THE 24 YEAR ITCH. GERMANY'S TIME TO SHINE.

Brazil 2014 (for me) was perhaps one of the greatest World Cup triumphs since 1998. Here you had a World Cup being played in a country that is so synonymous with Football and the beautiful game (Joga Bonito). I couldn't think of a better country to host a World Cup tournament than Brazil. Not only does the country boast some of the most beautiful scenery in the world from their sandy beaches to their mountainous views but they also hold the record of 5 World Cup wins. It's little wonder then that the intensity of the tournament was kicked up a notch by all 32 participating nations. Four and a half weeks of memorable, exciting and shocking moments were all laid bare for the world to see at Brazil 2014 from the shock exit of 2010 winners Spain, to the 7-1 demolition of hosts (and potential winners) Brazil at the hands of Germany. After over 4 weeks of entertaining football, the trophy eventually went to the much deserved hands of the German national team on July 13. The Germans, who have consistently boasted strong performances at the past 4 consecutive World Cup tournaments, finished this tournament with a for and against of 18-4, which is now the joint highest for and against margin for any World Cup winner (the other record holder being Brazil at 2002). Germany's World Cup win this year is hardly surprising as they've clearly been the sleeping giant of football for the last decade.

The wheels of Die Mannschaft's success were put in motion ten years ago with the appointment of then FK Austrian Wien coach Joachim Löw as Germany's assistant manager. The head coach at the time was former German superstar Jurgen Klinsmann and, while it was Klinsmann who was manager of the team, it was evident Löw was the mastermind behind the team's tactics. This was evident at the 2006 World Cup when almost every image of the German touchline showed Löw dictating tactics to his players on the pitch. That World Cup (2006) saw Germany pick up a Bronze medal on home soil after emphatically beating Portugal 3-1 in the Bronze medal match. Since then, Germany have produced nothing less than a Semi final finish at a major international tournament. Whilst they exited the Euro 2012 tournament at the Semi final stage, thanks to a disappointing 2-1 loss to Italy, the two years which followed that match proved to be the awakening of the German national team. After a 24 year wait, Germany now have their hands on football's richest prize; The FIFA World Cup. The 24 year itch is something the German public were really feeling heading in to Brazil 2014. Countries like Brazil and Italy also had a 24 year gap between World Cup wins; Brazil being from 1970 to 1994 and Italy from 1982 to 2006. The 24 year itch was also embedded in to the psyche of many Germans in the lead up to this World Cup and the expectations of a World Cup win became enormous. After some stellar performances and tactically flawless football, there could be no doubt Germany were the deserved winners of the 2014 World Cup. Many pundits, football fans and Germans have been waiting for and expecting this day, and now it's finally here. Well done Germany.


Written by Alex Stilianos.

SPITTING CHIPS. THE STATE OF OUR SOCCEROOS AND AUSTRALIAN SOCCER.

Well another World Cup is upon us and after just four days of the competition we've already seen some magnificent goals, scorelines and memorable moments at Brazil 2014. The tournament has certainly lived up to its' great expectations with enthusiastic crowds flocking from the around the world to catch a glimpse of their respective national team in what is the greatest tournament of all, the FIFA World Cup. The red hot favourites at present seem to be the in form Holland, Germany and Brazil. Not surprising really when you consider that, between these three nations, they've appeared in 17 World Cup Grand Final matches. The Socceroos played out a 3-1 loss to Chile which was a bit of an unfortunate scoreline for Australia, given the amount of attacking football and near chances the Socceroos had. The match was also a stark reminder of the divide between our national team compared to the other 31 nations at this tournament. Australia holds the proud distinction (insert sarcasm here) of being the lowest ranked FIFA nation at this World Cup, with a FIFA World ranking of Number 62. Bearing in mind there are 32 countries at this tournament, it's very surprising that a country like Australia (with a ranking that low) are able to qualify for the World Cup ahead of other worthy contenders like Sweden and Romania. This also comes down to the FIFA qualification rules when it comes to each continent, but that's another story for another day. When it seemed the Socceroos and Australian Soccer couldn't sink any lower, due to the disappointment of the Chile match and the current ranking of the national team, a former Socceroo made headlines yesterday for all the wrong reasons.

On the back of what has been a poor 9 months for the Socceroos, this was the last thing the national team and its supporters needed. Having had very little to cheer about since September last year with the sacking of Holger Osieck coupled with a few heavy losses on the field, this recent incident will surely set Australian Soccer back a few steps. The incident I'm referring to is the racism scandal surrounding former Socceroo midfielder Scott Chipperfield. While watching the Ivory Coast v Japan match, Chipperfield took to Twitter to personally vilify Ivorian midfielder Serey Die with the following tweet, "Serey die looks like a typical African. Forget how to play. Need brains to play football" sic. Not only is this an ignorant, uneducated and racist comment, but it comes at the worst possible time for Football. The World Cup, like any other International Sporting event , is about bringing nations together and spreading the message of unity through Sport. The message of peace and harmony through Sport is the central message of each and every FIFA World Cup. Whether supporters know it or not, this was the inspiration and edict laid out by Frenchman Jules Rimet when he came up with the idea of staging the very first World Cup tournament back in 1930. For Scott Chipperfield (who played at two World Cups for Australia) to say say these racist  things is to contradict and go against everything Jules Rimet stood for and what the World Cup stands for. But the problem for Australian Soccer is not limited to these comments made by Chipperfield; it's a deep-seated issue that's been holding Australian Soccer back for many years.

In his 2002 Memoir "Sheilas, Wogs and Poofters", former Socceroo captain Johnny Warren chronicled the rise of Australian Soccer from its early years in the 1960's to the 2000's. The book was an insight in to how Soccer was vehemently rejected by Australians in the early days (1960's) for the fear of an ethnic Sport dominating the Lily white landscape of Anglo Saxon Australia. Newly landed migrants who played the game in Australia were met with strong opposition as Australians preferred their game to be rugged and their ball to be oval shaped. It was these turbulent years that were highlighted brilliantly by Warren in his 2002 Autobiography. The book was an honest account and a tell all of not only the migrant's struggle to play the game of Fooball (Soccer) in Australia, but also Johnny Warren's and other players players struggle during that time. Even today Football is met with stiff opposition by those (namely preppie Private School Rugby Men/Boys) who feel it's a game for pansies. There have been a barrage of comments and memes (mainly in Australia) since the World Cup started, denouncing Soccer by saying it's a Sport full of divers and cheats. It goes without saying there are cheats in Soccer who play act in order to receive a free kick or penalty, but that sort of thing happens in every Sport. If a Rugby Union player was found guilty of  illegal betting, match fixing or bribing, than they're no better than the Soccer player who is accused of taking a dive on the field. My point is, cheating exists in all forms in every Sport. And with the rise of SportsBet and other Sports Gambling syndicates, we're probably not far off seeing a betting scandal on TV involving some Sportsman, punter or bookie in the near future.

The Scott Chipperfield incident is a constant reminder that Racism is a lot like the common cold or flu, everyone hates it but it's never going to disappear. The deeper issue at heart though is Australian Soccer and how it's being embraced. Much like the early years of Soccer back in the 1960's, Soccer in Australia is still at odds with the Australian public. Whether it's for fear of supporting a Sport that is seen as not being totally "Australian" or just complacency, it's surely set the standard of what we're seeing today with the Socceroos, a subpar team that need a lot of improvement at the International level. When you consider the abysmal performances and these recent Scott Chipperfield comments, the Socceroos credibility has well and truly gone out the window. He now has the World's attention, only now (unlike in 2006 and 2010) all eyes are on him for all the wrong reasons. But as long as Chipperfield keeps this racist mindset and as long as Rugby lovers keep denigrating Soccer, then we're always going to see a lacklustre Australian Soccer competition and national team.


Written by Alex Stilianos.

THE BRISBANE ROAR. A GRAND FINAL CLUB WITH GRAND FINAL SUPPORTERS.

Another exciting season of football has come to an end in Australia and I'm not referring to any of the oval ball codes. The 2013-14 A-League season was one filled with excitement, cracking goals and a few very noteworthy retirements in Brett Emerton and Harry Kewell. From the cracking goal of  Melbourne Heart's Orlando Engelaar to the fiery exchange between Adelaide United coach Josep Gombau and journalist Val Migliaccio, the 2013-14 A-League season had it all. It came as no surprise then that this year's minor premier and Grand final winners were Brisbane Roar. Their season of dominance was rewarded with yet another Grand final showcase in their hometown and, as always, the Grand final match delivered. Trailing from a goal behind, as always seems to happen in a Brisbane Roar final, the Roar clawed their way back in to the game through a Besart Berisha headed goal in the 84th minute followed by the winning goal in extra time through Brazilian playmaker Henrique. The atmosphere inside Suncorp stadium during the match was electric thanks to another sellout crowd of over 52,000 people. The atmosphere was also heightened by the rival Western Sydney Wanderers fans who, as always, turned up the intensity with their non stop singing and chanting. When the final whistle eventually sounded it brought an end to yet another A-League season with the Brisbane Roar taking out the Grand final trophy.

The Roar's success over the past four years has been richly deserved thanks to the exciting display of football and the influence and legacy left behind by former Roar coach Ange Postecoglou. What has been a dominant four years on the park for the Roar is a reflection of their success with three Grand final trophies from the last four seasons. Sadly though, these figures do not reflect the crowd attendance figures seen at Suncorp Stadium during the last four years of the Roar's reign. The following figures are the average crowd attendances over the last four seasons (regular season) for Brisbane Roar matches at Suncorp Stadium. Average crowd attendance for 2010-11: 15,500; Average crowd attendance for 2011-12: 11,800 Average crowd attendance for 2012/13: 14,800;  Average crowd attendance for 2013-14: 13,400. Come Grand final day and the number of spectators skyrockets to 52,000 fans, with the match usually selling out after a couple of days. It is safe to say that Brisbane quite possibly has the best fair-weather supporters when it comes to football. While there are a plethora of football codes in Australia, the clash of seasons can hardly be blamed for poor season attendances at the football as the Rugby seasons are not aligned with the A-League season.
It's all well and good for Brisbanites to turn out on Grand final day in droves; but are these fans supporting the game of Football or are they instead supporting the team?

It seems a bit unfair that the genuine Football fan in Brisbane has to miss out on a ticket to the Grand final game thanks to a sudden surge in popularity amongst fair-weather Brisbane supporters. While the atmosphere on Grand final day is positive and the game of football is being celebrated, the party only lasts for one night and then it's back to square one the following week for Australian football. If the game of football is ever going to go forward in Australia, it needs to show in each club's fan base. Some clubs and even stadiums shoot themselves in the foot by raising membership prices which then becomes a deterrent for any would-be fan of the club. If you take in to account parents taking their young kids to the game then the price then becomes ridiculous and the parents may as well take the family out to an amusement park for the day. When it comes to football fanfare in Australia, there is still quite a way to go before we can match the same fanfare and intensity as other continents such as Europe. The football supporters in England turn out week in and week out for their club no matter the result. Rain, hail or shine, the average football supporter in England wears his heart on his sleeve for his club and football and their club is a way of life. We're yet to see that passion in Australia and we'll probably never see the day where the true intensity of football passion (as seen in England) becomes a staple of Australian culture.

So as the World Cup approaches, don't be surprised if these same fans (the fair-weather ones mentioned above) are the ones getting in to the sudden World Cup spirit of Brazil 2014. Even if they can't properly spell the name Pele, they'll no doubt be the ones watching the game at a bar and placing the odd bet on one of the World Cup matches. But when it's all over and the dust settles, these fans will disappear quicker than a Scotsman in a pay toilet. Having taken all this in to account, it's not hard to see why the Socceroos will get smashed at this World Cup (the group might have something to do with it too). But if these Brisbane Roar attendance figures remain the same or get worse, it will be a great pity for the game of football in Australia, particularly Brisbane. I can't even begin to imagine what the attendance figures would be like if the Brisbane Roar were coming last on the A-League ladder. You'd probably be giving tickets away at a third of the price. Anyone got any plans to see the Brisbane Lions play this weekend.........?



Written by Alex Stilianos.

I SEE RED I SEE RED

With only just a few rounds of the regular A - League season left, something is telling me that there will be a surprise come the Grand Final. Just going on instinct I can see the mighty Brisbane Roar losing in the preliminary final, the Wanderers have run out of form. The Victory are too inconsistent with Muscat dropping players left right and centre to looking hide the fact that he couldn't manage a bunch of kids at a wiggles concert and the Mariners are in a rebuilding stage. But there's one team that are the favourites in my eyes and that is the Reds from the city of Churches.

Adelaide United coach Josep Gombau has his team peaking at the right time, and I honestly believe they can win the competition. There was a recent poll put out by the official A - League Facebook fan page asking if Adelaide United have the best foreigners in the League. Individually no, collectively yes. The Reds wouldn't be the team without Neuman, Cirio, Carrusca and Ferreira. The fact that Fabio Ferreira was playing second division in the New South Wales State League some years ago is somewhat frightening. It would be like playing Melbourne Heart on FIFA 14 using Real Madrid, on amateur mode.

Maybe its some late night babbling, but Ive had a epiphany. Adelaide United will finish 2014 A - League CHAMPIONS, agree or disagree let me know what you think.

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY: FEBRUARY 6.

BIRTHS

GYULA LORANT (1923-1981)

Former Hungarian Footballer who played for the national team during their golden years in the 1950's. Some of his noteworthy achievements include a Gold Medal for Football at the 1952 Summer Olympics and a Runner's up medal at the 1954 FIFA World Cup.

BILLY WRIGHT (1924-1994)

Former Wolverhampton Wanderers defender who became the first footballer to reach the 100 cap milestone at international level. Represented England at 3 World Cups between 1950-1958 and enjoyed three premiership trophies with the Wolves during the 1950's.

MARCO ANTONIO (Born February 6, 1951)

Former Brazilian footballer who was part of Brazil's 1970 World Cup winning squad (playing two matches in total during the tournament), Marco Antonio had a fairly modest career at club level. Between 1968-1984, Marco played for a number of clubs which included stints at Botafogo and Fluminense FC.

TIM SHERWOOD (Born February 6, 1969)

Tim Sherwood enjoyed an 18 year strong career in which he played for a number of top flight English clubs. His career highlight came in 1995 when Blackburn Rovers won the league title over season favourites Manchester United in the 1994/95 season. More personal achievements followed in 1999 when, after impressive performances for Tottenham Hotspur, he received a call up to the England national team. In total, Sherwood picked up 3 International caps for England, all of which came in 1999. Sherwood retired from Football in 2005 at the age of 36 and is now manager of Tottenham Hotspur FC.

DEATHS

FAREWELL TO THE BUSBY BABES

On this day in 1958, a horrific plane crash in Munich, Germany claimed the lives of 23 passengers on board, eight of which were travelling players from Manchester United FC. After playing Red Star Belgrade in a European Cup match, United players and staff were on their way home when the plane they were travelling in had to stop off in Munich to refuel. After a third attempt to take off from the runway, the plane suddenly crashed and eventually exploded after impact, killing 23 of the 44 passengers on board. 8 of the 23 fatalities that day involved the Busby Babes (a name given to Manchester United's youngsters in the 1950's) and the other 15 passengers were made up of the club's staff, the pilot, airplane steward and travelling journalists. The United players who perished in the Munich air disaster were Geoff Bent, Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Duncan Edwards (died 15 days later in hospital), Mark Jones, David Pegg, Tommy Taylor and Liam "Billy" Whelan. 21 of the remaining passengers all survived this horrific incident, including Sir Bobby Charlton and coach Sir Matt Busby along with 7 other Manchester United players. 56 years on, and that fateful afternoon in Munich will never be forgotten by their families, friends and the wider football community.

Below are a list of the 23 passengers who died in the Munich Air Disaster in 1958:

Captain Kenneth Rayment (Pilot)
Tom Cable (Cabin steward)
Geoff Bent (Busby babe)
Roger Byrne (Busby babe)
Eddie Colman (Busby babe)
Duncan Edwards (Busby babe)
Mark Jones (Busby babe)
David Pegg (Busby babe)
Tommy Taylor (Busby babe)
Liam "Billy" Whelan (Busby babe)
Walter Crickmer (Club secretary)
Tom Curry (Trainer)
Bert Whalley (Chief coach)
Alf Clarke (Journalist)
Donny Davies (Journalist)
George Follows (Journalist)
Tom Jackson (Journalist)
Archie Ledbrooke (Journalist)
Henry Rose (Journalist)
Frank Swift (Journalist)
Eric Thompson (Journalist)
Bela Miklos (Travel agent)
Willie Satinoff (Friend of Sir Matt Busby)

Written by Alex Stilianos.

SOME GAVE ALL.

After news broke of Besart Berisha’s defection from Brisbane Roar to Melbourne Victory last week, I couldn’t help but feel (as a Brisbanite) that the hearts of many Brisbane Roar fans broke with it. When the then 26 year old Albanian arrived in Brisbane two and a half years ago, many Roar fans wondered what this striker could possibly bring to a side that had already won an A-League title just four months earlier. In a side that boasted the likes of the newly imported playmaker Thomas Broich, it seemed Berisha would have to bring something extra special to a team that seemingly had it all. He did that and more after scoring 19 goals in his debut season for the club, which led to the Roar winning their second A-League championship. In a thrilling Grand Final match, which saw the Roar down Perth Glory 2-1, the Albanian striker sealed another Grand Final trophy for Brisbane as he calmly slotted a penalty goal late in the game. Since that day, both Besart Berisha and the Brisbane Roar have gone from strength to strength.

Since Berisha’s arrival at the club, the Roar have won an A-League championship (their second in total), reached an Australian record of 36 games undefeated (a record in any Australian Football code) and, as of this week, are on track to win their second minor premiership. While it does hurt to see a legend leave, even when he has so much more to offer, it’s important to remember what he did for the club in the time he was there. There can be no doubt that Besart Berisha gave everything he ever had when it came to playing for the Roar. When the 90 minutes were up, the Albanian left it all behind on the football pitch. No one (not least in Brisbane) will ever forget the Football he played for us while he was a Roar player. There are very few players like Besart Berisha that come along and leave such a huge impact on a club. Two former footballers who similarly left a huge mark on their football clubs were Gabriel Batistuta and Henrik Larsson.

Batistuta and Larsson both served long stints at their respective clubs and left nothing to be desired when on a football pitch. Former Argentine international Batistuta played for Fiorentina for nine years between 1991-2000. Although the club achieved a moderate amount of success during his time there, the Argentine ultimately left the club in 2000 to sign for AS Roma as he “wanted to win silverware”. Although the hearts of many Fiorentina fans were left broken, Batistuta could not forget his time spent at the club as he refused to celebrate a goal he scored against his old club. After firing in a beautiful goal from long range, Roma teammates swarmed Batistuta in celebration but it was not particularly rewarding for the Argentine, as he was seen holding back to tears during the post-goal celebrations. Former Swedish International Henrik Larsson also had the same predicament after scoring a goal for FC Barcelona against his old club Celtic FC.  Larsson was similarly solemn during his post-goal celebration and could not bring himself to enjoy the moment.

Whether or not this will be the case for Berisha once he leaves Brisbane is another story. Although he ultimately left Brisbane for the money, after being given an offer he couldn’t refuse, it’s a situation you cannot judge/applaud him for unless you’ve been in that situation yourself. I for one hope we don’t see a repeat of what happened back in 2012 when Ange Postecoglou jumped ship from Brisbane Roar to coach Melbourne Victory. In the blink of an eye, Ange supporters had gone from loving the man to cursing him. Ironically it is the same club which has broken the hearts of Roar fans yet again. So when the 2013/14 A-League season comes to a close in April this year, rather than raising your voice or concerns about Berisha’s defection from Brisbane (if you’re a Roar supporter), why not raise your glass and toast a man who gave this club everything it could have possibly wanted. Because when it came down to the crunch, Besart Berisha left it all on the field and gave it his all.


Written by Alex Stilianos.

ON THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL HISTORY: JANUARY 24.

BIRTHS

GUIDO BUCHWALD (Born: January 24, 1961)

                                             DAVIDE BIONDINI (Born January 24, 1983)

LUIS SUAREZ (Born January 24, 1987)

DEATHS

LEONIDAS DA SILVA (Born September 6, 1913 - January 24, 2004)

DAVE HARPER (Born September 29, 1938 - January 24, 2013)

MIROSLAV JANU (Born November 8 1959 - January 24, 2013)

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY.

Following a serious injury, in which he suffered a badly broken leg, Belgian footballer Luc Nilis announced  his retirement from professional Football on January 24, 2001 at the age of 33.


Written by Alex Stilianos.