< A match which Australia will only win... >
Reading the title, people might be thinking I'm overconfident about facing the Italians. Nah, not really, just hear me out. I don't really mean Australia will definitely win as in the scoreline. I mean win as in regardless of the result, the Aussie players, when it's time to go back to Australia, will go back as national heroes and winners. Managing to qualify for the World Cup Finals in the first place was already considered an achievement in the eyes of the Aussies. They had waited 32 long years, the pride at qualifying was undeniable. Anything else achieved in Germany from then on was seen as a bonus.
While the Aussie fans were confident they could go further than just the 32, I think none of them really expected exactly how they would get into the last 16. The Japan result was an unbelievable achievement, not in the scoreline itself, but seeing how the Australian players performed would have made any Australian proud. While Hiddink must be applauded for getting the national team to where no other coach has done for the last 32 years, I think the focus here on the Australian team was on the TEAM itself, and no other individual.
I've always been a little skeptical about international football because I always wondered, how can you expect a team which barely comes together for a few matches each year to have any kind of bond or team spirit? I'll be a little skeptical if you tell me Carra and Neville actually like each other. Not because they're competing for a place in the England team, but because one is Liverpool through and through and the other is the same for Man U.
So I've to say I was a little surprised when I saw how the Australian national team is really, like Tim Cahill said, "a big happy family". No, it's not just great media publicity, but you can genuinely feel their team spirit. At least I'm very sure Harry does like Timmy... Why is that the case for them?
Perhaps it's because the players' egos just aren't as big as the supposedly "bigger countries" like England or Brazil? Perhaps it's because they don't come from famous clubs that are rivals? But then again... some of their players like Harry are more well-known, while Jason Culina would be a virtual unknown to most. Don't they get jealous of each other or despise each other? But you see... Harry isn't like Oliver Kahn who always boasts about how great he is. The likes of Harry or Timmy adopt this sense of humility while with their national squad. I remember how Harry said even if he hadn't score (against Croatia) someone else in the team would have, because they were fighting together as a team... He really believed in his teammates, though some of them are just not that well-known. And every single one of them, not only the more famous ones stepped up to the task ahead of them while playing their 3 group games. Lucas Neill, Jason Culina, Vince Grella, Brett Emerton, Scott Chipperfield, Craig Moore... yeah, they all did their job. Every single player wearing the green and gold just put in their 300% effort for 90 minutes in each game.
Comparatively, you have the likes of England and Brazil, who have been playing at a level that's not their best. They can give all sorts of reasons, the heat, pitch, needing time to get it right, fatigue for their less than impressive performances, but I can be a little cruel when I say this: they're just excuses. Players from supposedly lesser teams like Australia (Ecuador, Ghana also...) know these matches can be their biggest matches in their entire career. Perhaps that's why they put in nothing less than their best, as they don't want to pass up the once in a lifetime opportunity and regret not giving their all on the biggest stage. Teams like Australia, play with all their heart in every game, and in doing so, it's often mind over body more than anything else, because they have a really tough mentality and character.
And that's what I find so heartening about the Aussies. I get kinda pissed off these days when I see England scraping through to the quarter finals despite a lacklustre performance. Their players have been talking a lot of shit about how they'll improve, how much the World Cup means to them, but seeing the way they perform just irks me. Whatever they've said, is just empty talk to me. I've seen better performances from these players, thus the way I see it, the only reason why they don't perform as well is because they just can't be bothered enough to try harder.
Though I seriously hope Australia will progress through to the quarter-finals, and I know they have the belief they can do it... supposedly... IF... they don't go through, I have no doubt the Aussies will return home to a heroes' welcome.
If England go out in the quarter-finals or semi-finals, or if Italy do similarly, I can still safely tell you... the Aussie fans would be more proud even if their team goes out now compared to the fans of the other two teams in later stages...
So who says I don't support a winning team? I do, 'cause in any case, Australia will still come out tops.
Having said that though, I know I'd only be lying if I said I'm genuinely fine if they lose tonight. Because even without seeing their performance, I'd know if that happens, they wouldn't deserve it...
Oh yah, by the way, saw my name in the Straits Times today? Hahaha. One of my "letters" (via email) got published... I've got quite a few comments/emails published in the papers by now, but I dare say this is my proudest one, not only because the Straits Times is a more respectable newspaper than The New Paper, or because it's more than a one-liner... but because of the content! Okok, you see, previously I've given 'views' on things I really don't care at all. The Straits Times poll thing where the person phone me everyday to ask me their poll question... most of the time they're just about things I don't care or don't know much about (I still crap though) Like today, the question was "Should France play Zidane against Spain?" (I wanted to say, "heck! I don't care! I don't know!" but still gave some crap about Ribery though I've only seen him play once) Then previously, those New Paper questions mostly didn't concern about Liverpool or at least wasn't any issue I really had views that were screaming out to be heard...
But this time... THIS TIME! It was about something I care about, and felt the need to say out loud! Yeah.. the SOCCEROOOOOOS! Hehe. I just wrote in on the spur of the moment, and actually sent to the wrong email in the process... Yah, that's why I was so surprised it got published! Hahaha. I still sent to a Straits Times email, just not the one which was specifically for these sort of letters. They allowed readers to email in regarding any topic they like you see... of course they wouldn't have set a topic specifically for the Socceroos!
Sigh. Like all other letters, mine got edited a bit... the editing were mainly on deleting some parts, and making it sound... less "emotional" (at least it seemed that way to me! a little change of words and deleting some 'unnecessary elaboration'). I tend to ramble too much I guess.
Anyway, for those who haven't read it... here's the letter that got published!
Australia display guts, self-belief
Many thought I was crazy when I declared myself a supporter of the Socceroos.
But, after seeing the way Australia battled through the group stages, I have come to admire their gutsy displays.
Many do not support the lesser teams because, in their view, these teams play boring football. The Aussies have proven this is not necessarily the case.
All the three first-round games involving them have been entertaining matches, with spirited displays showing their tough mentality.
Many believe Brazil show us the beautiful side of football. Similarly, Australia show us what the true spirit of football should be.
Passion, pride, belief, courage, unity, these are some of the qualities they have shown since beating Uruguay in the qualifiers.
I know many would not rate them against the Italians, but the Aussies have got the self-belief. No one should deny them that.
Whatever the result, they know they can go back as winners.
Ok, after typing that out, I realise they've actually cut and edited a lot from the original thing! Eeks. Now I don't like the "edited" version. Sounds too... short, sweet and unemotional... not like me at all... grr.. oh well. Want to know what the original thing was like? I'm lazy to find the email again... but I think reading my first part of this post would give a pretty good idea. I used to be told by my GP teacher I ramble too much. But while I could cut it out from GP essays, making myself sound more "professional", I find it hard to apply to football writings... I've too much 'heart' I guess. Like the Aussies. Not necessarily a bad thing all the time though?
While the Aussie fans were confident they could go further than just the 32, I think none of them really expected exactly how they would get into the last 16. The Japan result was an unbelievable achievement, not in the scoreline itself, but seeing how the Australian players performed would have made any Australian proud. While Hiddink must be applauded for getting the national team to where no other coach has done for the last 32 years, I think the focus here on the Australian team was on the TEAM itself, and no other individual.
I've always been a little skeptical about international football because I always wondered, how can you expect a team which barely comes together for a few matches each year to have any kind of bond or team spirit? I'll be a little skeptical if you tell me Carra and Neville actually like each other. Not because they're competing for a place in the England team, but because one is Liverpool through and through and the other is the same for Man U.
So I've to say I was a little surprised when I saw how the Australian national team is really, like Tim Cahill said, "a big happy family". No, it's not just great media publicity, but you can genuinely feel their team spirit. At least I'm very sure Harry does like Timmy... Why is that the case for them?
Perhaps it's because the players' egos just aren't as big as the supposedly "bigger countries" like England or Brazil? Perhaps it's because they don't come from famous clubs that are rivals? But then again... some of their players like Harry are more well-known, while Jason Culina would be a virtual unknown to most. Don't they get jealous of each other or despise each other? But you see... Harry isn't like Oliver Kahn who always boasts about how great he is. The likes of Harry or Timmy adopt this sense of humility while with their national squad. I remember how Harry said even if he hadn't score (against Croatia) someone else in the team would have, because they were fighting together as a team... He really believed in his teammates, though some of them are just not that well-known. And every single one of them, not only the more famous ones stepped up to the task ahead of them while playing their 3 group games. Lucas Neill, Jason Culina, Vince Grella, Brett Emerton, Scott Chipperfield, Craig Moore... yeah, they all did their job. Every single player wearing the green and gold just put in their 300% effort for 90 minutes in each game.
Comparatively, you have the likes of England and Brazil, who have been playing at a level that's not their best. They can give all sorts of reasons, the heat, pitch, needing time to get it right, fatigue for their less than impressive performances, but I can be a little cruel when I say this: they're just excuses. Players from supposedly lesser teams like Australia (Ecuador, Ghana also...) know these matches can be their biggest matches in their entire career. Perhaps that's why they put in nothing less than their best, as they don't want to pass up the once in a lifetime opportunity and regret not giving their all on the biggest stage. Teams like Australia, play with all their heart in every game, and in doing so, it's often mind over body more than anything else, because they have a really tough mentality and character.
And that's what I find so heartening about the Aussies. I get kinda pissed off these days when I see England scraping through to the quarter finals despite a lacklustre performance. Their players have been talking a lot of shit about how they'll improve, how much the World Cup means to them, but seeing the way they perform just irks me. Whatever they've said, is just empty talk to me. I've seen better performances from these players, thus the way I see it, the only reason why they don't perform as well is because they just can't be bothered enough to try harder.
Though I seriously hope Australia will progress through to the quarter-finals, and I know they have the belief they can do it... supposedly... IF... they don't go through, I have no doubt the Aussies will return home to a heroes' welcome.
If England go out in the quarter-finals or semi-finals, or if Italy do similarly, I can still safely tell you... the Aussie fans would be more proud even if their team goes out now compared to the fans of the other two teams in later stages...
So who says I don't support a winning team? I do, 'cause in any case, Australia will still come out tops.
Having said that though, I know I'd only be lying if I said I'm genuinely fine if they lose tonight. Because even without seeing their performance, I'd know if that happens, they wouldn't deserve it...
Oh yah, by the way, saw my name in the Straits Times today? Hahaha. One of my "letters" (via email) got published... I've got quite a few comments/emails published in the papers by now, but I dare say this is my proudest one, not only because the Straits Times is a more respectable newspaper than The New Paper, or because it's more than a one-liner... but because of the content! Okok, you see, previously I've given 'views' on things I really don't care at all. The Straits Times poll thing where the person phone me everyday to ask me their poll question... most of the time they're just about things I don't care or don't know much about (I still crap though) Like today, the question was "Should France play Zidane against Spain?" (I wanted to say, "heck! I don't care! I don't know!" but still gave some crap about Ribery though I've only seen him play once) Then previously, those New Paper questions mostly didn't concern about Liverpool or at least wasn't any issue I really had views that were screaming out to be heard...
But this time... THIS TIME! It was about something I care about, and felt the need to say out loud! Yeah.. the SOCCEROOOOOOS! Hehe. I just wrote in on the spur of the moment, and actually sent to the wrong email in the process... Yah, that's why I was so surprised it got published! Hahaha. I still sent to a Straits Times email, just not the one which was specifically for these sort of letters. They allowed readers to email in regarding any topic they like you see... of course they wouldn't have set a topic specifically for the Socceroos!
Sigh. Like all other letters, mine got edited a bit... the editing were mainly on deleting some parts, and making it sound... less "emotional" (at least it seemed that way to me! a little change of words and deleting some 'unnecessary elaboration'). I tend to ramble too much I guess.
Anyway, for those who haven't read it... here's the letter that got published!
Australia display guts, self-belief
Many thought I was crazy when I declared myself a supporter of the Socceroos.
But, after seeing the way Australia battled through the group stages, I have come to admire their gutsy displays.
Many do not support the lesser teams because, in their view, these teams play boring football. The Aussies have proven this is not necessarily the case.
All the three first-round games involving them have been entertaining matches, with spirited displays showing their tough mentality.
Many believe Brazil show us the beautiful side of football. Similarly, Australia show us what the true spirit of football should be.
Passion, pride, belief, courage, unity, these are some of the qualities they have shown since beating Uruguay in the qualifiers.
I know many would not rate them against the Italians, but the Aussies have got the self-belief. No one should deny them that.
Whatever the result, they know they can go back as winners.
Ok, after typing that out, I realise they've actually cut and edited a lot from the original thing! Eeks. Now I don't like the "edited" version. Sounds too... short, sweet and unemotional... not like me at all... grr.. oh well. Want to know what the original thing was like? I'm lazy to find the email again... but I think reading my first part of this post would give a pretty good idea. I used to be told by my GP teacher I ramble too much. But while I could cut it out from GP essays, making myself sound more "professional", I find it hard to apply to football writings... I've too much 'heart' I guess. Like the Aussies. Not necessarily a bad thing all the time though?
posted by lala at 8:15 PM
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