Socceroos Road to 2014 World Cup & Hosting 2015 Asian Cup

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Aetna

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The Socceroos are half way through their journey towards qualification for the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup with their final match vs Saudi Arabia in Melbourne in late February. Australia have already progressed to the final group stage of the Asian zone Qualifying campaign no matter the result of their final match. They will then go into two groups of five teams of which the top two qualify & the two third place teams go into a two leg play off to see who plays the winner of Oceania.

The Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup will be followed by the Australia 2015 AFC Asian Cup. With only months between these two events, this long road or journey should have both in mind when building the squad which can win the AFC Asian Cup on home soil in 2015.

Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifying:
Australia 2 v Thailand 1
Saudi Arabia 1 v Australia 3
Australia 3 Oman 0
Oman 1 Australia 0
Thailand 0 Australia 1
 
Which future Socceroos star players are going to replace the likes of Harry Kewell, Tim Cahill, Brett Emerton, Mark Schwarzer, Lucas Neill, Scott Chipperfield, Mark Bresciano, Vince Grella etc? The majority will be in their mid 30's by 2014 & for Schwarzer 41.

Mitchell Langerak
Rhys Williams
Ersan Gulum
Matthew Spiranovic
Jason Davidson
Chris Herd
Ben Kantarovski
Thomas Oar
Terry Antonis
Kerem Bulut
Julius Doe Davies
Matthew Leckie
Mate Dugandzic
Dimitrios Petratos
Bradden Inman
Robbie Kruse
Bruce Djite

These are some our future & current Socceroos.
 
Rhys Williams should be starting at CB for the Socceroos now IMO, he's been Boro's best player this year & is well above the level that Neill is playing at. Spiranovic + Super Rhys for CBs.

Herd seems to have been great for Villa this year so he should get a shot given out woes in central midfield, just hope that he gets over his injury issues.

Federeci needs to take over immediately at GK as well IMO. I love Schwarzer & all he's done for the NT (he's the reason I became a Boro fan) but he'll be 41 in 2014 so we need to start blooding his successor.

Our striking stokes are pretty dire, not sure what direction we are going to head in there. Definately think that Scotty McDonald deserves another crack (call it Smoggie bias), he has a bad record at the national level but almost all of his games were under Verbeek who had no idea on how to use him. Want to see Leckie & Rukavytsya start getting regular starts as well, they're both far greater players than that tard Kruse.
 
Wolfpack said:
Rhys Williams should be starting at CB for the Socceroos now IMO, he's been Boro's best player this year & is well above the level that Neill is playing at. Spiranovic + Super Rhys for CBs.

Herd seems to have been great for Villa this year so he should get a shot given out woes in central midfield, just hope that he gets over his injury issues.

Federeci needs to take over immediately at GK as well IMO. I love Schwarzer & all he's done for the NT (he's the reason I became a Boro fan) but he'll be 41 in 2014 so we need to start blooding his successor.

Our striking stokes are pretty dire, not sure what direction we are going to head in there. Definately think that Scotty McDonald deserves another crack (call it Smoggie bias), he has a bad record at the national level but almost all of his games were under Verbeek who had no idea on how to use him. Want to see Leckie & Rukavytsya start getting regular starts as well, they're both far greater players than that tard Kruse.
Agree, Scott McDonald has played some great matches without scoring when used along side Josh Kennedy for the Socceroos. Rhys Williams plays in that defensive central midfield roll very well at Boro. If Schwarzer stays fit, healthy & in form he must play. Peter Shilton & Dino Zoff played in FIFA World Cup tournaments for England & Italy around the same age. Federici, Langerak & Ryan will get their chance as squad members.

I would love to see Tom Rogic of the Central Coast Mariners play in front of Rhys Williams & Chris Herd for the Socceroos. Rogic is something special.

This team could beat the current starting Socceroos team & qualify for Brazil 2014.

1.Adam Federici
2.Rhys Williams
3.Shane Lowry
4.Luke De Vere
5.Matthew Spiranovic
6.Ben Kantarovski
7.Tom Rogic
8.Chris Herd
9.Eli Babalj
10.Dario Vidisic
11.Matthew Leckie

Reserves:
12.Mitchell Langerak
13.Mark Milligan
14.Thomas Oar
15.Mate Dugandzic
16.Nikita Rukavytsa
17.Scott McDonald
 
Aetna said:
The Socceroos are half way through their journey towards qualification for the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup with their final match vs Saudi Arabia in Melbourne in late February.


Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifying:
Australia 2 v Thailand 1
Saudi Arabia 1 v Australia 3
Australia 3 Oman 0
Oman 1 Australia 0
Thailand 0 Australia 1
Update results & schedual:
Australia 4 Saudi Arabia 2

Denmark v Australia: (Friendly) 2 June 2012.
Oman v Australia: (WCQ) 8 June 2012.
Australia v Japan: (WCQ) 12 June 2012.
Scotland v Australia: (Friendly) 15 August 2012.
Jordan v Australia: (WCQ) 11 September 2012.
Iraq v Australia: (WCQ) 16 October 2012.

Socceroos will be on the road alot with only one home match & five away in the coming months.
 
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Hopefully we'll get to see more of the Euro based Socceroos with that friendly schedule. Would love to see Tommy Oar actually get picked, Utrecht be damned.

Good to see Reading get promoted in the the EPL, you would have to think that Federici definately has the inside running for the Socceroos GK job now.

Also, interesting to hear that Borussia M'Gladbach are looking into signing Terry Antonis away from SFC, the price I've heard is $1m AUD which would make the deal great for all parties involved. I think that a league like the Serie A or Ligue 1 would be better for Terry's play style but any move to a major league is great for him at this point in his career. Fingers crossed it goes through.

Hearing some worrying things about Amini though. Apparently Dortmund have cooled significantly on him & are looking to sell him back to an A-League club (if this is the case I hope that Sydney are all over it). Really hoping that this is just paper talk & there's no substance to the rumours.
 
Wolfpack said:
Hopefully we'll get to see more of the Euro based Socceroos with that friendly schedule. Would love to see Tommy Oar actually get picked, Utrecht be damned.

Good to see Reading get promoted in the the EPL, you would have to think that Federici definately has the inside running for the Socceroos GK job now.

Also, interesting to hear that Borussia M'Gladbach are looking into signing Terry Antonis away from SFC, the price I've heard is $1m AUD which would make the deal great for all parties involved. I think that a league like the Serie A or Ligue 1 would be better for Terry's play style but any move to a major league is great for him at this point in his career. Fingers crossed it goes through.

Hearing some worrying things about Amini though. Apparently Dortmund have cooled significantly on him & are looking to sell him back to an A-League club (if this is the case I hope that Sydney are all over it). Really hoping that this is just paper talk & there's no substance to the rumours.
Amini has just left for Borussia Dotmund after last nights AFC Asian Champions League match for the Mariners.

I think it will be basically all overseas based (Europe & Asia) players for the Denmark Friendly plus the two WCQ in June. The A-League has the longest off season of any league, worldwide. No A-League player will be picked as they would of had played no competitive matches in months.

I would like to see Chris Herd capped by the Socceroos & maybe entice Ersan Gulum to represent the Socceroos as he seems to have fallen in the pecking order for the Turkey National Team & even at Besiktas since his recent injury.
 
Another that I'd like to see get a look-in is Jason Davidson, who is apparently getting regular game time at Heracles now. Could be possible solution to the left back problem as well.

It would be great if Osieck can get Gulum to commit to Australia though, last I heard Osieck sounded fairly confident that Gulum would play for Australia in the future, but these type of things can change so quickly. He does need to move somewhere where he can get regular game-time however.

Speaking of the Turkish league, James Troisi has apparently walked out on Kayseripor after not being paid. Hope that he finds a good club to pick him up.
 
Holger Osieck's Socceroos Squad for Denmark Friendly & World Cup Qualifiers against Oman & Japan.

M.Schwarzer
L.Neill
D.Carney
T.Cahill
M.Spiranovic
S.Ognenovski
N.Rukavytsya
L.Wilkshire
J.Kennedy
H.Kewell
A.Thompson
N.Coe
J.North
B.Holman
M.Jedinak
C.Valeri
M.McKay
A.Federici
A.Brosque
C.Herd
M.Zullo
R.Kruse
M.Bresciano
M.Milligan
N.Kilkenny
R.Williams
 
Can't understand Osieck's obsession with Tardchie Thompson. Bloke is hack & an old one to boot.

Hope that Brosquey will get a good run in the games though, he has apparently been carving it up for Shimizu.

Would also like to see Federici start at least one of the games, just to get him some vital experience. Count me suprised that Coe got the nod for #3 keeper over Langerak though.
 
Wolfpack said:
Can't understand Osieck's obsession with Tardchie Thompson. Bloke is hack & an old one to boot.

Hope that Brosquey will get a good run in the games though, he has apparently been carving it up for Shimizu.

Would also like to see Federici start at least one of the games, just to get him some vital experience. Count me suprised that Coe got the nod for #3 keeper over Langerak though.
Archie Thompson & Harry Kewell I think are a risk as are all A-League players with the exeption of the Brisbane Roar, Central Coast Mariners & Adelaide United whom are in the AFC Champions League. No football for around 3 months & there going to take on a very fit & quick moving Oman & Japan in World Cup Qualifiers? Maybe a few minutes as subs late in the match? You would expect them to get some needed game time in the Friendly against Denmark. I'm looking forward on watching Chris Herd getting his 1st senior international cap for Australia.
 
After watching the Socceroos 0-0 draw away to Oman, which followed after Japan's 0-3 away win against Oman & 6-0 home win over Jordan I would have to say the Socceroos will struggle to win at home against Japan. Bresciano seems like our only creative attacking player. The rest are so predictable you can read them like a open book. Holman is missing & need some of the new generation to step up. Tommy Oar, Kerem Bulut, Richard Porta, Mate Dugandzic, Ben Kantarovski, Chris Herd, Terry Antonis, Eli Babalj, Rhys Williams, Matthew Leckie etc.

Prediction- Australia 0 Japan 2.
I hope I'm wrong.
 
I think that you're dead on mate, 2-0 might even be a little kind. Osieck picked an absolutely dire team that went out & played predictably dire football against a bunch of semi-pros. Incredibly difficult game to watch & more than a little embarassing.

I'm actually thinking that Japan giving us a flogging might be a good thing in the long run, the whole system needs a shake up.
 
Aus all over them in the first 20 min but just can't find the back of the net
 
Good lord that ref was a mong. We just uncovered the AFC's version of Matt Checcin. At least his poor decisions ripped off both teams with relative parity.

Fairly happy with that game, all things considered. One of the best performances I've seen from the Aussies in some time. If there was one negative it was Holger Osieck, average team selection & very poor use of the bench. I thought that Milligan coming on was a terrible mistake, we lost all our creativity in the middle of the park (mind you, Carl Valeri really stepped it up tonight), then the Judas Tard preceeded to be generally awful at everything, aside from a moment or two of clarity. No idea why he is even in the squad (Same goes for Tardchie).

Ultimately I'm happy with the draw & got to watch a good game of football to boot. Just can't help but feel that we should've got the 3pts with the game that we played. Still torn on Holger Osieck, he has the team playing well but his selections & subs are terrible, even worse than Pim.

If I were Rhys Williams right now I'd be wishing that I'd had just taken up the Welsh on their offer of playing for their national team, no idea what the bloke has to do to get a run. He's playing at an EPL level but can't even get a run at RB over Jade f'n North? Get your hand off it Holger, that's a joke.
 
Wolfpack said:
Good lord that ref was a mong. We just uncovered the AFC's version of Matt Checcin. At least his poor decisions ripped off both teams with relative parity.

Fairly happy with that game, all things considered. One of the best performances I've seen from the Aussies in some time. If there was one negative it was Holger Osieck, average team selection & very poor use of the bench. I thought that Milligan coming on was a terrible mistake, we lost all our creativity in the middle of the park (mind you, Carl Valeri really stepped it up tonight), then the Judas Tard preceeded to be generally awful at everything, aside from a moment or two of clarity. No idea why he is even in the squad (Same goes for Tardchie).

Ultimately I'm happy with the draw & got to watch a good game of football to boot. Just can't help but feel that we should've got the 3pts with the game that we played. Still torn on Holger Osieck, he has the team playing well but his selections & subs are terrible, even worse than Pim.

If I were Rhys Williams right now I'd be wishing that I'd had just taken up the Welsh on their offer of playing for their national team, no idea what the bloke has to do to get a run. He's playing at an EPL level but can't even get a run at RB over Jade f'n North? Get your hand off it Holger, that's a joke.
Agree with everything.
His a list of the current Socceroos age in two years at Brazil 2014.
M.Schwarzer 41, L.Neill 36, S.Ognenovski 35,
L.Wilkshire 32, D.Carney 30, C.Valeri 30, M.Bresciano 34, B.Emerton 35, M.McKay 31, B.Holman 30, T.Cahill 34, H.Kewell 35, J.Kennedy 32, A.Thompson 35, A.Brosque 30, J.North 32, A.Federici 29, N.Coe 30, M.Jedinak 30, M.Langerak 26, M.Spiranovic 26, R.Williams 26, N.Rukavytsya 27, R.Kruse 25, N.Kilkenny 28, M.Zullo 25, M.Milligan 29.
 
I see no problem in the great Socceroos players like Mark Schwarzer, Lucas Neill, Luke Wilkshire, Mark Bresciano, Tim Cahill & Harry Kewell being part of the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup well into their 30's. It's when the fringe squad members like Jade North are also well into their 30's. There is a opportunity to blood the likes of Chris Herd, Ben Kantarovski, Mitchell Langerak, Kerem Bulut, Tommy Oar, Matthew Leckie, Rhys Williams, Eli Babalj, Jason Davidson, Moustafa Amini & other younger players. These youngsters should be playing along side the experienced legendary Socceroos within the Squad before they retire.

Aetna said:

1.Adam Federici
2.Rhys Williams
3.Shane Lowry
4.Luke De Vere
5.Matthew Spiranovic
6.Ben Kantarovski
7.Tom Rogic
8.Chris Herd
9.Eli Babalj
10.Dario Vidisic
11.Matthew Leckie

Reserves:
12.Mitchell Langerak
13.Mark Milligan
14.Thomas Oar
15.Mate Dugandzic
16.Nikita Rukavytsa
17.Scott McDonald
If the above team of players whom are not part of the regular starting 11 played the team against Oman or Japan I think they would give them a great match if not win.
 
You would think that some of the younger guys would be getting rather frustrated by now, especially after the utter failure that was the Pim era.

Rhys Williams & Adam Federici were the best players at their clubs & were both just about the best in the Championship at their favoured positions. Herd was getting regular game time in the EPL towards the end of the season & Ruka has been great for Berlin (although tbf he is actually getting games now). The next generation need to start getting some game time & caps, especially when they are playing better (& at a higher level) than the status quo. You'd also think that those lads would be a lot hungrier for wins & to show what they can do, something that could be crucial in games like the recent WCQ in Oman.

Speaking of Aussies that deserve a crack, James Troisi has apparently signed with Juve, though he will go out on loan to Pescara immediately, good move for him. Also, old news but Eli Babalj signed for Red Star. Great move for him, if not a little too soon. Looking forward to seeing if he can crack the 1st team line-up, if he does I wouldn't mind him following the Dukes route & signing for the Bhoys! :D
 
Socceroos play a FIFA International Friendly match against Scotland on 15 August 2012. Here is a chance to blood new players into the Socceroos squad.

Will Chris Herd pull out injured after being selected? It seems to occur regular.
 
Socceroos play a FIFA International Friendly match against Scotland on 15 August 2012. Here is a chance to blood new players into the Socceroos squad.

Will Chris Herd pull out injured after being selected? It seems to occur regular.
 

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