04/24/24
November 16, 2005
The Aussies are coming to the party...: For the first time since 1974, Australia will be at the World Cup Finals in 2006. I wonder what odds you could get on them being the cause of England's exit from the tournament.
Pretty bloody high, I expect. I don't expect Australia to reach the knockout stage, so there's only a 1in 8 chance of England even playing them. Still, good on ya, convicts.
posted by salmacis at 12:47 PM on November 16, 2005
And even if we do play them we'll give them a right cuffing like we did in the cricket. Well done though cobbers.
posted by squealy at 02:29 PM on November 16, 2005
Viduka's a tronco. Exit early, w. a historic scrum w. TnT.
posted by flix at 08:15 PM on November 16, 2005
Wait, so let's go back to the earlier post and check out how our predictions went ... My predictions: Australia: CHECK (good on Liverpool man and haircut model Kewell, Schwarzer, Cahill, Viduka and Guus Hiddjink) Norway: nope, Czech (hooray for Baros, sorry for Riise) Slovakia: nope, Spain Swiss: CHECK Bahrain: nope, first-timers TnT! Score: 2/5 - I did not qualify for the World Cup.
posted by worldcup2002 at 10:31 PM on November 16, 2005
I 'watched' the game via internet updates as I am far from home, television and radio. And I'm in a place where you can't drink. But I'm happy, oh, so happy. In fact, I'm going to be generous enough to ignore the comments of idiots like flix and those in the English media. And Harry Kewell, who hasn't had a good game in years, puts up two blinders for Australia. For Liverpool fans, I'd be wondering why the players perform so much better while on international duty. Has Rafa got them playing the wrong system?
posted by owlhouse at 11:31 PM on November 17, 2005
Yes. It's called the "Qualify for Champions League by winning it" system. This way, we could be relegated from the EPL, but still enter the Champions League next year. Go Reds!
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:26 AM on November 18, 2005
Touche. Maybe the new Liverpool Way works best against European opposition, hence the players also performing for their countries. It just doesn't work against Portsmouth, Bolton, Charlton and Wigan.
posted by owlhouse at 12:42 AM on November 18, 2005
Has Rafa got them playing the wrong system? A man who leaves the field injured without the involvement of a stretcher in the final of the European Cup shouldn't be playing in any system.
posted by JJ at 06:23 AM on November 18, 2005
But he really wanted to go to the show. He must have really wanted to go to the show this time. Harry K has also pissed a lot of Australian fans off over the last few years by making himself 'unavailable' through injury. I also thought he had a heart the size of a pea. Until these last two games. I can't explain it.
posted by owlhouse at 07:52 PM on November 18, 2005
He's a bottler. It's simple. He wants the trappings of success, but he won't put his neck on the line and risk failing. I think the European Cup represented a failure of nerve on his part. I know he wasn't 100% fit, but you seldom are in that game. He got the jitters about his ability to perform and opted instead of hobbling off clutching his groin and trying to look disappointed. Maybe something has changed (I didn't see his performances in the Aus - Urg games) and he's now willing to put himself out there. Or maybe he's just massively dependent on confidence and he found some from somewhere. If the latter is the case, I hope he can bring it home with him.
posted by JJ at 05:58 AM on November 19, 2005
Well...I set the recorder for the early 4:00 am ET Wednesday morning kick-off...but I only set it for two hours. Should have known better! I've stayed away from football sites and SpoFi for 3 days and finally this morning I saw the replay and can't say this loud enough: WELL DONE AUSTRALIA!!! I can't disagree with anything said here about Kewell but he did really well over these 2 legs. The whole team played brilliantly and Uruguay were completely outclassed in Sidney. Aussie Aussie Aussie...Oy Oy Oy! We'll see you in Germany! Oh...the picks...I got 4 of 5 correct.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 09:11 AM on November 19, 2005
I saw Kewell in the Villa game, and the only interesting thing he did was tie his hair up in those two little bundles. He's like a cheap version of Beckham, except that he's not Beckham, and you end up paying way too much. And btw, the best thing he did in the Champs League final was leave the game. Thanks for your good timing on that, Harry. That was the turning point for the Hamann and Smicer substitutions which, as we all know, gave the team the shape it should have had in the first place. It was all wine and roses from there.
posted by worldcup2002 at 04:34 PM on November 19, 2005
What?! They won?! Kickass!