thats true, granted i'll give you that, europe is entitled to have as many direct world cup qualifications spots as they deserve as europe is soccer crazy, theres alotta australians that play in the english premier league namely mark viduka and harry kewell simply because our national soccer league is not up to scratch money-wise and skill-wise, but a new and improved soccer league is in the making for next year called the australian premier league which will certainatly get alot more people interested and involved in australian soccer, but seriously for me personally i couldnt give to hoots about club level soccer in australia(although one of our national soccer teams, the wollongong wolves, made it quite far in the world club championship not to long ago, they didnt win but they got very close to the finals) its only when the australian national team(the socceroos) are playing that i really take interest. you see and thats the problem, here in australia there are way to many elite club level sports(aussie rules footy, rugby league/union, cow tipping lol j/k)that soccer takes a backseat to all these other games, well at club level anyway, but at national level australia is as soccer mad as the next european/south american country. what im saying is that although our national soccer league is lacking compared to european leagues, our national team(which when in full strength) has nearly 3/4 of players that play in elite overseas leagues simply because their that good, so why should we be punished just because the australian national soccer league is not up to the standard of lets say the english premier league when we could put up a hellva lot better fight than some countries that make it too the world cup(im not saying we're gonna win of course ) but i mean countries like say saudi-arabia dont have to qualify twice for the world cup they have direct qualification and they go down to countries like germany 8 nil. which leads me to my point if i even have one , world cup qualification should be based on national teams skills not how good their national soccer league is or how many people are actually interested in their national soccer league . i guess im just patriotic when it comes to national team sports. sport is a religion in australia you know .
Totally agree with you there Mick69 i think all should get a fair crack at qualifying for the world cup.It is unfair to base anything on club football.But if you look at the Engish,Spanish and Italian leagues this is where all the top players play like you pointed Viduka and Kewell out.But you need a good league to inject young talent in to it for the future as a nation.England and Spain have always under achieved as nations.But look at Brasil and Argentina most of there top players play in the top leauges which show in the world cup.Becuase they do so well in these competitions there club football is noticed by all the top teams in Europe and the players become hot property.Australia need to invest heaveier in club football to produce more Kewels and Vidukas so they can play top level.I do think though that the lesser football nations are now closing the cap.Look at Greese in Euro 2004 most teams would see them as a tricky team but still a beatable team.But as there top club teams now play in the biggest european club compitions it has had a knock on effect in Europe and the same with Portigul.
Can't stand bloody football, bunch of poofs hugging and kissing each other. Womens beach volleyball, now thats a proper mens spectator sport.
yeah i hear everything your saying john and i agree, i spose im just a greedy sports mad aussie that wants my country to win all the time, i take losing very badly =P. and im totally in agreeance with agent-k, those german women volleyball girls can take advantage of me any day of the week =D.
I think we all want to win at least you get a little more on the winning front than us Brits.Still when you win all the time you do not enjoy as much you just exspect.I know i'm a Man Utd fan.
hey thats not entirely true, i never get tired of seeing the aussies beat the pants off the brits in cricket =D.
I think on Englands current form you may not see the ashes next time around.By the way i hate Cricket.It is one of the most boring sports around this sits alongside fishing for me.Both make you want to go to sleep.Why do they take so long to throw a flipping ball i will never know.
ahhhh now you see, this comes back to the whole soccer arguement, if you want your side to do well the country has to be passionate about the sport and there has to be big $$$ behind the sport =P
There is backing behind the sport in England i just don't like.Sport is meant to be a physical game not a buch of panzys walking around like brides to be in white.Best thing i seen in cricket was when a women ran across the field ballock nacked now that was action.
yeah but cricket is not just about the game, its also about eating as many pies as you can, gettin absolutely shit faced with your m8's and yeah as you said the occasional streaker but your always hoping that the occasional streaker is not a bloke as well . thats probably why the game is so popular in OZ, because getting tanked and having a laugh with mates is a favourite passtime here, and if theres a bunch of blokes bowling and hitting a ball around as we do it well all the better then. _X_X_X_X_X_[small] SNOOCH TO THE MUTHA fusking NOOCH!!! -Jay-[/small]
