FootballNews

THE Socceroos are set to return to Adelaide Oval for the first time in more than 50 years.

The Advertiser understands that Australia will play World Cup nemesis Serbia in an international friendly in June and the match will almost certainly be in Adelaide, as Melbourne cannot host the game because of clashes with other football codes.

Harry Kewell, Tim Cahill and Mark Schwarzer are likely to play in the match, which would generate millions of dollars for SA.

Football Federation Australia chief executive Ben Buckley refused to confirm or deny the June friendly would be played in Adelaide, saying "Adelaide is a very strong football city".

Hindmarsh Stadium, which can only hold 16,500 fans, and AAMI Stadium, have both been ruled out, leaving Adelaide Oval as the only viable venue.

"It is our aim to continue to take the Qantas Socceroos to all of our major cities and Adelaide is a very strong football city," Mr Buckley said yesterday.

"It is true we have not played there for some time but I am hopeful that will change in the near future.

"It is fair to say that South Australians are great supporters of football and they deserve to see their national team."

It is understood Melbourne was offered to host Serbia for either June 3 or June 7 but a clash of other football codes' fixtures has ruled out the city's three football-ready stadiums.

But Adelaide Oval has no other sports fixtures pencilled in during the available dates.

Mr Buckley has promised to deliver the strongest Socceroos side available for the two matches in June.

Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium has been targeted to host the Socceroos verses Chile friendly, also in June.

The full-strength Socceroos have not played in Adelaide since 2004, when the nation claimed the Oceania Nations Cup with matches at Hindmarsh and Marden Stadium when part of the Oceania Football Confederation.

At the time, the Socceroos squad featured current legends Everton's Cahill and Fulham's Schwarzer.

The pair is expected to be called up for duty in Adelaide alongside Turkey-based Adelaide-born James Troisi and former Adelaide United attacker Nathan Burns. Serbia has also vowed to deliver a full-strength side, which includes Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic, Juventus's Milos Krasic and Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic.

Mr Buckley earlier this year declared Adelaide could be in the running to host matches during the prestigious 2015 Asian Cup if it met requirements.

SA was initially written off when the FFA presented its bid book to Asian Football Confederation chiefs for the 2015 tournament but only a reasonable turnout - suggested to be more than 30,000 - may sway the governing body to pencil regular Socceroos internationals in Adelaide.

"We know all of the Socceroos are keen to play for their country and for those that play overseas it is always a special opportunity to play at home in front of an Australian crowd," Mr Buckley said.

Adelaide Oval last hosted the national team in 1958 when Australia played England's Blackpool.

South Australia Must Unite for Socceroos

WORLD-CLASS soccer is set to hit Adelaide for the first time in seven years, but there is much at stake.

We won't be forgiven unless South Australians get off their backsides to make a statement at Adelaide Oval when the Football Federation Australia gifts the state the Socceroos v Serbia clash in June.

Anything less than a 30,000 crowd figure and it will appear the FFA's sceptical hierarchy would have enough ammunition to take the flagship Socceroos away from SA for a very, very long time.

Winning the clash is a compliment to the game in this state, to Adelaide United and its hardcore supporter base and the past SA-based Socceroos who have bled for the green and gold.

SA must unite to prove we're not a basket case when it comes to hosting Australia - the nation's best-known international sporting team - on the global scale.

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Forget the slogan sell, "South Australia - a brilliant blend", because this international cannot live on lip service alone. Bums on seats are the only thing that will stop Adelaide becoming an embarrassment to the FFA. Hosting Socceroos internationals is not the divine right of any sporting fan in the nation.

Goodwill in professional sport is diminishing and it's the bottom line which the FFA wants to see at the end of every international, which would keep the Socceroos coming back to Adelaide. Adelaide Oval must attract a bumper crowd to the event to prove to the FFA we're serious about our Socceroos.

If we don't support the national team we'll risk losing the opportunity to again host world superstars on the big stage.

Not many cities in the world can boast hosting mouth-watering match-ups including Harry Kewell against Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic, Tim Cahill against Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic and Mark Schwarzer versus Juventus' Milo Krasic in their own backyards. Blow this one opportunity, fellow South Australian soccer fans, and we'll also face doing untold damage to Adelaide United when it presents its case to host an A-League grand final.

Action is now needed where SA can again prove to be the capital of the game in this country.

BADA BING wrote:Farrrrken great news, i reckon this game will sell out in no time

Red-4-Life wrote:I will definitely be there. Its sad to say ive never been to a socceroos game only coz of where i live well thats about to change!

With the big guns playing, it will be awesome!

colin wrote:

Red-4-Life wrote:I will definitely be there. Its sad to say ive never been to a socceroos game only coz of where i live well thats about to change!

With the big guns playing, it will be awesome!

plenty of chances to see the socceroos at hindmarsh/marden in 2004

Petro83 wrote:This is going to be awesome, mid week game? if it is i will be booking the following day off of work
i have only seen the socceroos twice b4, greece game at mcg in 2006 and the 2009 vs japan at the mcg.
what will be funny is seeing all the aussies who have serbian grand parents going to the game in their track pants and white tshirts and bumbags supporting serbia

Petro83 wrote:Football family/adelaide united members should get first crack at getting tickets!

DOC wrote:

Petro83 wrote:Football family/adelaide united members should get first crack at getting tickets!

why?

Petro83 wrote:Football family/adelaide united members should get first crack at getting tickets!

ozzie owl wrote:

DOC wrote:

Petro83 wrote:Football family/adelaide united members should get first crack at getting tickets!

why?

Simple they are the ones who are backing the game with either commitment or money. There will be more than enough tickets for everybody at Adelaide oval.

Red-4-Life wrote:Apparently the vics are trying to steal this game off us even though the FFA have saidthey want it in Adelaide. Like the FFA will listen to them though

Too bad yous have AFL on and theres no way the FFA would clash a Socceroos game with AFL in the same city

BADA BING wrote:

Red-4-Life wrote:Apparently the vics are trying to steal this game off us even though the FFA have saidthey want it in Adelaide. Like the FFA will listen to them though

Too bad yous have AFL on and theres no way the FFA would clash a Socceroos game with AFL in the same city

If they had the game at the MCG on a Sunday night though it wouldnt clash with any AFL games would it???
90K at the G or 38K at the oval???

IFBB wrote:This will be HUGE!

Lets hope its true, and is confirmed soon. Those are some big names in town, and unlike anything we have seen before.