Quote:
Originally posted by johnny:
You're laying low too these days aren't you ?  You reckon the Aussies get past the Uruguayans this time and make it into germany 2006 ?
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Ah - not at all my erstwhile inebriated interlocutor
. Yes, I believe we are good enough to deserve a place in Germany 06.
I think though that the system screws us over badly by setting us up for 2 matches every 4 years, and very little in the way of decent warm up matches because for friendlies the clubs just will not release the players early enough and often enough to build team structure.
Two points to make :
1) Gus Hiddink is doing good things with the team - they will be stronger with him in charge
2) I will be happier next time to see us play in the larger group (Asia) which provides a fairere avenue and an opportunity for direct qualification. For serious internationals the clubs have no alterative but to release the players, and the team will benefit next time from the greater opportunity to gel into a formation. To those who grumble about an easier qualification route of Asia I say that if we are good enough to qualify from the zone then we deserved the opportunity to take the place of a weaker nation. If we are not good enough then there can be no grumbles from anywhere about an unfair system.