Soccer is Australian!

[Wysiwyg]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

When I was a kid we use to call it w@g ball because all the Italians played the game. They called our football water mellon ball in return. Then when I went to high school all the 10 pound Pommy immigrants were playing it, I wasn't wanted on their team. Not a lot has changed really, nearly every name in the Aussie team comes from another country originally.

One of the best quotes I heard describing the game was my expat Aussie mates living overseas saying, "it's the only sport in the world where they play for 90 minutes and can't get a score, how boring."

Give me Aussie Rules or Rugby League any day.

Ha I can relate to your experience too Bill M. I played soccer in my teens and my league mates would say soccer was a girls game. From my experience, soccer was not girly in any way and physical contact with intent was accepted. Remembering though it is more of a skill sport in kicking and control. As Kennas noted it was and still is un-Australian to take a dive and feign injury. There are still the sooks at the top level internationally.

Rugby league was watched religiously when growing up so soccer comes a close second in the football sports watched by our family. Maybe in the future a QLD. soccer team will pull on a jersey with determination of state of origin warriors.
We see that "intent" with Lucas Neill.

 

[doctorj]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

There are still the sooks at the top level internationally.

Tim Cahill is one of the worst and most frequent offenders I've seen! He can be tough as nails when he wants to be and is more than happy to fly into a tackle, but if he thinks it's to his advantage, he'll go down as if he was shot and roll around as if he was having some kind of fit.

 

[tech/a]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

If Australia ever get any good at Soccer it will soon be embraced by all Australians.

 

[gav]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

If Australia ever get any good at Soccer it will soon be embraced by all Australians.

Let's just hope that doesn't happen anytime soon.

 

[bellenuit]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

Although I like soccer and will watch some of the English Premier League matches and most matches that involve Ireland (my place of birth) and Australia, my pet hate about soccer is the condescending attitude that since it is the most popular "football" sport, it must therefore be the best football sport. AFL obviously is no good because it is only played in Australia. That sort of attitude I hate. Although SBS doesn't say it outright, I believe that is implicit in their calling their main soccer program "The World Game", rather than just "Association Football" or simply "Soccer". I think it is only in the last 10 years or so that they reported AFL results in their main News bulletins.

To me, equating most popular with best is like saying pop music is better than opera or classical or jazz or folk music. I like some pop music, but Britney Spears singing a song doesn't quite do the same for me as Pavarotti or Netrebko.

 

[wayneL]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

Then when I went to high school all the 10 pound Pommy immigrants were playing it, I wasn't wanted on their team. Not a lot has changed really, nearly every name in the Aussie team comes from another country originally.

And what country does your name come from originally?

 

[Bill M]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

And what country does your name come from originally?

Very good Wayne, yes all our names came from somewhere else even if it was way back many decades ago but the point I was trying to make was that as kids all the Aussie kids played Aussie rules and the immigrants kids played soccer at the oval. It has never really been embraced by the local population to same extent and Rugby League or Aussie Rules, cheers.

 

[robusta]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

What the hell is un-Australian?????

Sorry but the term really pisses me off. There are about 20mil of us and we range from champions to morons but we are all Aussies.

 

[Sean K]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

What the hell is un-Australian?????

Sorry but the term really pisses me off. There are about 20mil of us and we range from champions to morons but we are all Aussies.

Good point. What is 'Australian'? I think there was a thread on that topic some time ago, and we might have come to a criteria. There probably is a set of values that we do follow as a general rule and that would maybe include not taking a dive and acting like an idiot. Individuals some time cross the boundary of course, but it's normally ridiculed as 'un sportsman like'. eg, the Chappell under arm. When an AFL player takes a dive he gets canned and loses total respect as a player. In soccer it's not just tolerated, but expected.

 

[RandR]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

What the hell is un-Australian?????

Sorry but the term really pisses me off. There are about 20mil of us and we range from champions to morons but we are all Aussies.

I think supporting/playing/following sport is Australian ...

I think anyone that puts down people based upon which sport they decide to be interested in is un-australian.

My self, i love soccer, i love the tactical chess like strategy and i also love its sheer simplicity, but thats me, i also love rugby union, and have an appreciation for its myriad rules and game because i have played alot of it.

Thats me, and i think its an australian trait to spend quite a considerable amount of time in there chosen sport.

People can like or follow whatever they like, be it AFL, soccer (football), rugby league, rugby union etc etc. They all have their positives and negatives, its silly to me to suggest that one is better then the other, when its all just personal preference.

I'll add im a Brisbane Roar, and Qld Reds member ...

Any other Brisbane Roar members on this site ? Its been quite a season !

 

[J&M]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

Yep I watch the Roar sometimes
This year they have been almost unbeatable
Top midfield who take there time and wait for the opening and they can all score goals.
Any top team in any sport needs a good midfield who can attack and defend the ROAR have this
Very well coached.
This team plays for the full 90 Min's and keep coming at you even when a goal down
They are a little like the Dutch team who play Total Football

James

 

[Sean K]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

I think supporting/playing/following sport is Australian ...

I think anyone that puts down people based upon which sport they decide to be interested in is un-australian.

Yes, being very keen on sport is very Australian. However, no one has put anyone down for following a particular sport RandR.

I love all sport but can not fully embrace European Football because of the antics and behaviour of the players. This behaviour has been imported, it is not Australian.

I would love Australian soccer to be played in an Australian spirit.

Current young players rising up through the ranks think diving, faking injuries, and taking your shirt off and having sex with the corner flag after a goal is part of the game. It might be part of the game in Spain, but we shouldn't stoop so low.

I am just hoping that our own sports don't start picking up this ugly facet of soccer.

Or, maybe I just don't get it.

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

Yes, being very keen on sport is very Australian. However, no one has put anyone down for following a particular sport RandR.

I love all sport but can not fully embrace European Football because of the antics and behaviour of the players. This behaviour has been imported, it is not Australian.

I would love Australian soccer to be played in an Australian spirit.

Current young players rising up through the ranks think diving, faking injuries, and taking your shirt off and having sex with the corner flag after a goal is part of the game. It might be part of the game in Spain, but we shouldn't stoop so low.

I am just hoping that our own sports don't start picking up this ugly facet of soccer.

Or, maybe I just don't get it.

I agree Kennas, the diving and faking is un-Australian. I believe it was imported from Italy and France and South America. All the mummy's boys took to it. The Poms are sick of it as well.

gg

 

[the phantom]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

Most players, play for 90 minutes, get high impact ankle smashes throughout the game ... watch the stats to see how much distance they cover in a single 90 mins ... these professionals continue the distance with continual injury.

One of the great things about the game, is that there is continual sportsmanship, where a player from the other team falls down, will be helped up by another player from the opposite team - very Aussie.

There is some faking ... which adds to the fun posting it on you-tube and taking the continual piss out of them. To label them all as faking is very un-Australian.

Un-Australian is not supporting your country !

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie !!!!

 

[RandR]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

Yes, being very keen on sport is very Australian. However, no one has put anyone down for following a particular sport RandR.

I love all sport but can not fully embrace European Football because of the antics and behaviour of the players. This behaviour has been imported, it is not Australian.

I would love Australian soccer to be played in an Australian spirit.

Current young players rising up through the ranks think diving, faking injuries, and taking your shirt off and having sex with the corner flag after a goal is part of the game. It might be part of the game in Spain, but we shouldn't stoop so low.

I am just hoping that our own sports don't start picking up this ugly facet of soccer.

Or, maybe I just don't get it.

hey kennas, i know your not putting down people based upon their chosen sport, i didnt intend my comment to come across that way.

I agree with your sentiment, diving and fakery have no place in the game, and is a facet of the game that the vast majority of soccer (football) fans despise, and in general are working towards eradicating.

I follow the A-league, am a member and watch nearly all socceroos games, and i cant see any of the young australian players picking up these traits in any major way like your alluding too.

To answer your question about getting it ...Maybe you dont get soccer (football) or maybe you do get it and it just doesnt appeal to you. Who knows dude, i guess only you can answer that one

Truth is im a bit of a soccer (football) tragic, and cant get enough of it if im being honest. Ive just come home from the Brisbane V Melbourne Heart game (in which we have now gone 23 games undefeated, an extraordinary achievement in australian sport) and now getting really pumped and ready now to watch Australia v Japan in the Asian Cup final.

To tell you the truth i dont really get the appeal of AFL myself (your an AFL fan yeah ?) but horses for courses. Ones mans garbage is another mans treasure after all !

 

[RandR]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

Yep I watch the Roar sometimes
This year they have been almost unbeatable
Top midfield who take there time and wait for the opening and they can all score goals.
Any top team in any sport needs a good midfield who can attack and defend the ROAR have this
Very well coached.
This team plays for the full 90 Min's and keep coming at you even when a goal down
They are a little like the Dutch team who play Total Football

James

This year has been incredible, beautiful 4-3-3 football played in the way the game should be. The Cruyff like runs of Luke Devere, the rampaging fullbacks in Ivan Franjic and Stefanutto, extraordinary engines that are matty mckay and Partaluu, and the speed and incisiveness of Barbarouses and Solarzano. Its been a joy to watch, really, and now we'll be going off to do it in the Asian Champions League, im excited.

Ange Postecoglu has been a revelation, he's setting a culture and precedent at the club that will hopefully last a long time. Having a club culture and style of playing the game like that of the Ajaxs/Barcas/Arsenals of this world is something any football club should aspire to, no matter what level they play at imo.

Its going to be hard to top the success of this season. Other clubs will catch up next year.

 

[Sean K]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

You know, I may have to retract my comments in this thread.

I started thinking about other 'Australian' sports and I realise that the antics of a number of players is getting a bit crazy.

I'm thinking Shane Warne's celebrations after taking a wicket. Today, Brett Lee acts like a right goose.

I caught an add for rugby a few minutes ago and some player was standing at the corner pole thing trying to have sex with it.

Then, there's Jason Akermanis in AFL....And that complete tosser Brendon Fevola.

Maybe the behaviour of these few is restricted to them and is not endemic like in soccer, but I sure hope the general pop doesn't start acting like these fools.

Or, maybe they've learnt this behaviour from soccer?

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

You know, I may have to retract my comments in this thread.

I started thinking about other 'Australian' sports and I realise that the antics of a number of players is getting a bit crazy.

I'm thinking Shane Warne's celebrations after taking a wicket. Today, Brett Lee acts like a right goose.

I caught an add for rugby a few minutes ago and some player was standing at the corner pole thing trying to have sex with it.

Then, there's Jason Akermanis in AFL....And that complete tosser Brendon Fevola.

Maybe the behaviour of these few is restricted to them and is not endemic like in soccer, but I sure hope the general pop doesn't start acting like these fools.

Or, maybe they've learnt this behaviour from soccer?

Agree mate,

The place has not been the same since Jan 26th 1788.

gg

 

[Happy]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

....
Having watched the soccer highlights tonight I have concluded quite emphatically that soccer is very very un-Australian.

Has anyone else thought that?

Yes, soccer should be called FOOTBALL for starters (ball is used and players predominantly use feet to steer the ball)

Australian Football on the other leg is mostly handled with hand and is not a ball either more like an egg.

(Sorry )

 

[ginar]

Re: Soccer is un-Australian

Yes, soccer should be called FOOTBALL for starters (ball is used and players predominantly use feet to steer the ball)

Australian Football on the other leg is mostly handled with hand and is not a ball either more like an egg.

(Sorry )

\

the only thing unaustralian here is this entire thread . whinging is meant to be an english trait , im not convinced they have that market cornered anymore , excuse the pun . sport should be non discrimantory , guess i was wrong . i encourage any sport and denigrate none of them . im ashamed to be part of such a redneck society sometimes . bogans are such a crass lot .