Latest news with #FootballFederationAustralia
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
The ghost of Holger Osieck is the only thing that can stop the Socceroos
The last time the Socceroos lost a match by five goals, it launched the careers of both Ange Postecoglou and Maty Ryan. It was 2013, and Australia had just sealed a spot at the World Cup in Brazil. Josh Kennedy was the saviour, thanks to his iconic late header against Iraq in front of 80,000 people in Sydney. But there was no saving the unpopular Holger Osieck, who was sacked three months later, despite delivering Australia's third successive qualification. The Socceroos were a bit on the nose with the public. Osieck had allowed the ageing 'Golden Generation' to hang on for too long, and his style of football was hardly inspiring. Later that year, in their wisdom, Football Federation Australia scheduled back-to-back friendlies, both away, against Brazil and France. Rare chances for them to measure up against true global yardsticks. 6-0, 6-0. Critics accused the Socceroos of making the Australian game look like a 'joke' on the world stage with their 'spineless' performances, and several players of outstaying their welcome in the team. As soon as he returned to the team hotel after game two in Paris, Osieck was dismissed, and moves were immediately afoot to get the federation's No.1 coaching target, Ange Postecoglou, out of his contract at Melbourne Victory, thus setting in train a series of events that would soon lead to Postecoglou taking over and regenerating the squad, Mark Schwarzer's retirement, and the handing over of the gloves to Ryan, who will win his 100th cap on Wednesday morning (AEST) by hopefully contributing to what would be one of the best moments of his career. For that not to happen, the Socceroos would need to turn in a stinker the likes of which they have not had in 12 years. Not since that day in Paris. Or that other day in Brasília. That is how bad they would have to be to miss out on the 2026 World Cup from here. That is how long ago they last lost by five goals or more. That is the sort of heist Saudi Arabia has to pull off in Jeddah. It is an unfathomable thought on multiple levels. So far in this qualifying phase, the Saudis have scored only six goals in nine games – so to do it, they'd essentially need to reproduce that whole output in one match. Only twice before have the Socceroos ever lost a competitive match (not friendlies) by 5-0 or worse, and not since 1997.
The Age
a day ago
- Sport
- The Age
The ghost of Holger Osieck is the only thing that can stop the Socceroos
The last time the Socceroos lost a match by five goals, it launched the careers of both Ange Postecoglou and Maty Ryan. It was 2013, and Australia had just sealed a spot at the World Cup in Brazil. Josh Kennedy was the saviour, thanks to his iconic late header against Iraq in front of 80,000 people in Sydney. But there was no saving the unpopular Holger Osieck, who was sacked three months later, despite delivering Australia's third successive qualification. The Socceroos were a bit on the nose with the public. Osieck had allowed the ageing 'Golden Generation' to hang on for too long, and his style of football was hardly inspiring. Later that year, in their wisdom, Football Federation Australia scheduled back-to-back friendlies, both away, against Brazil and France. Rare chances for them to measure up against true global yardsticks. 6-0, 6-0. Critics accused the Socceroos of making the Australian game look like a 'joke' on the world stage with their 'spineless' performances, and several players of outstaying their welcome in the team. As soon as he returned to the team hotel after game two in Paris, Osieck was dismissed, and moves were immediately afoot to get the federation's No.1 coaching target, Ange Postecoglou, out of his contract at Melbourne Victory, thus setting in train a series of events that would soon lead to Postecoglou taking over and regenerating the squad, Mark Schwarzer's retirement, and the handing over of the gloves to Ryan, who will win his 100th cap on Wednesday morning (AEST) by hopefully contributing to what would be one of the best moments of his career. For that not to happen, the Socceroos would need to turn in a stinker the likes of which they have not had in 12 years. Not since that day in Paris. Or that other day in Brasília. That is how bad they would have to be to miss out on the 2026 World Cup from here. That is how long ago they last lost by five goals or more. That is the sort of heist Saudi Arabia has to pull off in Jeddah. It is an unfathomable thought on multiple levels. So far in this qualifying phase, the Saudis have scored only six goals in nine games – so to do it, they'd essentially need to reproduce that whole output in one match. Only twice before have the Socceroos ever lost a competitive match (not friendlies) by 5-0 or worse, and not since 1997.
Sky News
26-02-2025
- Sport
- Sky News
Australian radio DJ Marty Sheargold taken off air after 'disgusting' comments about women's football
An Australian radio presenter has been taken off air after his comments about the country's women's football team. Marty Sheargold compared the Matildas players to "year 10 girls" with "all the infighting and all the friendship issues" while speaking on his drive time Triple M radio show. He said he "would rather hammer a nail through the head of [his] penis" than watch the team in next year's Asian Cup, before asking his co-host: "Got any men's sport?" He also reportedly said "There's something wrong with the Matildas. They had that wonderful tournament out here where we all fell in love with them, even though they didn't make the quarters," referring to the 2023 World Cup. The comments were made after the Matildas lost to Japan and the United States in the SheBelieves Cup - a tournament hosted in the US. The Triple M network said the comments didn't "align with [its] views and values" and took the program off air. It said a new drive show would be announced soon. Mr Sheargold "sincerely apologised" for his comments, saying that he could "see why people may have taken offence". 'Boorish, boring, wrong' Reacting to the radio DJ's comments, Matildas player Alex Chidiac said she was "so sick" of such commentary, while fellow player Clare Wheeler added: "Sport is for everyone and these views are for no one." The governing body Football Federation Australia also condemned the comments, saying that they "not only diminish the extraordinary achievements and contributions of our women's national football team but also fail to recognise the profound impact they have had on Australian sport and society". The body said the Matildas "deserve to be covered with the respect and professionalism they have earned". Rosie Malone, who played field hockey for Australia, posted an edited version of Mr Sheargold's comments on social media, describing them as "disgusting" and "horrendous". She posted: "It's 2025 and something like this is being aired on prime-time radio. "I heard this on the radio yesterday - on the way to training and all I could think about was the young girls sitting in the car with their parents, maybe on the way to or from their own training sessions hearing this. "I'm sure many of them would have been hurt and confused. I was in disbelief." Australia's sports minister Anika Wells described the comments as "boorish, boring, wrong", while football's national players' union said "it is important such ignorance does not go unchecked". The Matildas are due to face Colombia in the SheBelieves Cup tomorrow.
