BUZ
Paragon
Question for you Peach (and any other Soccer fans/players).
Forgetting Australia's awesome show at the last World Cup, what would it take for Australia to become a World force in this sport?
Here are a few of my opinions.
1. The heirachy of Australian Soccer needs to be stabilized (ring any bells here?
). This would be a phenomenal feat in itself, as the constant in-fighting goes back decades, and I believe the in-fighting is the prime reason why it has taken so long for us to get back to qualifying for the World Cup.
2. All Australian junior soccer registration forms must include a clause that forbids any contact between players/parents/coaches and overseas Clubs. First contact must be made by the O.S. Club to the Australian governing body. By doing this the governing body can be the sole go between when it is clear that elite junior players need to go overseas to learn more about the game. The governing body can then include a major clause in all contracts that states selection in any Australian National side takes precedence over any Club game.
3. The National team needs to be included in a regular World standard competition. I don't know what competition this should be, but our top 20 or so players need to be playing/training/bonding together on a regular basis.
4. The governing body should change its' name back to Soccer Australia. It is going to take fifty years or more for Australians as a whole to identify or refer to Soccer as Football, and that's a conservative estimate!
5. Soccer Australia, in conjunction with the Federal and State Governments as well as Local Councils, should spend multi millions of dollars helping to develop a brand and style of Soccer that is uniquely Australian. A game and style that not only reflects the Australian way of life, but presents to other countries of the world something that they never dreamed existed.
6. Bring the World Cup competition to Australia.
Forgetting Australia's awesome show at the last World Cup, what would it take for Australia to become a World force in this sport?
Here are a few of my opinions.
1. The heirachy of Australian Soccer needs to be stabilized (ring any bells here?
). This would be a phenomenal feat in itself, as the constant in-fighting goes back decades, and I believe the in-fighting is the prime reason why it has taken so long for us to get back to qualifying for the World Cup.2. All Australian junior soccer registration forms must include a clause that forbids any contact between players/parents/coaches and overseas Clubs. First contact must be made by the O.S. Club to the Australian governing body. By doing this the governing body can be the sole go between when it is clear that elite junior players need to go overseas to learn more about the game. The governing body can then include a major clause in all contracts that states selection in any Australian National side takes precedence over any Club game.
3. The National team needs to be included in a regular World standard competition. I don't know what competition this should be, but our top 20 or so players need to be playing/training/bonding together on a regular basis.
4. The governing body should change its' name back to Soccer Australia. It is going to take fifty years or more for Australians as a whole to identify or refer to Soccer as Football, and that's a conservative estimate!
5. Soccer Australia, in conjunction with the Federal and State Governments as well as Local Councils, should spend multi millions of dollars helping to develop a brand and style of Soccer that is uniquely Australian. A game and style that not only reflects the Australian way of life, but presents to other countries of the world something that they never dreamed existed.
6. Bring the World Cup competition to Australia.
