World Cup 2010 Preview: The Socceroos

Australia has a long history of sporting rivalry with South Africa. As former British colonies, the two countries meet regularly and passionately in those quintessentially imperial sports of rugby union and cricket.

In June next year Australian sportsmen will be packing their bags and boarding a flight to ‘RSA’ yet again, but not for their usual clash with the Proteas or Springboks. This time the famous green and gold uniform will be emblazoned with a name that has only become accepted as a symbol of Australian sporting pride in more recent years: The Socceroos.

Wind back the clock to November 16 2005 and any Aussie soccer fan will be able to tell you exactly where they were the night that Mark Schwarzer’s goalkeeping heroics and John Aloisi’s penalty sent the Socceroos to their first World Cup since 1974.

Australia, where cricket, rugby and AFL reign supreme, is a nation that loves its sport dependent on one condition; victory. Thirty-two years of hurt between tournaments did little to help the domestic cause of soccer, which was played predominantly amongst post-war European immigrant communities and was looked on with scorn by the traditional Anglo-Irish sporting codes.

Former Socceroo captain Johnny Warren captured the dismissive attitude towards the beautiful game in years past in the title of his autobiography: 'Sheilas, Wogs, and Pooftas', the aforementioned minorities supposedly being the only people whom the sport was fit to be played by.

When the Socceroos booked their ticket to Germany 2006, they not only brought themselves to the attention of the wider football world, they initiated the rehabilitation of the world game amongst the sport-mad but hitherto apathetic Australian public.

Punching above their weight upon their return to football’s biggest stage, Australia defeated Japan, fell to a narrow defeat against Brazil and battled to a draw against Croatia to progress from their group.

Meeting Italy in the first knockout round, Australia performed admirably, holding the eventual champions 0-0 until a controversial penalty deep into injury time saw the Aussies bow out.

The strong showing and perceived injustice in the manner of their exit rallied the nation behind the team and gave the sport a boost throughout the country.

The newly formed A-League has since enjoyed improved attendances and a higher standard of play than its predecessor, while the national team has enjoyed a respectable following around the country during subsequent World Cup and Asian Cup qualifiers.

What can Australia and the rest of the world expect from their football team at next year’s world cup? The squad that has qualified for 2010 is largely unchanged from the one that acquitted itself so admirably in Germany.

Mark Schwarzer remains between the sticks, Lucas Neill (now captain) marshals the defence, Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton still operate in midfield, while Tim Cahill is the team‘s talisman.

There are two notable absentees. Striker Mark Viduka, for so long the man around which Australia’s threat was built, is heading for retirement and no longer features in the national team.

His successor, Josh Kennedy, has shown determination and merit as the lone striker in the current 4-5-1 formation, but undeniably lacks the creativity and goal threat that Viduka brought to the team. The alternative is Celtic striker Scott McDonald, a regular scorer in the SPL and in European competition, but who is yet to shine for his country.

Perhaps more significantly, Australia can no longer call upon the inspirational services of Guus Hiddink, the man who took Holland and South Korea to the semi-finals of successive world cups and who was rightly credited as the missing link that enabled Australia to make the giant leap from perennial play-off defeat to tournament qualification.

Hiddink’s successor, Pim Verbeek, has maintained his fellow Dutchman’s attention to detail and no nonsense attitude en route to qualification for 2010, but does he posses the tactical insight, man management abilities and force of personality required to prepare and inspire his players to rise to the occasion and punch above their weight again next summer?

Join us in the months leading up to June as we take an in-depth look at Australia’s preparations for World Cup 2010, examining the current squad’s performances in their qualification campaign and pre-tournament fixtures, while looking ahead at the formations, tactics and key men for the Green and Gold in South Africa.

There will also be expert analysis of Group D opponents; Serbia, Ghana, and most dauntingly, three-time winners Germany.

Look out for regular scouting reports on players from all four nations, as well as behind the scenes interviews with Football Federation Australia personnel.

Whoever you support, June 2010 can’t arrive soon enough. Just don’t bet on Australia only being there to make up the numbers.