Official Australian Squad Thread

[Oklahoma]

I think Guus didn't risk as he should have. With one more in the pitch, Australia should have gone forward before.

Don't think it was a penalty.

[Lathund]

Completely gutted but not surprised. I'm sure that Italian leather suitcases changed hands before this match.

"Just make sure you send off a player early in the second half forcing us to bring on an inexperienced 4th choice centre half will you? Would look suspicious otherwise"

Unless, ofcourse, you were refering to stores selling fine Italian-made suitcases, in which case I agree that transactions did take place.

[SouthAussieRover]

What do you mean "in such a way"!? They were totally and utterly CRAP from start to finish. Forza Italia!

Not worth it.

Edited June 27, 2006 by SouthAussieRover

[grizfoot]

Australia were very lucky in my eyes. Was never a penalty shameful dive, you could say Lucas gave him the excuse do it but there's no excuse for that sort of playing acting.

[RevidgeBlue]

Just seen the penalty incident for the first time.

A 50/50 one in my book but quite what Neill was doing going to ground at that stage of proceedings, heaven only knows. If he'd stayed on his feet the striker was going nowhere.

Good result from a purely selfish Rovers point of view.

We can now get Neill and Emerton sat down and find out what they're doing once and for all.

[dave birch]

Almost agree with you Rev.

Firstly, I thought it was a dead set dive, and not a good one at that.

Secondly, I agree entirely about Neill going to ground. You automatically lose 90% of your options by doing so.

Still, the results on the board, can't be changed now.

The Aussies have to prepare for their game against Kuwait on 16/8 in the Asian Championship.

[Philly Rover ®]

I've finally seen the penalty, and pretty much agree what most others have said. Neill shouldn't have gone to ground, and he was certainly in a position to foul Grosso, but Grosso skipped over the challenge unfettered only to fall to ground without being touched. A stupid play by Lucas, and a good play by Grosso selling it, but it was never, EVER a penalty.

My condolences to the Aussies... whereas the Yanks never looked like playing good football, you had a great chance in this one and lost out to a terrible call. Further evidence that the refereeing has been very suspect this World Cup.

[Nate]

Sure, it may of been a stupid bit of defending, but NEVER a penalty. Lucas was on the ground that long before Grossi you could have driven a lorry around him.

You don't mind losing, but in that fashion makes it a bitter pill to swallow. The amount of poor refereeing Australia had to put up with this tournament was ridiculous. Even the Italian sending off wasn't a sending off, in my opinion anyway. Proud of the guys. Now lets get started for the next campaign and Asian Confed Cup.

[neekoy]

I don't know why they bother playing the games, they should just let the ref decide before the kickoff

Who the hell awards a dubious penalty 5 seconds from fulltime to win the game for Italy?

The red card to Materazzi was ridiculous I hope it can get overturned on appeal.

It would have nice to lose to Italy because of quality instead of a refs decision

[Perth_Rover]

I thought wilkshire played well. Wasn't a penalty, it was just painful to watch that decision be given and even more so when Schwarzer went the right way just his arms weren't long enough maybe kalac would have reached it

Also no-one has commented on the handball decision? In my tinted eyes it looked to have struck his arm but im not sure because as the ball git his "torso" his arm did give as it had just been hit by something

[neekoy]

If you are talking about the Zambrotta's handball, it was handball but very hard for the ref to give it where he was standing

Mind you seeing what his other decision was you never know

[speeeeeeedie]

I thought he was practically anonymous in this game!!!

Kewell went off after 20 mins in the 2005 CL final, injured in the 2006 FA cup final, didn't play v. Italy. Does he get nervous, consequently is too tight and gets injured?

I read an article when he signed for Liverpool saying that he signed for them intead of Man U because he couldn't handle the pressure of taking Giggs' place so took the easy option.

[Lathund]

Also no-one has commented on the handball decision? In my tinted eyes it looked to have struck his arm but im not sure because as the ball git his "torso" his arm did give as it had just been hit by something

Are you talking about the one where he brings the ball down inside the penalty area? If so, it looked to me as if he brought it down with his chest. And if it did hit his arm he held it pressed against his body so shouldn't have been a penalty either way.

[Presty On Tour]

well unlucky the aussies, i bet neill felt like knocking out the italian left back, never a penalty imo.

[USRoverME]

I have to laugh at everyone says its not a penalty. I hate Italy getting through, and sure the player made a meal of the tackle, but that was a penalty. Made no attempt at the ball, obstructed the attacker from getting to the ball, denying a shooting chance from like 6 yards out. How much more clear cut do you want????

Neill slid in the box for no reason and practially laid down in front of the guy between him and the goal.

Anytime you leave your feet like that in the box with no real intent to get the ball, you run the risk of that penalty call. IMHO, it was a stupid challenge, and the penalty is justified.

Sure, there was no malice or intent in the "tackle" which is usually required of a penalty. (not that you can really call Neill's effort a "tackle" of course, I personally think he was just trying to get a little sun tanning in thinking it was full time already). But with the decisions being made by the refs in this world cup, why oh why would you ever put yourself in that position?

[Presty On Tour]

neill slid in the box thinking he was going to block a shot/cross.

when he realised it was a dummy the italian seen him lying there getting a tan or whatever knocked the ball to the side of him and just ran and dived over him.

that is cheating and fair enough the italian done great to win the pen but he had done that to england then there would be a few different views then.

[Perth_Rover]

that is cheating and fair enough the italian done great to win the pen but he had done that to england then there would be a few different views then.

Exactly, the ball was getting away from him, so he cut back intowards neill and dived over him. Not exactly obstructing the player, move a case of wrong place, wrong time. Salt in the wound was the italians all jumped on the diver and looked to be trying to cover their laughter, anyone else notice that?

Edited June 27, 2006 by Perth_Rover

[Nate]

Breaking News from Rome.

An Australian man has been arrested for assault on a local man after the WC game between the two nations.

The victim suffered a fractured skull, a cardiac arrest and has developed diabetes as a result of the incident. Witnesses say the Australian was 20 metres away from the incident and expect the Italian to recover in a few minutes.

Sorry, couldn't help myself

[pleasure]

my cousin, from melbourne, is extremely dissappointed with the aussie displays (performance wise and inparticular playing too defensively) and is dismayed by the plaudits the 'socceroos' have rec'vd.

i was wondering- is austrailia's campaign viewed as success/ or failiure, by the aussie public and media ?

[neekoy]

People who know anything about football would be happy with the results

The problem is in this country a great many people hear "Harry Kewell, Harry Kewell, Harry Kewell" and expect him to be Maradona

[pleasure]

biased chinese commentator story!

www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/tm_objectid=17302607%26method=full%26siteid=94762%26headline=a%2dbit%2dbiased%2dmy%2dold%2dchina-name_page.html

[james19830822]

biased chinese commentator story!

www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/tm_objectid=17302607%26method=full%26siteid=94762%26headline=a%2dbit%2dbiased%2dmy%2dold%2dchina-name_page.html

Actually I don't know what he said when I watched the game, he works for Chinese Central TV Sports(The National Media) and I watched the game from Shanghai sports that night, but yesterday morning when I went to my company I got the news from my colleagues and the internet.

In the last 3 minutes when Grosso dived in front of Neil he began to screamming hysterically, made biased comments and kept on screamming to the end.

You can hear what he said (in Chinese) with the link below:

http://2006.sina.com.cn/bbs/2006/0627/0127726.html

After that, widely debate broke out on the internet here. Someone think his biased comment was a totally disgrace to the National media, but still someone who follow the Italian football accalim for him.

Last night, before the Chinese Central TV Sports lived the Brazil Vs Ghana game, he made a official apology for what he said in the game through a letter read by one of his colleague here(himself is in Germany now). But I think he was forced to do so, and the letter was not write by himself.

Edited June 28, 2006 by james19830822

[speeeeeeedie]

Centre back: Lucas Neill (Australia)

The cruelty of Australia's exit was only increased by the identity of the unfortunate defender. When Lucas Neill was adjudged to have fouled Fabio Grosso, Francesco Totti converted the penalty to end the Socceroos' endearing adventure. Many impressed, but none acquitted themselves better in gold and green than Neill. If the hallmark of a high-class defender is the ease with which they seem to play, Neill's reading of the game and pace to recover mean he stands comparison with the best in the tournament so far.

An excerpt from Soccernet's players who are out article. How much can we get for him?

Edited June 28, 2006 by speeeeeeedie

[Scotty]

People who know anything about football would be happy with the results

What do you think though?

[Nate]

my cousin, from melbourne, is extremely dissappointed with the aussie displays (performance wise and inparticular playing too defensively) and is dismayed by the plaudits the 'socceroos' have rec'vd.

i was wondering- is austrailia's campaign viewed as success/ or failiure, by the aussie public and media ?

Definate success. As football has always been the poor cousin in Australia, what they have achieved at this World Cup has opened a lot of eyes. Admitidely, there has been a lot of bandwagon supporters, many will now follow the game, many won't. It has created an interest which will hopefully filter through from our new A-League, right through to junior level.

This article HERE has been written by an ex Australian Rules player and now commentator, Garry Lyon, who recently visited the World Cup with a television show that he hosts. His admited bias towards his own code of football explains how many here in Australia think. Thankfully, he enjoyed every bit of it!

As for the teams performance, well how can anybody complain? With virtually the same squad, Frank Farina would never of gotten us in to the World Cup, little alone thorugh the first group stage. Although we couldn't quite hit our straps against the Italians, we played good football throughout the tournament.

As for the media, the beat anything up that is Australian and successful. We just had a whole week of coverage about Nicole Kidman's wedding!