Aussies Qualification - What Now ?

[Eternal Optimist]

Firstly, I'd like to say I am a very happy Football fan after this morning's draw... Harry looked very fit and in form, was danger. Timmy Cahill - deserved that goal on a bicycle kick and played solidly, shame it didn't happen. Bresc, Grella, all the team congrats!!!!

I have a question about the what now aspect of the WC.

The Asian Conference has 4 and a half spot allocated. The half spot will be contested by the team that wins the 3rd placed teams playoffs in the right to play the Oceania winner (NZ) for a WC spot.

If an Asian team wins the 5th spot instead of NZ, does that team go into the same pot as the other Asian teams, or are they separate?

Last WC, Australia was in the winner of this 5th spot scenario, but the half spot was given to the Sth American Conference and we ended up being pooled with Brazil and Japan. So the half spot for the Sth Americans - if Uruguay had won it instead of Australia - might have resulted in them being drawn against another nation from their own Conference.

The question I'm asking is whether another Asian team could end up pooled against the qualifiers from the AFC through the half spot?

From looking at the fifa format http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/2010_fwc_qualification_format_asia_en_55861.pdf I read it that the winners of the half spot will go into a different pot, thereby it is quite conceivable that 2 Asian teams could contest each other in the first round of the WC. The info is right down the bottom of the pdf.

 

[Eternal Optimist]

Firstly, I'd like to say I am a very happy Football fan after this morning's draw... Harry looked very fit and in form, was danger. Timmy Cahill - deserved that goal on a bicycle kick and played solidly, shame it didn't happen. Bresc, Grella, all the team congrats!!!!

I have a question about the what now aspect of the WC.

The Asian Conference has 4 and a half spot allocated. The half spot will be contested by the team that wins the 3rd placed teams playoffs in the right to play the Oceania winner (NZ) for a WC spot.

If an Asian team wins the 5th spot instead of NZ, does that team go into the same pot as the other Asian teams, or are they separate?

Last WC, Australia was in the winner of this 5th spot scenario, but the half spot was given to the Sth American Conference and we ended up being pooled with Brazil and Japan. So the half spot for the Sth Americans - if Uruguay had won it instead of Australia - might have resulted in them being drawn against another nation from their own Conference.

The question I'm asking is whether another Asian team could end up pooled against the qualifiers from the AFC through the half spot?

My understanding is that Asia will have 5 spots in the draw if an AFC member wins playoff and they will all be in the same pot. If NZ win playoff they are representing Oceania and can be placed anywhere in the draw or in any pot. Big possibility that it would be with South Amercia or Europe groups because they will have many teams seeded for the finals.

Sorry, Bulldogmariner. I hadn't realised you had already posted. I found the Fifa page with this info pretty confusing. Apologise if I have led anyone astray.

 

[serious14]

8)

Wednesday night = PARTY ON DOWN!!!

 

[serious14]

ATT: FLOSS

Check your PM's mate, I think I have your ticket for Wed. night.

 

[mariners4ever]

8)

Wednesday night = PARTY ON DOWN!!!

+1, sadly i wont be at the stadium as i dont have a ticket so hopefully there will be a few people at the cclc
anyone got spare tickets ???

 

[midfielder]

8)

Wednesday night = PARTY ON DOWN!!!

+1, sadly i wont be at the stadium as i dont have a ticket so hopefully there will be a few people at the cclc
anyone got spare tickets ???

Don't mean to rub it in but a client called me last Thursday and said what you doing next Wednesday night ... Football training I said ... he said want to come to the Socceroos match half way about 30 seats from the side line... late lunch(17:00) early or dinner thrown in close to Homebush as well ...

I said .. Yep .... I give footy training a miss ..also we won today 3-1 ... maybe its a sign ...set up two passing movements for our first two goals... 

I just hope that Harry plays .... please God let it be so...

Only complaint is the water lately is shrinking my clothes and my Socceroo shirt has got smaller ... but I will still wear it with pride.

 

[serious14]

I just hope that Harry plays ....

+346590834634634643

He was on _fire_ last night.  He seems to enjoy the Olympic Stadium as well - all set up for a patented "f*ckyouI'mHarryKewellIamagodwithafootballatmyfeet" demolition job.  ;D

 

[nikko]

8)

Wednesday night = PARTY ON DOWN!!!

What happened to the flares at Level 5 on Saturday night?

 

[serious14]

Hahaha, is it _really_ worth wasting one on a 0-0?? 

Wed. night however..... bloody GGA, irresponsible hools the lot of 'em.

 

[Arabmariner]

Don't be expecting a full strength line up on Wednesday night.

Dead rubberness strikes again.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/football/neill-strikes-gold-with-his-tactical-yellow/2009/06/07/1244313033979.html

 

[Eternal Optimist]

I guess if anyone wants to see anything like a "full strength team" you'll have to travel to Swine 'Flu City for the Aus v Japan game.... pack your face masks!

Victoria world's worst for swine flu

    * Victoria blamed for exporting swine flu
    * State has most cases in world, per capita
    * NRL player infected after State of Origin

VICTORIA now has the highest recorded per capita rate of swine flu in the world and is being blamed for exporting the virus around Australia.

The Australian reports the state has already exported more than a dozen swine flu infections to other states, territories and countries, including an NRL player who contracted the illness after last week's State of Origin clash in Melbourne.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25603085-5018988,00.html

 

[serious14]

Hmmmm..... Chippers, Neill, and Bresc. are the only ones we're really going to miss from that list (Lolman, HA!!!!) - rather have the full strength team against Japan, and have a 50/50 team against Bahrain.  Kewell and Cahill will be playing on Wednesday so that's enough to entertain the majority of the crowd.

 

[Part_Timer]

Hope we don't end up in distress
Ausssssssstraaaallliiiiaaaaaaa

 

[bjw]

Hope we don't end up in distress
Ausssssssstraaaallliiiiaaaaaaa

welcome back, Part_timer. Long time no post

 

[Part_Timer]

no net at my new house yet, posting on forum from phone is painfull. I have missed you tho kk

 

[bjw]

no net at my new house yet, posting on forum from phone is painfull. I have missed you tho kk

missed you too. hope you had a gd birthday etc.

 

[serious14]

Hope we don't end up in distress
Ausssssssstraaaallliiiiaaaaaaa

The "Betfair GGA TM. Pty. Ltd." may be in distress from constant heckling, but I think the team will do just fine.  If it was the HALaroos on the other hand.....

 

[bulldogmariner]

He will rotate his squad in a way to test players in different roles. Wilkshire will come straight back in and he may play 2 up front.

 

[serious14]

http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/football/passion-the-net-result-of-world-cup-qualification/2009/06/07/1244313033991.html

THERE was barely a child at soccer training yesterday afternoon who had not heard the news: their heroes had qualified for the World Cup finals next year.

In Queens Park Julian Markworth-Scott, 7, said he remembered the last soccer World Cup in Germany three years ago. "We camped on the sofa in front of the TV actually," said his mother, Kim Markworth. They got up regularly to watch early-morning matches.

Julian, who was dressed in green and gold for training, said he wanted to play in the world cup. He is a fan of soccer because "you get out with you friends, and you play games I like doing stuff that you have fun with."

And if the Socceroos manage to win some matches in South Africa? "I'll just feel great," he said.

His teammate Roman Koteczky, also 7, said he had always known they would qualify. "Well, I thought, because they've won so many games, that for me it was pretty obvious," he said.

Roman has played since he was four, and his favourite player is Harry Kewell - because he scores a lot and because both are left-footed.

These boys are part of the Easts Soccer Club Under 8 Development Squad, where the age marshal, Tony Abruzzese, says you will find the keenest small soccer fans.

"Our head coach announced it to all the kids earlier about Australia making the soccer Most of them knew. They were all putting their hand up saying they want to be in the world cup after the next two," he said. "I think it's the best thing for junior soccer."

Parents were hopeful that Australia's qualification might bring more attention to the game, as in 2006, saying the role models for soccer were far more positive than those involved in the dramas plaguing rugby league.

A spokeswoman for Football Federation Australia, Bonita Mersiades, said the qualification would give a boost to Australia's bid to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022. The bid will be launched on Sunday in Canberra.

"It has an impact right down the line in all parts of our operations, whether it be in terms of sponsorship, in terms of game development, in participation for both boys and girls, and media interest," Ms Mersiades said.

"I think there's a big difference between the two matches. In 2005 it was a do-or-die effort, and we had to win that game to be able to get through to the 2006 World Cup. This time around is actually evidence of the professionalism, the maturity, and the experience of our players [and coaching] that we have been able to get through what is a gruelling qualification process and stay on top."

Australia was in the top 10 countries for world cup ticket sales according to FIFA, Ms Mersiades said. The Socceroos arrive back in Sydney today.

 

[bulldogmariner]

With Australia playing Bahrain on Wednesday night thought i would start off this thread.
Team news is Neill and Valeri are out and into the squad comes Luke Wilkshire.
Pim will probably start with his famous 4-2-3-1.
                       
                            Schwarzer
Wilkshire      Coyne          Spiro      Chippers
                  Culina          Grella
Bres                      Timmy C          Harry
                            Jesus

This will give him opportunities to play some of the younger squad members to see how they go. Jedinak will also see some action as Grella cannot last 90mins at the moment after returning from injury.

Prediction- 1 nil Australia.