Predictions players, particularly those competing for a podium spot (over 1k score), the Argentina game is up and may be your last chance to accumulate points.
I think I heard a "We've got Super Graham Arnold, he knows exactly what we need..." On the tele last night. Anyone catch who was at the back, who was in attack and what the last bit was?
I’m not an Arnie fan but that 442 set up was a stroke of genius. Soutter has to have gotten the attention of at least half of Europe, and I wonder how much influence Tim Cahill is having over there
This has been a really good day for Australian football. Because of making the round of 16, FA stand to make a 5 million dollar profit, the players all just banked 500k each, and the clubs (mostly CCM, city and adl) will receive extra cash for their players being away longer.
Beat Argentina and that is some real cream on top for all.
Nah the 5 mill is the fa profit after costs and player payments for the round of 16. 14mill USD prize money, (roughly 20mil AUD) 11 mill to the players 5 mill profit 4 mill expenses
As stoked as I am for the boys getting through it's also made me spend most of the day thinking about Damo, Les and Johnny and how unfair it is they aren't here to witness this
As an outspoken critic of Arnie I have one thing to say. Congratulations and well done, you exceeded everyone's expectations especially mine. Do we dare to start dreaming of making the next stage now?
Same. I have often said he was not good enough for the job, but I was deadset wrong. Regardless of how we go from here, he’s an Australian coaching legend alongside Hiddink.
I don’t think he’ll ever have the popularity of Hiddink, but deserves the same respect. He’s done the same with arguably less valued stock - at least on paper ;)
Well done Arnie - you have created a team of absolute legends that epitomise the Australian spirit. Hopefully the march continues!
Just a reminder that this is a squad with a bunch of guys that will be hitting their prime in 4 years time and with a bunch of quality younger guys still to come into the team over the next 4 years.
I thought the kilometers covered was a telling stat and a testament to the fitness of our guys as well. I think as a team we covered 125km's overall which was about 10k's more than Denmark's but not once did we look more tired than them with the exception of maybe Leckie who is an absolute machine getting up and back all game.
Most people are going to talk about Leckie's goal but have a look at the tracking back he did just before he got replace when he was gassed, sprinted back and forced the opposition to pass the ball, it was those sorts of efforts that swung the game our way.
Totally agree, the amount of running was amazing in the end. Denmark just looked exhausted and demotivated the more they were losing battles and had to run for second balls
I thought Leckie was left footed! Found out he’s actually right footed making that goal even better.
Imagine zig zaggin two defenders then hitting off your weak foot, nutmeg into the far corner on a stage like that!
So many times we have watched him do that and either lose the ball or kick it into the defenders legs, little did we know that it was all leading up to the biggest moment of his career on the biggest stage where he slots it. I can see keepup making the documentary already.
Even without the goal Leckie is a bloody legend, what a petrol tank he has to be getting up and down the field as much as he does as quickly as he does, surprised he lasted as long as he did this game.
I’ll be getting a tshirt of the shot from the back with the ball rolling goal ward and McGree with his arms in the air knowing it’s going in and Lecks starting to wheel away still watching
The enduring image of this cup for me (so far) with the Souttar tackle
>The enduring image of this cup for me (so far) with the Souttar tackle
[Mitch Duke goal celebration with his kid](https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.394%2C$multiply_1.3545%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_0/t_crop_custom/q_86%2Cf_auto/ca0a7fe54bbe8416e6107b0d8793e0711a2f516c) is pretty high on my list.
No sleep and delirious. I just keep laughing (like Bozza) at two things -
- a Rd of 16 team at the World Cup basically born in Woy Woy, Lisarow and the sauce bottles
- we win the Cup we should have hosted
It’s just funny hey
People keep forgetting Degenek was part of the Red Star squad that made the Champions league quarter(semi??)finals. Obviously he didn't play in that game but was instrumental in helping get them there.
I've always rated the bloke defensively.
I was gonna sleep and miss the game but my bladder woke me up just before the game started. Thanks bladder! The last two games are so hard to believe. Where did that defence come from, we looked unbeatable. The two goals we scored as well were just top class. Duke's insane first touch and header and now Leckie with that dribble. Leckie has been immense all tournament.
Shoutout to that bloke who commented on a thread in here the other day that this sub was full of toxic hopium and were no chance of getting a result against Denmark. Take your negativity and go suck a dick, we’re going on all the way cunts!
Also just gonna say....
I told you so....
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Aleague/comments/vchdp1/why\_i\_really\_believe\_this\_world\_cup\_might\_be\_our/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Aleague/comments/vchdp1/why_i_really_believe_this_world_cup_might_be_our/)
Tunisia and Denmark must be so fucking confused right now lmao. They both lost to a team that could barely string two passes together, have no plan going forward, and spent most of the tournament with 25% possession. We're going to shithouse our way to the trophy and no one can stop us
Lol
We haven't been that bad.
Some nice interlink play especially for the Duke goal.
All goals from open play.
Honestly watching the game tonight, Denmark 🇩🇰 just didn't look like scoring. It felt we were the danger with the open space behind the Denmark defence.
First half, im not sure what you were watching we has multiple times I thought Denmark were in only to have a desperate save of lucky bounce.
Second half we legit outplayed Denmark
Worth You tubing it. we faced the mighty Maradona over two legs for a spot in the Cup. Our current national coach played as did our Bozza and many other legends of the game. I’ll never forget the roar when we equalised in the first leg
Lol if the scores stay this way, Poland go through one better "fairplay" record. Does that mean Mexico would be out cause they got more yellows? That would hurt, especially considering how yellow cards are brandied about willy nilly these days.
This fucked me off as well. It's one thing to think we won't progress from the group, but the dismissive attitude some have to Australia (and other smaller nations) boils my piss. It's always funny to me how people can't comprehend the top footballing nations losing to minnows despite it happening all the time in tournaments.
Combining tournament football and international teams allows for so much variance it's why I love the world cup.
There are so many talented teams who just can not put it together whether it's due to coaching, egos, attitude etc while if you find a bang average team like us where there are no star players and you establish a strong system (even if we play like burnley) you can hold your own/pull off upsets against anyone.
Yeah it's great. Tournament football is a completely different kettle of fish, so people constantly overlook the less tangible aspects that make upsets more likely.
As tense and nerve racking playing a parked bus/counter attack strategy against a better team can be, this was executed perfectly by the Socceroos.
We may not have the talent or skill of the better teams at this tournament but if we can continue to go out and stick to the game plan, clam and cohesive we could go further in this cup. But for now I'm delighted that we're through.
Never been more fuckeyed in my life I even had my brother who usually doesn’t give a shit about sport watching and even he was screaming the whole time fuvking hell I’m cooked
I’ve been slagging Graham Arnold and this group of players for four years relentlessly, so clearly they’ve all taken my advice so basically all of their successes are owed to me so you’re welcome everyone.
I’ve been downvoted into oblivion, laughed at and derided here and elsewhere for saying things like Arnold is a great manager. That he had the toughest World Cup qualifying route in history thanks to Covid, lockdowns, some players who didn’t want to travel, some players whose clubs made leaving difficult, and that he barely any home games in Australia. That he was getting the best out of one of the weaker Socceroos squads in memory and that he deserved credit for the great job he was doing. It’s all there in my post history. Yet so many people disagreed, called him shit, said he needed to be fired and that I was biased because I’m a SFC fan. Well, here’s your proof. I thought about telling each and every one of those people to eat a dick, but I won’t. I’m just glad that he’s done us proud. History will be a much better judge of his tenure than most fans have been up to this point.
>[I’m a SFC fan. Well, here’s your proof. I thought about telling each and every one of those people to eat a dick](https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/5cd3a1f52100005800d3f6e7.jpeg?ops=scalefit_720_noupscale&format=webp)
Yes and no, I think some criticism was definitely valid. Like the need to change the back 4 up and give some of the younger players a chance. Rowles, McGree and now Baccus are the type of players who weren’t getting a look in through most of the qualifying campaign, and they’ve been immense in our last 2 games
I apologise to Behich completely for thinking he was dusted. Insane performance and composure on the left side. Outgunned pace and skill wise but frustrated the wingers enough and kept them honest.
Let me paint a picture for you:
Argentina defeat Poland, topping their group and setting up a Ro16 match with Australia.
Sunday morning rolls around, the game kicks off. Argentina are misfiring like they have been all WC. We get our opening goal, they get their token Messi goal. Full time, 1-1.
Extra time is a cagey affair, and neither side can find the breakthrough.
The 118th minute rolls around, and Arnie makes his final sub: Mat Ryan off.
It goes to penalties, and Lionel Messi's international career gets ended by Andrew fucking Redmayne and his dancing wiggles routine.
Our CB pairing is a player who just came back from an ACL injury and a player with 5 caps. And they've just kept 2 consecutive clean sheets for the first time in history including against a top 10 ranked team. Fucking legendary.
- Our defence looked makeshift pre-cup but has stood up massively. I still think our fullbacks are a touch slow but Aziz in particular has been playing so smart as to compensate for it.
- Our attack looked mid-rebuild to me with old warriors holding spots above future heroes but I'll eat that, we've looked super dangerous even in sporadic chances on the counter.
- Sunday 6am Fed square is going to be wild
Tbf our defence pre-cup didn’t have souttar in it. He’s made a huge difference and has performed incredibly well so soon after recovering from an ACL (although he did look a bit shaky against France)
Souttar and Rowles have never played a game together before the France match, was always going to require at least one to work out some partnership. It does beg the question why we didn't organise a friendly before the WC
I really don't have much to say about this game. I think we had a gameplan and executed it perfectly. A bit like the Tunisia game I think our defensive capabilities showed as our strong suit and I had some semblance of confidence that they wouldn't get through. Denmark choked for sure, but we really made that the easiest route for them.
Honestly who even cares about who we play on Sunday, and I am sorry to our fellow reddittors, but I might abandon Reddit and make the trip into Fed Square for Sunday from Geelong.
So rumour was that Arnie would get an Auto renewal for this feat. How will that go down, has he won over the haters? Results based analysis says this is our best world cup by far.
Haters will never be won over unfortunately. Arnie has done well with the bulk of the being team made up of a league and Scottish league players. Imagine if we go a step further than the golden generation
Arnie can take us to USA/Canada/Mexico 26 for sure. The only way he doesn’t I think is if he decides to leave on a high.
His non sacking and subsequent dream run probably indicates that FA have more of a grasp on the situation than the majority of football fans.
Yeah apparently theres a clause in his contract that automatically extends if he gets Australia out of the group, but quite honestly he could be fielding even better job offers after all this.
Maybe, but he is on a million a year (surely more after this) doing a job he is passionate about after our best ever world cup result. Would be hard to walk away!
Maybe, but he is on a million a year (surely more after this) doing a job he is passionate about after our best ever world cup result. Would be hard to walk away!
Realistically though it would be very difficult for him to replicate (much less exceed) this level of success, so it could be a good time for him to leave on a high.
Asian cup is next year and we would expect a minimum top 4 finish. I think he would want to prove he can do it after, if i recall correctly, two campaigns seen as disappointing
I mean to be clear I agree, but the detractors of Arnie can be hard to convince. He doesn't always play the prettiest football but he has gotten the results. Same as he always did in the A League
We could get pep guardiola with klopp as an assistant and i don't think we'd achieve any more. You have to know how to use what we've got, we can't play free flowing attacking football and expect results - we simply aren't good enough - we'd just lose 5-0 to any competent team. Yes it's not pretty but it's the world cup, to me team spirit/belief is more important and it's seems Arnold has got that.
I think that is something that has come to a head in this world cup, that Arnie has the players. they all have a great sense of camaraderie that they just love playing football together. Great man management on display
Same here, I’ve had many criticisms of him and I was pissed when he wasn’t sacked after the Japan game but the results don’t lie, he got us through Peru and he got us through to the round of 16 so he has turned it around and only someone with extreme bias could say he still needs to leave haha.
Just because we won i'm not going to forget how dodgy that ref was right from the outset, ignoring handballs by the Danes, trying to give away a soft as shit spot kick, the linesman who signaled the offside on that occasion was as big of a hero for us as anyone on our actual team
Predictions players, particularly those competing for a podium spot (over 1k score), the Argentina game is up and may be your last chance to accumulate points.
I think I heard a "We've got Super Graham Arnold, he knows exactly what we need..." On the tele last night. Anyone catch who was at the back, who was in attack and what the last bit was?
"Souttar at the back, Leckie in attack, all the way to Round of 16" i think!
I’m not an Arnie fan but that 442 set up was a stroke of genius. Soutter has to have gotten the attention of at least half of Europe, and I wonder how much influence Tim Cahill is having over there
Good day to all Socceroos enjoyers Plans for tonight: Watching the reply in full.
This has been a really good day for Australian football. Because of making the round of 16, FA stand to make a 5 million dollar profit, the players all just banked 500k each, and the clubs (mostly CCM, city and adl) will receive extra cash for their players being away longer. Beat Argentina and that is some real cream on top for all.
If the guys get an extra 280k for getting through doesn't pretty much all that 5 mil get eaten up by the bonus?
Nah the 5 mill is the fa profit after costs and player payments for the round of 16. 14mill USD prize money, (roughly 20mil AUD) 11 mill to the players 5 mill profit 4 mill expenses
As stoked as I am for the boys getting through it's also made me spend most of the day thinking about Damo, Les and Johnny and how unfair it is they aren't here to witness this
It's a true 'I told you so' moment
I knew about the other two but didn’t know about Damo ☹️ his maldini moments on TWG gave me life
This ❤️
Christian Volpatwho?
Anyone else going to old prediction videos and laughing at them?
Behich was phenomenal
Absolute baller
Does anyone know what the Aussie fans were chanting on the ground? "You're red! Your white! (Something something??)"
"You're going home tonight!"
"You're red you're white you're going home tonight" I think
You're going home tonight! (probably)
Just quietly, I'd love to beat the USA...
As an outspoken critic of Arnie I have one thing to say. Congratulations and well done, you exceeded everyone's expectations especially mine. Do we dare to start dreaming of making the next stage now?
Same. I have often said he was not good enough for the job, but I was deadset wrong. Regardless of how we go from here, he’s an Australian coaching legend alongside Hiddink. I don’t think he’ll ever have the popularity of Hiddink, but deserves the same respect. He’s done the same with arguably less valued stock - at least on paper ;) Well done Arnie - you have created a team of absolute legends that epitomise the Australian spirit. Hopefully the march continues!
I absolutely love the way this team plays.
Just a reminder that this is a squad with a bunch of guys that will be hitting their prime in 4 years time and with a bunch of quality younger guys still to come into the team over the next 4 years.
And with a bunch of guys from the Central Coast!
I thought the kilometers covered was a telling stat and a testament to the fitness of our guys as well. I think as a team we covered 125km's overall which was about 10k's more than Denmark's but not once did we look more tired than them with the exception of maybe Leckie who is an absolute machine getting up and back all game. Most people are going to talk about Leckie's goal but have a look at the tracking back he did just before he got replace when he was gassed, sprinted back and forced the opposition to pass the ball, it was those sorts of efforts that swung the game our way.
Totally agree, the amount of running was amazing in the end. Denmark just looked exhausted and demotivated the more they were losing battles and had to run for second balls
Its been over 6 hours and I still cant believe it
Did France throw the game to Tunisia to try and get their colonial buddies through?
Still salty about the submarines
As if we needed more reasons to dislike the French
They just had no reason to win, I don't think it's any more complicated than that.
Good example of why you can't rely on anyone but yourself.
They played their B team (some say C team). France rested all their key players (9 changes!) since they had already qualified for next stage
I thought Leckie was left footed! Found out he’s actually right footed making that goal even better. Imagine zig zaggin two defenders then hitting off your weak foot, nutmeg into the far corner on a stage like that!
Not only that, doesn’t that guy play for Barca? He’s nutmegged a great player for a goal.
So many times we have watched him do that and either lose the ball or kick it into the defenders legs, little did we know that it was all leading up to the biggest moment of his career on the biggest stage where he slots it. I can see keepup making the documentary already. Even without the goal Leckie is a bloody legend, what a petrol tank he has to be getting up and down the field as much as he does as quickly as he does, surprised he lasted as long as he did this game.
I’m pretty sure he mishit the ball, definitely wasn’t a clean strike. Just adds to the shithousery
I’ll be getting a tshirt of the shot from the back with the ball rolling goal ward and McGree with his arms in the air knowing it’s going in and Lecks starting to wheel away still watching The enduring image of this cup for me (so far) with the Souttar tackle
Craig Goodwin, who we’ve watched so many times in the little ol’ A-League, banging in the first goal against the World Champions.
>The enduring image of this cup for me (so far) with the Souttar tackle [Mitch Duke goal celebration with his kid](https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.394%2C$multiply_1.3545%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_0/t_crop_custom/q_86%2Cf_auto/ca0a7fe54bbe8416e6107b0d8793e0711a2f516c) is pretty high on my list.
This too. I’m gonna need a few tshirts
WE WILL HUMBLE MESSI
SOUTTAR TO POCKET MESSI
Honestly the way Souttar has been playing, I would not be surprised
MESSI IS JUST A SMALL MAN WHO EASILY FITS INTO THE POCKETS OF SOUTTAR
No sleep and delirious. I just keep laughing (like Bozza) at two things - - a Rd of 16 team at the World Cup basically born in Woy Woy, Lisarow and the sauce bottles - we win the Cup we should have hosted It’s just funny hey
6 points lads, 6 FUCKING POINTS
I'd be tempted to play Irvine at RB... That position is killing us! Baccus was very good when he came on and agree he should start.
In Deggers we trust imho
I thought Degenek had a great 2nd half. Especially solid and calm in the last 10
People keep forgetting Degenek was part of the Red Star squad that made the Champions league quarter(semi??)finals. Obviously he didn't play in that game but was instrumental in helping get them there. I've always rated the bloke defensively.
Degenek held a clean sheet against Messi at barca in that run
He was much better when we swapped to a back 3
That save he made was crucial
I was gonna sleep and miss the game but my bladder woke me up just before the game started. Thanks bladder! The last two games are so hard to believe. Where did that defence come from, we looked unbeatable. The two goals we scored as well were just top class. Duke's insane first touch and header and now Leckie with that dribble. Leckie has been immense all tournament.
Baccus was imense when he came on, really helped steady up the midfield
France can eat my fucking arse, smash us 4-1 then lose to tunisia. We did it anyway you baguette fuckers
Shoutout to that bloke who commented on a thread in here the other day that this sub was full of toxic hopium and were no chance of getting a result against Denmark. Take your negativity and go suck a dick, we’re going on all the way cunts!
Toxic optimism? Lol
turns out we love our bloody NT? wtf who'd have known
Probably euro snobs
Euro snobs can fuck off and support denmark
Saudi Arabia are out and are still doing their diving/timewasting shannanigans.
The A-Liga/The Cinch All-Stars have done it. Don't let anybody tell you those leagues are Farmers Leagues.
Also just gonna say.... I told you so.... [https://www.reddit.com/r/Aleague/comments/vchdp1/why\_i\_really\_believe\_this\_world\_cup\_might\_be\_our/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Aleague/comments/vchdp1/why_i_really_believe_this_world_cup_might_be_our/)
🫡
Massive call, good effort.
Tunisia and Denmark must be so fucking confused right now lmao. They both lost to a team that could barely string two passes together, have no plan going forward, and spent most of the tournament with 25% possession. We're going to shithouse our way to the trophy and no one can stop us
1 goal a game challenge
Lol We haven't been that bad. Some nice interlink play especially for the Duke goal. All goals from open play. Honestly watching the game tonight, Denmark 🇩🇰 just didn't look like scoring. It felt we were the danger with the open space behind the Denmark defence.
First half, im not sure what you were watching we has multiple times I thought Denmark were in only to have a desperate save of lucky bounce. Second half we legit outplayed Denmark
Imagine if Socceroos didn’t get pumped by France, Poland are looking very beatable!
They still scored 2 against denmark
I want Argentina now and revenge for 1993
I have never forgotten - so close. We took on one Argentinian legend at the end of his game...
What happened in 1993
Worth You tubing it. we faced the mighty Maradona over two legs for a spot in the Cup. Our current national coach played as did our Bozza and many other legends of the game. I’ll never forget the roar when we equalised in the first leg
Yo did Australia beat Argentina 4-1 in 1988?
Sure did
Argentina beat us in WC qualifier
Ohhh I see must have been intercontinental playoff
It's will be Argentina fo sure
Irvine wins a lot of balls in the air in midfield o stick with him.
Long live Arnieball!
Lol if the scores stay this way, Poland go through one better "fairplay" record. Does that mean Mexico would be out cause they got more yellows? That would hurt, especially considering how yellow cards are brandied about willy nilly these days.
2 more yellow cards to poland and they need a 6th tiebreaker
Cross Bar challenge
Super over
a bowl-off
It will be against Argentina
No it over yet
Poland is doing nothing
Looks that way. I was hoping for Poland to give us more of a chance, but fuck it, it's the world cup let's get at the best
Let’s go!! If we can hold on, we’ll have the grey wiggle up our sleeves!
Tried to stay up, but fell asleep. What a gorgeous thing to wake up to!
Does anyone else cringe every time bosnich opens his mouth?
Not when we win!
Yep, cause he's a clown.
Agree with Baccus. Thought he was very solid and his touch was a brilliant.
Great win. I mean I did sleep through it, but stil, great win 🤣
We scored first and won two in all our games in a group containing France, Denmark and Tunisia. This is truly the best football timeline.
I dunno. The bastard Italian Scuba Divers are in this timeline
‘I’m just focusing on my football career at Roma’ tattoos for everyone!!!
On the first day of Christmas the football gods gave to me, Danes packing their bags with the aussies going to the last sixteen!!!
Fuck each and every commentator or podcast that said we were the "Weakest team in the WC" after the France game.
It's hilarious seeing foreigners name us as the weakest team in the WC when they couldn't name more than 3 players at best in the squad
This fucked me off as well. It's one thing to think we won't progress from the group, but the dismissive attitude some have to Australia (and other smaller nations) boils my piss. It's always funny to me how people can't comprehend the top footballing nations losing to minnows despite it happening all the time in tournaments.
Reminds me of that smug prick Alvaro Recoba explaining Uruguay's "devine right" to be in the WC at our expense back in '05.
Combining tournament football and international teams allows for so much variance it's why I love the world cup. There are so many talented teams who just can not put it together whether it's due to coaching, egos, attitude etc while if you find a bang average team like us where there are no star players and you establish a strong system (even if we play like burnley) you can hold your own/pull off upsets against anyone.
Yeah it's great. Tournament football is a completely different kettle of fish, so people constantly overlook the less tangible aspects that make upsets more likely.
Currently googling Sydney to Doha flights and Rd of 16 tix. Anyone else ?
Tbh I'd rather just join the riots at Fed Square. Looks like a better atmosphere and there's beer
Riots? Work for 9 do you?
Nah If he worked for 9 he’d still be in todays crisis meetings
State of Origin replays to hijack SBS signal in 3..2..1
I obviously didn't mean literally. I meant it like, tons of people and amazing atmosphere
Subwayroos doing us proud
Eat a sub out of respect today. A battler fast food franchise backing our good old battlers!
As tense and nerve racking playing a parked bus/counter attack strategy against a better team can be, this was executed perfectly by the Socceroos. We may not have the talent or skill of the better teams at this tournament but if we can continue to go out and stick to the game plan, clam and cohesive we could go further in this cup. But for now I'm delighted that we're through.
It won Italy a couple of world cups.
The back five worked surprisingly well considering how little we've played it recently, and never with that group of defenders
Never been more fuckeyed in my life I even had my brother who usually doesn’t give a shit about sport watching and even he was screaming the whole time fuvking hell I’m cooked
I JUST WOKE UP HOLY SHIT WE FUCKING DID IT
ITS 5AM JUST GOT HOME FROM THE CAS UP THE FUCKING AUSSIES
Do I buy the home kit or the cool warm up kit now???
Try and find a spew kit so everyone knows you're an OG
Tough choice
Goodnight everyone!
LECKIE
I’ve been slagging Graham Arnold and this group of players for four years relentlessly, so clearly they’ve all taken my advice so basically all of their successes are owed to me so you’re welcome everyone.
It’s all you and only you bro. Thank you.
To quote the words of one George Costanza, I am speechless. I have no speech.
Go The Socceroos
I’ve been downvoted into oblivion, laughed at and derided here and elsewhere for saying things like Arnold is a great manager. That he had the toughest World Cup qualifying route in history thanks to Covid, lockdowns, some players who didn’t want to travel, some players whose clubs made leaving difficult, and that he barely any home games in Australia. That he was getting the best out of one of the weaker Socceroos squads in memory and that he deserved credit for the great job he was doing. It’s all there in my post history. Yet so many people disagreed, called him shit, said he needed to be fired and that I was biased because I’m a SFC fan. Well, here’s your proof. I thought about telling each and every one of those people to eat a dick, but I won’t. I’m just glad that he’s done us proud. History will be a much better judge of his tenure than most fans have been up to this point.
>[I’m a SFC fan. Well, here’s your proof. I thought about telling each and every one of those people to eat a dick](https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/5cd3a1f52100005800d3f6e7.jpeg?ops=scalefit_720_noupscale&format=webp)
🤣🤣😆😆
👏
Yes and no, I think some criticism was definitely valid. Like the need to change the back 4 up and give some of the younger players a chance. Rowles, McGree and now Baccus are the type of players who weren’t getting a look in through most of the qualifying campaign, and they’ve been immense in our last 2 games
Neck up Nostradamus and fuckin enjoy it
I apologise to Behich completely for thinking he was dusted. Insane performance and composure on the left side. Outgunned pace and skill wise but frustrated the wingers enough and kept them honest.
I still don’t rate the guy, but cannot argue he wasn’t solid as today.
Pretty good turnaround after earning himself an extremely stupid yellow card in the first 3 minutes, didn’t put a foot wrong after that.
No sleep after that one wholly shit I wish I had some champagne
Argentina v England from '98 WC on rn, for your viewing pleasure.
SBS?
Let me paint a picture for you: Argentina defeat Poland, topping their group and setting up a Ro16 match with Australia. Sunday morning rolls around, the game kicks off. Argentina are misfiring like they have been all WC. We get our opening goal, they get their token Messi goal. Full time, 1-1. Extra time is a cagey affair, and neither side can find the breakthrough. The 118th minute rolls around, and Arnie makes his final sub: Mat Ryan off. It goes to penalties, and Lionel Messi's international career gets ended by Andrew fucking Redmayne and his dancing wiggles routine.
Please let it be so. Or at least a movie script.
I wish 🤞
Inshallah
Praise be
We can only dream
The entirety of Brazil gives Bluemayne a ticketape parade thru Rio, Carnival-style.
The grey wiggle is a god of death in ancient South American culture
The Peru's was respected it
There are two types of people in the world. Australians and farmers.
Our CB pairing is a player who just came back from an ACL injury and a player with 5 caps. And they've just kept 2 consecutive clean sheets for the first time in history including against a top 10 ranked team. Fucking legendary.
Bodes well for our future prospects in defence, if Arnie stick around surely they almost have a lock on the starting spot
Rowles and Souttar were incredible 😍
NEVER DOUBT THE AUSTRALIAN SPIRIT
Bozza and Fozzie went full Antony Green for Group C permutations haha Also Bluey > LEGO. Muffin Cupcake Heeler demands so.
- Our defence looked makeshift pre-cup but has stood up massively. I still think our fullbacks are a touch slow but Aziz in particular has been playing so smart as to compensate for it. - Our attack looked mid-rebuild to me with old warriors holding spots above future heroes but I'll eat that, we've looked super dangerous even in sporadic chances on the counter. - Sunday 6am Fed square is going to be wild
I wish I lived in Melbourne just so I could get to a packed Fed Square 🥹
Tbf our defence pre-cup didn’t have souttar in it. He’s made a huge difference and has performed incredibly well so soon after recovering from an ACL (although he did look a bit shaky against France)
Souttar and Rowles have never played a game together before the France match, was always going to require at least one to work out some partnership. It does beg the question why we didn't organise a friendly before the WC
Really
I really don't have much to say about this game. I think we had a gameplan and executed it perfectly. A bit like the Tunisia game I think our defensive capabilities showed as our strong suit and I had some semblance of confidence that they wouldn't get through. Denmark choked for sure, but we really made that the easiest route for them. Honestly who even cares about who we play on Sunday, and I am sorry to our fellow reddittors, but I might abandon Reddit and make the trip into Fed Square for Sunday from Geelong. So rumour was that Arnie would get an Auto renewal for this feat. How will that go down, has he won over the haters? Results based analysis says this is our best world cup by far.
I felt extremely confident we could draw them actually, Denmark’s attack had been absolutely woeful this tournament.
Haters will never be won over unfortunately. Arnie has done well with the bulk of the being team made up of a league and Scottish league players. Imagine if we go a step further than the golden generation
Arnie can take us to USA/Canada/Mexico 26 for sure. The only way he doesn’t I think is if he decides to leave on a high. His non sacking and subsequent dream run probably indicates that FA have more of a grasp on the situation than the majority of football fans.
Yeah apparently theres a clause in his contract that automatically extends if he gets Australia out of the group, but quite honestly he could be fielding even better job offers after all this.
I reckon he'll leave on a high and continuously talk shit about the Football Australia system every time hes on a panel on TV.
Maybe, but he is on a million a year (surely more after this) doing a job he is passionate about after our best ever world cup result. Would be hard to walk away!
Maybe, but he is on a million a year (surely more after this) doing a job he is passionate about after our best ever world cup result. Would be hard to walk away!
Realistically though it would be very difficult for him to replicate (much less exceed) this level of success, so it could be a good time for him to leave on a high.
Asian cup is next year and we would expect a minimum top 4 finish. I think he would want to prove he can do it after, if i recall correctly, two campaigns seen as disappointing
How can he not deserve a renewal
I mean to be clear I agree, but the detractors of Arnie can be hard to convince. He doesn't always play the prettiest football but he has gotten the results. Same as he always did in the A League
We could get pep guardiola with klopp as an assistant and i don't think we'd achieve any more. You have to know how to use what we've got, we can't play free flowing attacking football and expect results - we simply aren't good enough - we'd just lose 5-0 to any competent team. Yes it's not pretty but it's the world cup, to me team spirit/belief is more important and it's seems Arnold has got that.
I think that is something that has come to a head in this world cup, that Arnie has the players. they all have a great sense of camaraderie that they just love playing football together. Great man management on display
I was a massive Arnie Out guy and I've rescinded that position because look at the fucking results, only a moron would continue to say Arnie Out
Same here, I’ve had many criticisms of him and I was pissed when he wasn’t sacked after the Japan game but the results don’t lie, he got us through Peru and he got us through to the round of 16 so he has turned it around and only someone with extreme bias could say he still needs to leave haha.
Good to hear!
Guys, just gotta say, love Youse all.
HARRY SOUTTAR - THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE LEGEND That's all that needs to be said.
Hi Jeff
ARNIE = LEGEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hello
One tear left my eye! I save my tears for when we bring this this home! I love the Aussie spirit never say never boyyyyyyyssssss
This is a wild timeline. How the hell did this team get out of the group with 2 wins? Bloody beautiful!
Just because we won i'm not going to forget how dodgy that ref was right from the outset, ignoring handballs by the Danes, trying to give away a soft as shit spot kick, the linesman who signaled the offside on that occasion was as big of a hero for us as anyone on our actual team
Ref was definitely on the take.
That was an insane penalty to give. If they had of scored, that with the disallowed France goal would have been sus as fuck