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Re: International Football thread

PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 1:45 am
by GarlicJam
I know we beat you in a friendly (3-1, I think), but that was 8 or more years back, I think. Hasn't there been one since then?

Re: International Football thread

PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 7:42 am
by yuppie
I remember Australia beating England 3-1 many years ago. Rooneys first international goal from memory. Australia had a pretty good team back then, Schwarzer, Neill, Viduka, Emerton and Kewel all plying their trade in the Premier League. Must be 15 years ago as was watching that in Prague. great night.

Since then i know England beat Australia last year 2-1 with England players scoring all 3 goals. From memory Australia played all ok, but no composure in the final 3rd. Also no Kewel causing all sorts of problems. That time for Australia in the early 2000's was a bit of a golden time for Australian football. A long way from that now. Their are not to many Australian player plying their trade in the top leagues now. Only one in the premier league i think at present.

Re: International Football thread

PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 11:39 am
by Durhamfootman
I didn't realise it was as long ago as that.... where does the time go?

the thing is, whenever there is extra pressure put on England (home nation, former colonies, grudge nations, etc) they usual wilt. Sometimes they can scrabble some sort of result, but it is generally an unedifying spectacle, fraught with tension and ripe for humiliation

that's how good England are

Re: International Football thread

PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 12:58 pm
by yuppie
Australians expectations with football are generally very low key. Its not to0 big in Australia compared to some other codes. Though now the supporting public expect them to qualify for every world cup. Being bought up on Aussie rules, cricket and Rugby, I really dont think a lot of people in Australia understand how competitive football is at a global level.

Now Australian supporters for cricket in an home series, well that is another thing. Expectations are through the roof.

Re: International Football thread

PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 1:10 pm
by sussexpob
Its an easy route for Australia since they included them in Asia. I think the old way was to go through the Pacific route, but the winner (which was always Australia) had a playoff vs a South American team, whereas now they can finish third in a group with the worst possibility (not really a possibility due to seeding) that they have Iran, Korea nad Japan in to play, and the playoff is vs a central American 4th place finisher.

Honduras wasnt an easy trip and they did well to do that, but on another thought the fact they had a time difference of 14 odd hours in 3 days really made the tie for both teams a bit of a joke.

Re: International Football thread

PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 1:23 pm
by yuppie
Having the home leg second was definetly an advantage for Australia. On top of that they spent a lot of money on travel to make it as comfortable as possible.

The problem Australia has in qualifying is the places that they have to travel to, and the amount of travel they have. They did the right thing by pushing to play in Asia, and it seems about the right level for Australia now. But it is tough when you have to play in Jordan, Iran and Saudi and deal with the heat and travel required. It is probably a good thing that at present their are not to many Aussies in the top leagues of Europe.

Re: International Football thread

PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 2:25 pm
by sussexpob
The heat wouldnt be a factor for Australia, in fact Id guess its much worse for other teams coming to OZ than the other way round. The international breaks are focused on the European league seasons, so naturally fall in early autumn to late winter for important games (based on Northern Hemisphere seasons). Those places like Tehran, Riyadh and Amman would all have cooled significantly in these periods, especially for games held in the evening. Its unlikely for any team travelling there to get uncomfortable weather. Yet, put the boot on the other foot and I believe the international break in early 2017 came in about February, and I remember reading Sydney was going through a period of weather at the end of summer and into autumn where it was registering nearly 45 degrees.

The fact Australia is one of the few teams that plays in its own summer, rather than winter, means teams going there are far more likely to be cooked to death. South America is the only other place its a big issue, but then a lot of teams play at Altitude (Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela), and the others all play in coastal towns where there is heat relief and more relatively cooler weather.

Re: International Football thread

PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 2:32 pm
by sussexpob
The cultural challenge is no doubt a disadvantage though, I cant imagine its comfortable to go to some of these places and play. Yet, that is common in places outside Europe on the international scope. One only has to look at how teams have traditionally struggled to win away in South America qualifiers to appreciate that. Best example. Brazil havent beaten Bolivia in a competitive game away since 1985. Argentina havent won in their last 3 attempts in La Paz, including one notable 6-1 hammering. Its normal that away international games are pretty tough when Europe is taken out of the equation. I cant imagine what it would be like to run 90 minutes having jetted into 4000m's a day before. Teams literally cant run, they cant pass either because the less air pressure changes the dynamics of the ball.

Side note.... even in Bolivia its amusing the difference altitude has. The teams that are better funded in rich Santa Cruz and Cochabamba win a fraction of titles that the poorer, working class sides of El Alto and La Paz have, because no lowlands team can even hope of getting a draw away in La Paz at 4000m. The oxygen richer lungs of the highland teams gives them a natural advantage even on the flat.

Re: International Football thread

PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 3:17 pm
by yuppie
Heat is a big problem. I know people like to think Australia is hot all the time, and it is in the desert. But most international matches are played from the end March to November in Australia. Avoiding the hotter months. And most of these games are played in Sydney and Melbourne. Now Australia did not play one qualfying match in Australia in December, January, February or early March. Most of the football in Australia at international level is in March, September, october and November. And looking into it, it seems Austrlia played no matches anywhere in Feb.

So when Australia played Saudi the tempretures was 35, Bangladesh a similar temp with high humidity, 40 degrees in the UAE, 32 in thailand with high humidity. And although playing in the evening there is atill a lot of adjustment that needs to be made. Inded the evening temp for the UAE match was 35.

The A league is played in the warmer months in Australia, but out of the current 25 members in the squad, 5 play in the A league. I think tempreture would have a big impact on the other players, especially when a lot are coming from colder climates to play one off games.

The hottest recorded temp in Sydney in March this year was 32 and was the only day in march above 30, and looking at acu weather i can not find any 40 degree days in February. The average temp in Sydney seems to be about 25 this year for the end of summer, and obviously much cooler in the evening.

Re: International Football thread

PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 4:00 pm
by Durhamfootman
25 degrees..... imagine having to play in 25 degrees... that's an absolute scorcher. We only had 2 days all year that were hotter than that and they were 26 degrees on back to back days.......... and it was sweltering at night... hard to sleep.

Re: International Football thread

PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 4:06 pm
by yuppie
Durhamfootman wrote:25 degrees..... imagine having to play in 25 degrees... that's an absolute scorcher. We only had 2 days all year that were hotter than that and they were 26 degrees on back to back days.......... and it was sweltering at night... hard to sleep.



I grew up with the odd day every year going above 40. After living in northern europe for many years, i struggle when the temp gets above 25.

Re: International Football thread

PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 4:07 pm
by Durhamfootman
20 will do, won't it? Anything more is just greedy

Re: International Football thread

PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 4:11 pm
by sussexpob
Heat doesnt work like that though, does it. You cant compare 25 degrees of blazing sunshine, to 25 degrees at night.

Re: International Football thread

PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 4:13 pm
by Durhamfootman
it wasn't 25 degrees at night, but it was still too hot

Re: International Football thread

PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 4:17 pm
by yuppie
25 at night is horrific. im more than happy with a 20 degree day. as long as the suns out and its not to windy.