Football Confidential: Socceroos staff help out Olyroos for free
Anyone glancing at the bench during the Olyroos’ Olympic qualifiers in the past week might have been forgiven for thinking it was a Socceroos game, given virtually the whole coaching staff came from the senior men’s team.
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Anyone glancing at the bench during the Olyroos’ Olympic qualifiers in the past week might have been forgiven for thinking it was a Socceroos game, given virtually the whole coaching staff came from the senior men’s team.
In fact that’s precisely what they’re contracted to do — but all agreed late last year to work on the first stage of the Olympic program, with Graham Arnold keen to fast-track a group of the U23s into the Socceroos.
That’s why six of the coaches and backroom staff who are centrally contracted to FFA to work on the Socceroos effectively did the Olympic qualifying tournament in Cambodia for nothing.
Others took a hit too. We hear that last September, when the Socceroos had a camp in Turkey to prepare for life under Arnold, the 23 players agreed to forgo the $7500 match payment they were due each. That freed up enough money in the national teams budget for the domestic-based Olyroos to have a series of preparation camps at the AIS in Canberra.
What happens from here is less clear, because as Arnold put it on Thursday, “I can’t be in two places at once”.
Later in the year there will be camps and games ahead of the final qualifying tournament in January, but all will be in international windows — when Arnold and his staff will be tied up with World cup qualifiers for the Socceroos.
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Attendance from fans has been remarkably poor at the FFA’s roadshow, with directors and staff taking questions from the floor and getting fairly hammered on topics including the new digital registration scheme for grassroots players.
In fact a separate fans’ forum in Melbourne was rolled up into the directors roadshow as take-up was so low. Where are the Twitterati when the chance to speak in person appears?
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NEWCASTLE Jets are putting on a fantastic initiative to celebrate the history of professional football in the Hunter, inviting all ex-players to the game against Sydney FC on April 27.
Run in conjunction with Men of Football, the celebration shows what can happen when football people are in positions of power.
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THERE was a familiar face in the front row of the community forum run by A-League entrants Macarthur South West United recently — Rabieh Krayem, chairman of the Association of Australian Football Clubs, aka the NPL clubs who would themselves love the chance to join the top dogs.
Krayem’s involvement with the club has raised some eyebrows given his other role, but the former North Queensland Fury CEO tells us he’s just helping out unofficially.
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THE Women’s World Cup is coming to Australia! Well, the actual trophy is, rather than the tournament (for now at least).
Matildas fans can go to see the trophy from 12.00pm to 1.30pm on Sunday at Sydney’s First Fleet Park next to Circular Quay Wharf.