General Asian Cup Discussion Thread.

[Zidane98]

With Ange getting the Socceroos playing good football at Brazil 2014 I can't wait to see how we will perform at the Asian Cup next year.

This is my ideal Socceroos starting XI assuming all players fit:

------------------Ryan------------------

Herd---------R. Williams-----Wilkinson------Davidson

------------------Jedinak----------------

------Bozanic---------------------------Oar

----Leckie-----------Cahill--------Kruse

Squad depth:

Langerak
Spiranovic
C. Good
Franjic
Holman
Wilkshire
Milligan
Troisi
Halloran
Taggart
Kennedy


Who do you think will win next year's Asian Cup and what is your preferred Socceroos lineup?

 

[giggler99]

Got tickets to the opening match between Australia v Kuwait and also Japan v Jordan.

Super excited for this think it'll be our best chance to finally win our first (men's) trophy in Asia.

Hard to give a line up this far out I'll give mine closer to the start of the tournament.

Expecting most of the guys from the World Cup will be there (baring injury) getting Kruse and Rojic back they will no doubt play a massive part. Might be a few A-league smokies Ange will throw in.

 

[polo9]

Ryan

Franjic - Spiranovic - Williams - Davidson

Jedinak - Bozanic/Milligan

Kruse - Cahill - Oar

Leckie

​

atm if everyone is fit this is what i would like it see. Cahill is far better coming from deep, it's how he made his name. If players are going to be moving, e.g. Milligan, Spiranovic, Franjic, etc. they need to have game time.

also worth noting the Asian Cup comes at a good time for us because the majority of players should be mid season meaning they should be at peak fitness, whereas most asian leagues are just finishing up

still haven't got tickets, should really probably start looking.

 

[juss]

Ryan

Williams - Spira - Wilkinson - Davidson

Jedinak ---------- Bresh

Leckie ----------------------------------------- Oar

Cahill ---------- Kruse

 

[juss]

With Japan, Aus, Koreas and Iran there has some potential to to some pretty good semis and final. We certainly can't take any of those teams listed lightly. We will be rightful favourites at home but will need to bring our World Cup 2014 football to the tournament. Massive difference is this time will hold enormous pressure to win it, completely different to what the expectations were.

I'm confident, would love nothing more than to send Bresh and Cahill off from international football with some home silverware.

 

[soupaman]

I would go for:

-----------------------Ryan----------------------
Sainsbury----Spiranovic-----Williams----Davidson
--------------Milligan---------Jedinak-------------
Kruse------------Bresciano---------------Leckie
--------------------Cahill-------------------

Good a chance at CB as is Wilkinson
Bozanic and Rogic also competing with Bresciano form permitting

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Super keen for the Asian Cup - think it will be a terrific boost to the local game and growth of the code here in Australia. Hoping to get to a few of the games - might need to start looking at tickets before they are all gone.

I grew up in Ballarat and I believe there are talks of the city being a training base for one of the nations - just something like that would help create interest in the game in more rural areas outside of the capital cities. Australia's encouraging performance at the world cup will also hopefully build interest in the A League and extra hype for the Cup too. Could be a nice little boom period for the game here in the next 12-18 months.

If Australia can bring our passion, work rate and belief into the tournament, plus hopefully the fit and in form additions of Kruse, Good, Sainsbury, Rogic, Kennedy and perhaps a few more, we'd have a great chance of lifting the cup on home soil which would be fantastic.

 

[Zidane98]

Super keen for the Asian Cup - think it will be a terrific boost to the local game and growth of the code here in Australia. Hoping to get to a few of the games - might need to start looking at tickets before they are all gone.

I grew up in Ballarat and I believe there are talks of the city being a training base for one of the nations - just something like that would help create interest in the game in more rural areas outside of the capital cities. Australia's encouraging performance at the world cup will also hopefully build interest in the A League and extra hype for the Cup too. Could be a nice little boom period for the game here in the next 12-18 months.

If Australia can bring our passion, work rate and belief into the tournament, plus hopefully the fit and in form additions of Kruse, Good, Sainsbury, Rogic, Kennedy and perhaps a few more, we'd have a great chance of lifting the cup on home soil which would be fantastic.

Ballarat are hosting Bahrain. Will be based at the Ballarat Regional Soccer facility which is brand new.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Ballarat are hosting Bahrain. Will be based at the Ballarat Regional Soccer facility which is brand new.

Thanks Oz! Didn't know that they had successfully managed to get one of the teams. I remember reading in the local paper when visiting my family a few months back that the facility had been upgraded to try and get it up to scratch.

Great to hear this, should be a nice attraction for some of the locals and particularly the juniors in the area.

Do you know if any other regional towns are hosting teams?

 

[Zidane98]

You should see the facilities there mate. Top class. Ballarat have a team in the Victorian NPL division also and the game is taking off there. Believe they played a friendly vs Melbourne City last night. Unaware of any other regional venues hosting teams for the Asian Cup.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

You should see the facilities there mate. Top class. Ballarat have a team in the Victorian NPL division also and the game is taking off there. Believe they played a friendly vs Melbourne City last night. Unaware of any other regional venues hosting teams for the Asian Cup.

I had driven past the new facilities a while back, they were amazing compared to what we had previously.

Just did a bit of research and you're right mate, they are in the top division now of the Victoria NPL (which basically means they've gone up a couple of divs under the restructuring of the state leagues - I think we used to be in the old state div 3 lol). Seems like the club is going from strength to strength - they have former Olyroos and Leeds keeper Danny Milocevic as Director of Football and former Perth Glory & Melbourne Victory striker James Robinson as player coach. Plus, they even have a former Liverpool player (Daniel O'Donnell) on the current list

Had a look at their team and a couple of the guys I played with have progressed to the senior side which is awesome. One of the players has apparently just left to join the top side in the Maldives (would be a bit warmer than the 'rat' haha).

 

[BILC]

Got tickets to the opener, Japan V Jordan and the first QF, which Australia will be in if they top the group.

Would've thought Melbourne would at least get a semi, oh well, pretty happy with the games I'll see anyway.

Will be great to see the Socceroos at AAMI Park, fantastic stadium. Got 2nd row seats on the wing for the Japan game.

 

[Redalert]

I'll probably be going to a couple of the Melbourne games but the scheduling for this has been abysmal. How the **** did Newcastle get a semi final over us? Also Perth and Adelaide miss out which is just ridiculous, I've got no idea why the NSW-centric FFA feel the need to play every second game over there.

 

[giggler99]

I'll probably be going to a couple of the Melbourne games but the scheduling for this has been abysmal. How the **** did Newcastle get a semi final over us? Also Perth and Adelaide miss out which is just ridiculous, I've got no idea why the NSW-centric FFA feel the need to play every second game over there.

Apparently what I heard is the Victorian government didn't want it due to it clashing with the Australian Open, the city would have been stretched with hotels, accommodations, transport etc. etc..

Second bald says it all doesn't it? It's the some with all the Socceroos games now being played in Sydney, talk of a third team coming out of Sydney too. Sydney is the centre of the universe with uncle Franks FFA.

 

[juss]

Apparently what I heard is the Victorian government didn't want it due to it clashing with the Australian Open, the city would have been stretched with hotels, accommodations, transport etc. etc..

Second bald says it all doesn't it? It's the some with all the Socceroos games now being played in Sydney, talk of a third team coming out of Sydney too. Sydney is the centre of the universe with uncle Franks FFA.

I think the FFA focus on Sydney because they feel its their best place to grow the game. They might feel they cant penetrate the AFL heavy market in Melbourne with so many teams. I know NSW is pro NRL but that doesnt have anywhere near the memberships, crowd figures or television interest that AFL does. The FFA probably feel its easier to compete with the number 2 than the number 1 code.

 

[Dont be a lemon]

Got my ticket to Australia vs Kuwait

Apparently what I heard is the Victorian government didn't want it due to it clashing with the Australian Open, the city would have been stretched with hotels, accommodations, transport etc. etc..

Yeah that's PR spin. The NSW Government being willing to pay more would be the real reason.

 

[Redalert]

I think the FFA focus on Sydney because they feel its their best place to grow the game. They might feel they cant penetrate the AFL heavy market in Melbourne with so many teams. I know NSW is pro NRL but that doesnt have anywhere near the memberships, crowd figures or television interest that AFL does. The FFA probably feel its easier to compete with the number 2 than the number 1 code.

I can see that given the success of Western Sydney, but realistically Melbourne's still a key market for them purely based on population and youth participation. Melbourne Victory traditionally pulls very large crowds (relative to the other A-league teams) and Melbourne City/Heart just got bought out by the sheiks who own Man City, I think they're ignoring the market and it'll come back to cost them down the track. Also there's nothing in Newcastle relative to the places like Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne, its a dead market which offers nothing.

 

[giggler99]

Got my ticket to Australia vs Kuwait

Yeah that's PR spin. The NSW Government being willing to pay more would be the real reason.

Yeah probably right. I think losing focus on the Australian Open May have contributed through.

 

[BILC]

The Newcastle semi will be a fizzer, great way to ruin what will be a big game.

 

[giggler99]

The Newcastle semi will be a fizzer, great way to ruin what will be a big game.

They better have that cow paddock of a pitch in order otherwise it will be an absolute disgrace.

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

Going to go to both Semi finals and the final rather than come over for the group games. Hopefully it'll get some traction with the every 4 year mainstream crowd.

 

[kid_a]

Got Tix to 'Straya-Korea and Japan-Iraq in Brissy, so pretty keen for that.

As has been mentioned above a real shame Perth and particularly Adelaide(given its really not far from Melbourne & Sydney) won't be getting games, borderline disgraceful actually.
Surely after this world cup, and where it is being held, Australia would have to be favourites.

 

[hey shorty]

Squad will make for some very interesting reading. Hopefully we see similar names along with the likes of Williams, Good and Kruse around the place. Plenty of young Aussies playing both here and overseas who would look at this as a huge opportunity to be part of a up winning squad.

Can sense a Cahill winner against his b#$&#es Japan in the final. Fitting way to sign off a magnificent international career.

 

[Zidane98]

With all of our quality young players we have at the moment I'd also like to see us have a serious crack at winning the 2016 olympic football tournament. Could even bring Timmy over as one of the over age players.

 

[Zidane98]

heck all Cat C tickets, aussie supporters active area and even alcohol free areas are exhausted for Aus vs Kuwait 6 months before the game!!

Really isn't big enough for a socceroos match AAMI park. Cat B are $109 ea!!