Well Mark Schwarzer made our luck, even saving the 14th minute penalty to be beaten on the rebound. Bad luck to Rhys Williams being forced into a foul to give the penalty. But otherwise Oman botched 4 or so goals - just played too fast for their skill level. Criag Moore was lucky not to have given away a second half hand ball penalty. Click to continue reading...

Jogaram na cidade de Melbourne, no estádio Etihad Stadium, para um público de 20.595 pessoas, as seleções de Austrália (24º no ranking da FIFA) e a seleção do Omã (79º no ranking da FIFA), pelas eliminatórias da Copa Asiática de 2011.
Antes desse jogo, as 2 seleções haviam jogado apenas 1 vez: 08-07-2007 - Austrália 1x1 Omã, jogo válido pela Copa da Ásia. Click to continue reading...

The premise of Channel 7's new sci-fi series might not lie in the realms of fantasy after all. Last night, watching the Australia v. Netherlands game, I had a vivid premonition of how Pim Verbeek's side will approach games against superior (or even peer) opposition in South Africa next year.
Plenty of shuffling the ball across the back four. Click to continue reading...

The European Transfer window as officially closed with many deals being made on the final day, Tuesday September 1, 2009. There were no huge moves by any of the large clubs but many clubs tried to solidify their rosters. Most of the moves are loans, a few were free, some undisclosed, and a couple that were a published fee.

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Harry Kewell, David Carney, Luke Wilkshire and Danny Invincibile have withdrawn from the Socceroos squad for Saturday's international friendly against the Korea Republic in Seoul. Australian coach Pim Verbeek explained the changes. "Harry played 30 minutes for Galatasaray last night and scored a goal when he came on as a substitute, but . Click to continue reading...

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Thomond Park hosted Ireland and the Socceroos last night in a game that Ireland should have taken in their stride. Cahill got the Aussies in front after 38 mins. Giovanni Trapattoni had obviously given a good pre match speech because Ireland did give it all they had , but with so many premiership players on the pitch it was definitely a night of "Could have done better".

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Australia beat Japan 2-1 with Tim Cahill scoring two scruffy goals for a come from behind win.
Once again, despite playing ugly, Aussie spirit and the game goes for 90 minutes.
Lots of concerns, but we know we aren't the best looking team in the World. But we beat Japan and I for one loved it. Click to continue reading...

Australia v Japan (World Cup Qualifying)
Date: Wednesday 17th June
Kickoff: 10:00 GMT

Australia will clash against Japan in a World Cup qualifier that is more about pride and professional respect than points as both teams have already qualified for South Africa 2010. You can watch Australia v Japan live here.

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Tonight's 2-0 victory for the Socceroos over Bahrain saw Glory hopeful Mile Sterjovski opening... Click to continue reading...

Socceroos win 2-0 with a comfortable victory over the ninety minutes.
David Carney scored, and the old faithful Mile Sterjovski popped one in.
We have maybe 50 plus players fighting to get on that plane, over the next twelve months, and Australian players will be doing their utmost to get in the 23. Click to continue reading...

Again it was Kewell who stood out as the player of the match. This time he created a goal for Mile S.
Holman had his chance with Kennedy injured. But neither he nor McDonald looked like scoring. It was the midfield that excelled. Puncuated by Mile and David Carney's - both from the lower English division - and by Jason Culina's bicycle kick into the side post (to set-up Carney's poach). Click to continue reading...

Type your summary here
First Half:
Australia defended well against the expected Uzbek onslaught. It never came, not early and it wasn't until Australia had scored that the Uzbeks were able to get some sustained pressure and corners.
The feared Uzbek's seemed to fear Australia and maybe they should. Click to continue reading...

Socceroos drew 2-2 with South Africa (read FFA report below) and I'm expecting Mark Bosnich to be announced as a Central Coast Mariners player today. Isn't that fantastic. A-League entertainment factor about to go through the roof. Welcome back Bozza!
The Qantas Socceroos have drawn with South Africa 2-all in an enthralling match at Loftus Road Stadium in London tonight. Click to continue reading...

Argentina defeated Australia 1-0 in Shanghai but Perth Glory's Nikita Rukavystya could have stole the show....if he'd have finished one of his three chances.
Argentina ran the show, but Aussie Coach Graham Arnold had his defence working overtime to halt the threat of the Olympic Champions. Click to continue reading...

Big game tonight. Can Arnie's defence hold out? and perhaps more importantly can we create....anything!
Australia earned a point, outplayed generally by Serbia in the opening game, but yet if the fastly improving Billy Celeski had scored rather than unluckily hit the post we would surely have won. Click to continue reading...

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Herald Sun (Australia) - Olyroos draw 1-1 in opener against Serbia
Tom Smithies in Shanghai | August 07, 2008 08:51pm
AUSTRALIA'S Olympic odyssey started in positive fashion last night, with the Olyroos grabbing a point against Serbia in Shanghahi to keep alive their dreams of qualifying for the knockout stages. Click to continue reading...

First Canberran, Nikolai Topor-Stanley into 2008 Olympics, approriately it's for football our most popular sport.
Haircut Zadkovich, all the rage in Derby this year, scored for Australia in a battling performance against Serbia tonight in the opening game of the Under 23 World Cup. A tight battle ended 1-1 after Serbia equalised late on. Click to continue reading...

Australia's Olympic Football squad for Beijing 2008: Coach: Graham Arnold, 45 Goalkeepers: Adam Federici (23) (Reading, England) Tando Velaphi (21) (Perth Glory) Defenders: Adrian Leijer (22) (Fulham, England) Trent McClenahan (23) (unattached) Mark Milligan (23) (unattached) Jade North (26) (Newcastle Jets) Mathew Spiranovic (20) (FC Nurnberg, Germany) Nikolai Topor-Stanley (23) (Perth Glory) Ruben Zadkovich (23) (Derby County, England) Midfielders: David Carney (24) (Sheffield United, England) Billy Celeski (22) (Melbourne Victory) Neil [. Click to continue reading...

Strikers Mark Bridge, Nikita Rukavytsya, Archie Thompson Midfield David Carney, Billy Celeski, Stuart Musialik, Neil Kilkenny, Kristian Sarkies, James Troisi Defence Adrian Leijer, Trent McClenahan, Mark Milligan, Matthew Spiranovic, Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Jade North, Ruben Zadkovich Goalkeeper Adam Federici, Tando Velaphi The Offsiders Everyone is talking about the exclusion of Burns and Djite. Click to continue reading...

The Olympic team was announced today and I must say I am disappointed. Greame Arnold has left out Djite, Burns, Williams, Vidosic. He has bizarrely used age as a reason for the decision not to take Djite or Burns. These are the same players that have played against the likes of Kevin Muscat and Craig Moore week in week out. Click to continue reading...

After the hammering Bruce Djite got for his move to Turkey, Harry Kewell has followed by signing with Galatasaray for 3 years. This must mean that the various Italian and Spansih talent scouts gave him a big thumbs down.
It is a very curious move and it will be interesting to see what the financial inducement was. Click to continue reading...

Bruce Djite out, Nathan Burns out, bu Canberran Nikolai Topor-Stanley is in. The Olyroo squad has been named, and eleven A-League players are in the 18.
Australian Football's Big Chance
The announcement today of the men's football section of the Australian Olympic team was a long-awaited reward for eighteen promising athletes. Click to continue reading...

Oman, Kuwait and our near neighbours Indonesia, that's are group for the 2011 Asian Cup.
With the games to start in January on top of the World Cup Qualifiers we're going to need as many professional footballers are we've got. Keep the games and the players coming.
And with left-back David Carney expected to be named in the Olyroo's Beijing squad today as an overage player along with Harry Kewell and Archie Thompson, Canberra born Nikolai Topor-Stanley will face an anxious wait. Click to continue reading...

FourFourTwo are reporting Nicky Carle is being transferred to Crystal Palace for $2 million.
But are the Jets getting a cut?
Nicky will get 10%. That's a cool $200,000 as he didn't ask for a transfer, but what aobut the Jets did they have a sell-on clause.
Say 25%.
Carle earned the club $600,000 when he was transferred to Turkey. Click to continue reading...

A host of players who were pivotal to Australia's progress to the next round have been allowed to return to their European clubs. The list consists of Vince Grella, Scott McDonald, Brett Emerton, Mark Bresciano, Mark Schwarzer, Nick Carle, David Carney and Luke Wilkshire, while Lucas Neill and Josh Kennedy will also miss the game. Click to continue reading...

A host of players who were pivotal to Australia's progress to the next round have been allowed to return to their European clubs. The list consists of Vince Grella, Scott McDonald, Brett Emerton, Mark Bresciano, Mark Schwarzer, Nick Carle, David Carney and Luke Wilkshire, while Lucas Neill and Josh Kennedy will also miss the game. Click to continue reading...

Australia 3 Qatar 1
Australia marched into the next round of the World Cup thanks to the loud and passionate "Armchair Aussies."
Pessimistic Pim played it safe last week against Iraq, got criticised by all the armchair fans back home, and saw his team lose 1-0.
Tonight he played a few attackers and the Aussies romped home 3-1. Click to continue reading...

It was Brett Emerton's day. Two goals and Qatar's only answer was aggression. He is tall and strong and the further forward he gets - away from his original defender role - the better the Socceroos look. He has eclipsed Harry Kewell who appears a little out muscled in the lone striker role. Yet Asian teams have learned to take no risks with Harry and foul him if necessary. Click to continue reading...

The match report to follow, hopefully tomorrow, but I thought I might first highlight some of the reactions to the game and the ramifications: The game against China is now a glorified friendly. For once, we don't have to suffer through a do-or-die affair. We will also be missing David Carney, Mark Schwarzer and Luke Wilkshire [. Click to continue reading...

Nathan Burns has signed for AEK Athens. Thank god it wasn't Norwegian side Brann Bergen and of course his mate Bruce Djite has aready gone to Turkey.

Good moves for our best young talent. They stayed in Australia, impresssed in the A-League, shone at times in the Asian Champions League and played a key role in getting the Olyroos to the Olympics. Click to continue reading...

If you like talk of men's sweat..read on.
I thought, having seen the wilting Socceroos in the Asian Cup last year, the great thing about Sunday mornings loss to Iraq was how mobile (relatively) we were in the second half.

And the FFA have an interesting interview with Socceroos Strength and Conditioning Coach Darren Burgess on their website. Click to continue reading...

Tuggers boys in the mix!
Canberrans Carl Valeri and Nikolai Topor-Stanley will play alongside Harry Kewell in the upcoming Socceroos game against Ghana.
With David Carney the incumbent left back, albeit not playing at his club Sheffield United, Nikolai Topor-Stanley has a chance to put pressure on Carney for the permanent left-back position, if not in the coming games, certainly in the next twelve months. Click to continue reading...

Fans and Youth Coaches would have groaned, thumped the TV, or just watched in stunned silence as Socceroo David Carney missed that chance in the dying minutes of the recent game against China.
In his recent article on the World Game website Craig Foster gives a specific piece of advice for kids and coaches. Click to continue reading...