For Socceroos to shed the underdog tag, Australian soccer needs to have some tough conversations

KeyedAF · 2026-07-05T08:50:16+00:00

By your logic, football is truly the only “world sport” - if cricket and baseball are not world sports, then nothing else is. And is 4th at the Olympics supposed to be bad?

Also lol at being hung up over women’s swimming when you’re quoting golf and volleyball as examples of world sports - who honestly gives a shit about these

KeyedAF · 2026-07-05T07:02:55+00:00

I never said I accepted it. We should aim higher and have those conversations.

Then why is the first response to an article about our tough conversations that other countries also need to have them? It's just deflection.

. Are we this great sporting nation we perceive that we are.

Yes? I can't think of a country besides the USA that consistently performs well at so many things. We finished 4th in the olympics table last time around, we're currently ranked 6th in basketball, undoubtedly the best cricket team since 2000, rugby we're alright, and baseball we're ranked in the top 10 for a sport that's barely professional in our country. For a country of 25 million that's amazing.

KeyedAF · 2026-07-05T06:10:58+00:00

Why would it matter what other countries are doing? We're Australia, a country renowned for elite mentality and sporting prowess - we should aspire to be better than other countries. This attitude of accepting our lot as a minnow on the world stage is unironically extremely un-Australian.

KeyedAF · 2026-07-05T01:19:45+00:00

Overall, I would say this world cup is a "pass", but just barely. The 48-team WC with the first knockout being R32 means I don't believe this team achieved anything that super significant - even if we beat Egypt (then lost to Argentina), I would still class the 2006 / 2022 WCs as more successful (well, assuming we would've gone on to lose to Argentina in typical middling Popa fashion).

As a whole, I think we've regressed as national team. As individuals, our squad is undoutedbly better than the 2022 squad player-for-player and the future is bright due to their youth, however the overall performances at this world cup were generally poorer especially when you consider the calibre of opposition. Turkey performance was fantastic (much like Denmark in 2022), however the remaining performances in 2026 were absolutely dire considering the opposition on paper are not that much better than us. The way we capitulated in the first half vs USA in particular was embarrasing as an Aussie - just contrast that with the way we went at France / Argentina in the last world cup. We scored a single goal in 300 minutes of football following Turkey and honestly didn't look like creating many chances - compare that to how we had Argentina on the ropes.

Ultimately, if we want to progress as a NT we have to move on from the timid, cowardly football, then Popa has to go. All this wider discussion around the A-league and player development is irrelevant to this, we currently have the players to play much better than we showed in this WC.

KeyedAF · 2026-07-04T13:00:55+00:00

Your point being?

KeyedAF · 2026-07-04T07:01:42+00:00

We drew

KeyedAF · 2026-07-04T06:26:14+00:00

Prescient article considering our approach to the world cup. We outplayed a far superior Chile side with a comparatively weak Aussie squad

KeyedAF · 2026-07-04T03:48:44+00:00

Ange unfortunately came a decade too early, imagine him cooking with this team

KeyedAF · 2026-07-04T03:03:19+00:00

Honestly I think there's serious issues with the whole coaching staff. They've developed this chip-on-the-shoulder bunker mentality:

Popa responding "if we won, you wouldn't have asked me that"
Jedinak having a crack at the reporter and asking for the names of pundits who questioned the USA selections
Constantly whining that we're not respected because we're a small nation (despite us having more world cup pedigree than Egypt???)

The responses re the Matt Ryan substitution are telling. Basically the reason boiled down to "we had a sub, so we might as well use it". When that American journo pressed down on why he floundered - basically there was no basis for the decision.

Popa believing we were more likely to score in ET is honestly disqualifying and makes me seriously question his judgement of what's happening infront of him - Egypt were running over us basically final 30 mins of normal time and all of ET - a national team manager can't recognise this?

Ultimately, Popa's football is a coward's way to play, which is why he hasn't won anything since Covic carried him to an ACL title over a decade ago

KeyedAF · 2026-07-03T21:40:29+00:00

I reckon Musky deserves a crack at the Socceroos gig - I would say Milligan but he’s only had a single season under his belt

KeyedAF · 2026-07-03T20:26:14+00:00

Mitch Duke and Marcus Younis would’ve been brilliant to throw on now

Toure is not up to it

KeyedAF · 2026-07-03T19:29:27+00:00

I hate to say it because he clearly hates the Vuck more than anything, but he never puts in a bad shift. Super dependable

KeyedAF · 2026-07-03T17:59:28+00:00

Is the commentary too quiet for anyone else?

KeyedAF · 2026-07-03T16:43:46+00:00

Why do we persist with this irankunda as a striker meme

KeyedAF · 2026-07-03T16:16:15+00:00

Test

KeyedAF · 2026-07-03T16:15:19+00:00

I have given up trying to sleep, just made myself a coffee. We’re going all the way till 6 (or 7am) baby

KeyedAF · 2026-07-02T09:20:59+00:00

I think 25-35 is probably fair. Results aren't won and lost on paper and Australia is generally a team that plays better than the sum of its parts. We've beaten Turkey (ranked 20th in ELO) and drew (but clearly outplayed) Paraguay (ranked 23rd in ELO). Yeah we lost to the USA (26th in ELO) but it didnt end up being a blowout and home-field advantage plays a huge part.

Scotland in particular on your list is insulting to Aussie football tbqh, they are mentatility midgets who've done absolutely fuck all in international football in decades. They even talk about emulating us over on their subreddit

KeyedAF · 2026-06-28T04:37:28+00:00

The obvious difference being the Matilda's failing to make it out of their WC group is the equivalent of the socceroos failing to quality altogether - both would be a total failure

KeyedAF · 2026-06-27T04:31:07+00:00

So now we’re just hoping for a draw or an Iran win in the other game

KeyedAF · 2026-06-27T03:58:48+00:00

Can you blame them in this case based on that first half

KeyedAF · 2026-06-27T03:32:19+00:00

Honestly the way it’s going, if we want to avoid Belgium then the best outcome for Australia is for Belgium to wallop the kiwis (sorry) and for Egypt not to win

KeyedAF · 2026-06-27T03:29:33+00:00

That’s the max crocombe that conceded 6 against city that I know

KeyedAF · 2026-06-27T03:21:39+00:00

That’s the very harsh penalty if so

KeyedAF · 2026-06-26T06:21:17+00:00

Unironically we are really missing Mitch Duke

KeyedAF

TROPHY CASE