Last chance to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

[Con M]

Australia versus Uzbekistan 11pm (Adelaide time) Saturday 25 January. The game will be shown live on Fox Ch 506 (where is our ABC when people need them to also show the National Team?)

This is the 3rd place play-off in the Under23 16-Nation Asian Championship Tournament. South Korea and Saudi Arabia play in the Final and those two will join host Japan in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The 3rd place winner will also join that trio at the main table.

Here’s hoping Australia grab that place, strengthen the team with 3 overage players like Matt Ryan, Aaron Mooy & another and get great prime-time exposure for the sport.

[Con M]

0-0 halftime. Don’t know how Australia has managed to hang on. Deficient technique yet again. Poor defending of short corners yet again. Can’t keep giving the ball away like that.

Fox Sports commentators Brenton Speed & Mark Bosnich couldn’t help but muse what a difference the 4 suspended players might have made.

[Con M]

Thank goodness! Good goal by Nick D’Agostino but absolutely excruciating & slow going against 10-man Uzbekistan. Unfortunately another poor performance by most midfielders & forwards but the main thing is QUALIFICATION!

Now to strengthen the squad and give them some more experience at the Copa America to which Australia has been invited. That will be good experience prior to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Football Tournament.

[ozzie owl]

Thank goodness! Good goal by Nick D’Agostino but absolutely excruciating & slow going against 10-man Uzbekistan. Unfortunately another poor performance by most midfielders & forwards but the main thing is QUALIFICATION!

Now to strengthen the squad and give them some more experience at the Copa America to which Australia has been invited. That will be good experience prior to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Football Tournament.

Great that we qualified,

Grosso will be remain quiet for bit longer.

[MegaBonus]

Given that D'Agostino has only played 15 minutes for the Glory this season, Adelaide could do much worse than make a play for him in the Jan window....

[eagleboy]

Given that D'Agostino has only played 15 minutes for the Glory this season, Adelaide could do much worse than make a play for him in the Jan window....

Good point. He was one of our better players in the tournament. Much better than Blackwood. Scary bit is Blackwood was eligible and getting good minutes in HAL and yet this guy can not break into Perth.
The commentators were saying that we will have a number of players Under 23 available for the Olympics including Harry Souter , McGree and Arzani. Add the 3 overage player and we may have a competitive side.

[Old Master]

The only way this squad will get out of whatever group they are in at the Olympics is if Arnie grows some balls and demands the FFA absolve the Four and finds someone with tactical experience in Asia to help him learn how to play Asian Football.

[eagleboy]

The only way this squad will get out of whatever group they are in at the Olympics is if Arnie grows some balls and demands the FFA absolve the Four and finds someone with tactical experience in Asia to help him learn how to play Asian Football.

I'm a bit confused with what the Four means but you do realise the Olympics a world wide completion and chances are we wont be drawn with another Asian team.

[Old Master]

The only way this squad will get out of whatever group they are in at the Olympics is if Arnie grows some balls and demands the FFA absolve the Four and finds someone with tactical experience in Asia to help him learn how to play Asian Football.

I'm a bit confused with what the Four means but you do realise the Olympics a world wide completion and chances are we wont be drawn with another Asian team.

The Four are the four players ridiculously sentenced to missing these play-offs and the Olympics for a bit of silliness involving a woman after the previous round.
The FFA as usual stuffed it all up by trying to hide it from the media and then completely, as usual, stuffed up the players' careers by overreacting, again as usual, banning four of the best players in the squad from this round and the Games themselves.
The Seniors still have to qualify for the World Cup through Asia and Arnie's record against Asian opposition is very poor, whatever the competition.

[eagleboy]

I'm a bit confused with what the Four means but you do realise the Olympics a world wide completion and chances are we wont be drawn with another Asian team.

The Four are the four players ridiculously sentenced to missing these play-offs and the Olympics for a bit of silliness involving a woman after the previous round.
The FFA as usual stuffed it all up by trying to hide it from the media and then completely, as usual, stuffed up the players' careers by overreacting, again as usual, banning four of the best players in the squad from this round and the Games themselves.
The Seniors still have to qualify for the World Cup through Asia and Arnie's record against Asian opposition is very poor, whatever the competition.[/quote]

3 of those guys will miss the Olympics, that wont change. McGree is available. Arnies current record in the Asian WC qualifiers is : played 4, won 4, lost 0. Also, he has now taken us to Olympics for the first time in 12 years. 1 loss in tournament with the not best available side, not bad. Give him a go.

[Old Master]

I'm a bit confused with what the Four means but you do realise the Olympics a world wide completion and chances are we wont be drawn with another Asian team.

The Four are the four players ridiculously sentenced to missing these play-offs and the Olympics for a bit of silliness involving a woman after the previous round.
The FFA as usual stuffed it all up by trying to hide it from the media and then completely, as usual, stuffed up the players' careers by overreacting, again as usual, banning four of the best players in the squad from this round and the Games themselves.
The Seniors still have to qualify for the World Cup through Asia and Arnie's record against Asian opposition is very poor, whatever the competition.

3 of those guys will miss the Olympics, that wont change. McGree is available. Arnies current record in the Asian WC qualifiers is : played 4, won 4, lost 0. Also, he has now taken us to Olympics for the first time in 12 years. 1 loss in tournament with the not best available side, not bad. Give him a go.[/quote]


So far he has only played against countries that are well below our standard and only just scraped through.

My observation of his ability is from when he was at Sideneee, he didn't beat any club that were of a reasonable standard in that comp and I don't remeber him winning any away games either.

[eagleboy]

One sad part for some players in the Tokyo Olympics being postponed is some player will go into a higher age group and may not be eligible. I assume though the suspended players from this year will now be available.

[Old Master]

One sad part for some players in the Tokyo Olympics being postponed is some player will go into a higher age group and may not be eligible. I assume though the suspended players from this year will now be available.

It's a win-win for the Four and most other players too as the qualifying ages have been increased by a year to compensate the players who would have lost out after doing all the hard graft.