, right-back Luke Wilkshire and attacker Brett Holman as the only players with more than 50 Socceroos appearances to their name.
In previous years, the absence of the four stars might have forced the Socceroos to fend off questions over their depth. But Holger Osieck's willingness to offer opportunities to players formerly on the periphery has inspired confidence in Australia's generation-next, and they will again relish a chance to impress against Malaysia in Canberra.
Ranked 147th in the world, Malaysia loom as the weakest opponent the Qantas Socceroos have faced since meeting India at the 2011 Asian Cup in January. That the Qantas Socceroos lost 1-0 to Malaysia in the last meeting between the two sides, in 1992, should worry Osieck little.
Managed by former striker Datuk K. Rajagopal, Malaysia failed to get past Singapore and into the AFC World Cup qualifying group stage, and just one of their squad for the trip to Australia - Indonesian-based forward Mohd Safee Mohd Sali - plays outside their national league.
If Australia does need reminding of the folly of underestimating a minnow, however, then they only need to ask Matt McKay and Michael Zullo about the last time the Qantas Socceroos played in Canberra. The duo were part of an Hyundai A-League-based team that were shocked 1-0 by Kuwait in an Asian Cup qualifier in the capital, and will be desperate to avoid the same fate on Friday. Both should start for the Qantas Socceroos, depending on how Osieck wants to approach Tuesday's more important World Cup qualifier with Oman.
The absence of the established stars means there are a handful of questions marks over the Qantas Socceroos XI for Oman, lending further weight to the match with Malaysia. With Osieck only taking a squad of 18 into the two matches, the likes of Adam Sarota, James Troisi, Matthew Spiranovic and Alex Brosque are likely to get an opportunity to press their claims.
The Qantas Socceroos manager has not showed a reluctance to make a big call, evidenced by his relegation of Cahill to the substitutes bench in the World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia in September. Opportunity has knocked regularly under the likable German. Will any answer against Malaysia?
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Skywarp
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Oct 8 2011, 01:49 PM
Post #20
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Tadpole's Excrement
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We won the pointless friendly in Canberra 5-0.
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Black Cat Nat
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Oct 12 2011, 08:12 AM
Post #21
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Unwashed Pimple
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And Australia won the qualifier 3-0 as well.
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cesc11
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Oct 12 2011, 08:58 AM
Post #22
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Taylor Gang
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Kewell does not debut on Saturday, he debuts Friday night and I will be there
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WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS - CHAMPIONS OF ASIA 2014!!
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Stokoe's Black Cat
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Nov 11 2011, 02:06 PM
Post #23
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"If it ain't broke, don't fix it", was the catchcry for most monarchists when Australia went to the polls for the 1999 republic referendum.
It is also the poser that faces Qantas Socceroos coach Holger Osieck ahead of Saturday morning's AFC 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier with Oman.
Rather less political importance is attached to what Osieck decides to do with his starting XI than that poll in 1999, even if he did show his diplomatic side by allowing Brett Emerton to make his Sydney FC debut in the Hyundai A-League season opener rather than summon the Qantas Socceroos stalwart for matches against Malaysia and Oman in October.
Osieck afforded the same courtesy to a then-underdone Kewell, but has recalled the veteran duo for the trip to Muscat and then Bangkok four days later to face Thailand.
With the Qantas Socceroos top of Group A and all-but through to the fourth round of qualifying, their return is hardly the cavalry coming to the rescue.
But the experience Kewell and Emerton bring will be a welcome addition, particularly in the oft-tricky conditions in both the Middle East and South-east Asia.
At the other end of the scale, Mitch Nichols has been rewarded for his development under Ange Postecoglou in Brisbane Roar's midfield with a first call-up since his solitary cap in 2009.
The experience in camp this week is likely to be very different for Nichols, who made his national team debut as a 62nd-minute substitution for a Hyundai A-League based Socceroos in their surprise 1-0 loss to Kuwait in 2011 Asian Cup qualifying under Pim Verbeek.
There are plenty of parallels between Nichols' progression and the growing confidence in the ability of Hyundai A-League players to perform at international level, although Nichols is the only player other than Kewell and Emerton to hail from the domestic competition in Osieck's squad for Oman and Thailand.
Nichols is Australia's least experienced player in the squad, but only because uncapped Aston Villa youngster Chris Herd was forced to withdraw through injury.
Herd played 90 minutes in Villa's English Premier League win over Norwich City on Saturday, but the 22-year-old picked up an ankle knock and was deemed not fit enough to travel.
How or if Osieck decides to tinker with a winning line-up remains the question, with the 3-0 win over Oman in October stretching the Qantas Socceroos' winning run to five matches and unbeaten streak to eight.
Kewell's inclusion to the starting XI would force a change of formation for Osieck, with Josh Kennedy's six goals in his past four international appearances making him impossible to dislodge up front.
Emerton appears the more likely of the two to start, with Luke Wilkshire reverting back to defence and Rhys Williams perhaps making way.
Mark Schwarzer's return between the posts despite the form of Adam Federici in his absence is a little more assured, with the Fulham goalkeeper missing the October matches through a back strain.
Opposite number Ali Al-Habsi is Oman's most recognisable player, and he will be hoping for more protection than he was afforded in the loss against the Qantas Socceroos in Canberra.
Paul Le Guen's men are bottom of Group D with one point, though they are just a win from second-placed Thailand with three matches remaining.
Even with home advantage, however, Oman will be more hopeful than confident about taking anything away from their meeting with Australia. By selecting a strong squad for the two matches, Osieck has given the impression that he wishes to promptly sew up a spot in the fourth round of qualifying and keep his side's momentum in motion.
Having indicated it is form and not reputation that impresses him most, Osieck may have left diplomacy at the departure gates for the trip to Oman, and Kewell and Emerton could find it hard to force an immediate return into the Qantas Socceroos XI.
After all, only a win - not a referendum - will decide Australia's progression to the next stage of qualifying.
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Stokoe's Black Cat
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Nov 11 2011, 02:07 PM
Post #24
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Turd Burglar Extreme
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If/when we win tonight we'll qualify for the final stage of AFC qualification.
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Stokoe's Black Cat
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Nov 13 2011, 10:00 AM
Post #25
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Turd Burglar Extreme
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Australia performed poorly in a 1-0 loss in Oman on Friday night. Still just need a point from the last 2 games away in Thailand on Tuesday night or at home to the Saudis in February.
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Stokoe's Black Cat
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Nov 13 2011, 10:04 AM
Post #26
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Turd Burglar Extreme
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Harry Kewell has been ruled out of Tuesday's World Cup qualifier against Thailand, in which Australia need to pick up a point to book their place in the next round.
Kewell was injured during Friday's shock 1-0 loss to Oman in Muscat and was replaced in the 54th minute by Robbie Kruse.
The Melbourne Victory star was found to have aggravated a muscle strain and coach Holger Osieck and medical staff agreed to let the 33-year-old return home for treatment. The extent of the injury is unclear at this stage.
Australia have two matches remaining to gain the point they need to secure their place in the next round of qualifying.
I'm glad because he's been s**t for the Socceroos for a long time.
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Devil Nikky
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Nov 16 2011, 11:35 AM
Post #27
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Boggle-eyed Goblin
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We won 1-0 last night in Thailand to secure progress. Not very convincing though
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