Australia’s hopes of 2026 World Cup qualification looks bleak even with more spots up for grabs, writes David Davutovic
THE backlash to FIFA’s expansion from 32 to 48 teams has been savage, with Australians among the most vocal but our youth results indicate our arrogance is unfounded.
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A YOUNG Socceroos loss to Uzbekistan and a draw with Tajikistan in October led to their elimination at the AFC Under-19 championship, and it rounded out a trio of youth failures for Australian teams.
The Joeys (U17s) had a straight-sets qualifying exit a month earlier, losing to Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam before being smashed 6-0 by Japan.
After much hype, the Olyroos endured disaster in January 2016, finishing behind United Arab Emirates and Jordan in the group stage to miss the Olympics for a second straight time.
“It’s disappointing. You watch these youth tournaments and we’re not there. But the concern is we haven’t gotten close to qualifying for so many,’’ former Socceroo Ned Zelic said.
These are Australia’s best 15-to-22-year-olds who’ll make up the core of the Socceroos in a decade, when Asia’s World Cup allocation could rise from 4.5 to 8.5.
The backlash to FIFA’s expansion from 32 to 48 teams has been savage, with Australians among the most vocal.
Yet our youth results make for stark reading, indicating Australia’s arrogance is completely unfounded.
Since Australia moved to Asia from Oceania in 2006, the Socceroos have qualified for both FIFA World Cups.
Yet Australian youth teams have qualified for just six of 14 youth World Cups/Olympics. And on the rare occasions they do, they generally struggle.
Mark Viduka, Mark Bosnich, Zelic, Paul Okon and Craig Moore starred at FIFA youth tournaments, but they developed their skills earlier.
Evidence suggests players learn the bulk of their technique when aged 8-12.
“From when I started as Young Socceroos coach almost six years ago, the talent pool became less and less. I had to start taking younger players because we would struggle to fill them,’’ said Okon, Australia’s U20 coach from 2012-16.
“It starts before they get to that point. We have more accredited coaches and academies than ever, but they’re not growing up with that passion for the game, nor playing at home as much.
“If a kid aged 12 only trains three nights a week, they won’t be world class.’’
The worry is that Australia’s declining youth results are happening under the much-hyped 4-3-3 curriculum implemented eight years ago.
A host of youth development coaches, such as Ron Smith, Steve O’Connor and Ange Postecoglou, were ditched by Football Federation Australia as it went completely Dutch.
“The key objective is to create a talented player development program that emphasises skill and sustains international success for generations to come,” then FFA chief executive Ben Buckley said when it was released in May 2009.
“It is the first time we have had a national curriculum, which sets the basis for the development of all young players and coaches, whether at community or elite level.’’
A request to interview FFA’s head of national teams Luke Casserly was declined.
The Socceroos have been a beacon for the game, headlined by the Asian Cup win two years ago, but Postecoglou’s stunning transformation appears to be papering over the cracks.
Postecoglou’s team is greater than the sum of its parts. But what happens when he leaves in 2018?
By then Qatar will be well into its multimillion-dollar, long-term investment aimed at having an exciting team when it hosts the 2022 World Cup.
Japan is 25 years into a 100-year vision, with the ambition of growing the league and winning the World Cup.
In China, 3000 kids train daily on the plush pitches of Guangzhou Evergrande, who like many clubs are matching their investment in senior players with a tens of millions injected into youth programs.
Buoyed by FIFA’s expansion plans, Thailand and Vietnam have committed to injecting millions more into their elite academies.
Meanwhile the best players of Myanmar (population 54 million), are training daily at their new training and hotel complex, which was built thanks to FIFA development funds.
Uzbekistan and Iran keep investing while Indonesia is among the sleeping giants.
Myanmar is one of many who have qualified for a youth World Cup ahead of Australia, alongside North Korea, Uzbekistan, Jordan, Qatar, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq, Iran and regulars South Korea and Japan.
“Our Asian opponents always had attacking players that were technically far superior to ours and often proved the difference, especially Middle Eastern teams,’’ Okon said.
“Our better players are lacking that real football technique and culture.’’
If Australia takes its eye off the development ball, it runs the risk of this translating into senior World Cups, even with 8.5 spots available for Asia.
ZELIC CALLS FOR SHIFT IN FOCUS TO SKILLS
FROM Ned Zelic’s Olyroos wonder goal to beat Holland and qualify for the 1992 Olympics, to the Young Socceroos’ semi-final campaigns of 1991 and 1993 or the Joeys’ heroic 1999 U17 final effort, Australia was always a major player at youth level.
Direct entry from Oceania assured qualification, but Australia usually made an impact.
U20 World Cups were once a source of pride for Australia, hosting a wonderful event in 1993 when it disposed of Colombia, Russia and Uruguay before losing to Brazil in a tense semi-final.
Or 1991 when Mark Bosnich, Paul Okon, Kevin Muscat and Tony Popovic went toe to toe with hosts Portugal, who had Luis Figo, Rui Costa and Joao Pinto, in the semi-final.
Ange Postecoglou coached the Young Socceroos, who included Mile Jedinak, Alex Wilkinson and Matt McKay, to a famous 3-2 win over Brazil at the 2003 U20 World Cup.
That was the last time Australia won a game at a FIFA U20 World Cup, drawing blanks in 2005, 2009, 2011 and 2013 and failing to qualify in 2007, 2015 and 2017.
Zelic, a skilful player who was a Bundesliga regular and played in a Europa League final for Borussia Dortmund by age 21, said skill and technique was now lacking.
“We have to focus more on is improving the individual player. Systems and formations are important, but the skill of the player outweighs everything else,’’ the Fox Sports commentator said.
“We have to be producing players that can make things happen, do something from nothing.
“People get excited when they see a player with skill and potential. Everyone jumps on board and they think they’re watching the next star.
“Mustafa Amini, for example, was pumped up big time and it’s disappointing he didn’t go on. Now he’s in Denmark. Daniel De Silva and Terry Antonis are other examples.’’
THE GREAT ASIAN RACE
Australia’s youth decline since joining Asia
WORLD YOUTH CUP RESULTS
PRE-2006
U17 — Best result: Runners-up (1999); Did not qualify: 1997
U20 — Best: Semi-finals (1991, ’93); DNQ: 1989
U23* — Best: Semi-finals (1992); DNQ: Nil
POST-2006
U17 — Best: Round of 16 (2015); DNQ: 2009, 2013, 2017
U20 — Best: Group stage (2009, ’11, ’13); DNQ: 2007, 2015, 2017
U23* — Best: Group (2008); DNQ: 2012, 2016
* Olympics = every 4 years
RISING ASIAN POWERS
Asian teams who’ve qualified instead of Australia:
Iran
South Korea
Japan
Saudi Arabia
Uzbekistan
UAE
China
Qatar
Jordan
Iraq
North Korea
Myanmar
Vietnam
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