It's A Long Way To The Top

Newcastle Herald

Tuesday August 26, 2008

David Lowe The lowedown

I'VE been sitting, staring at a blank page for about 40 minutes, wondering how many coaches, federations and athletes are today doing exactly the same thing.

After a major event like the Olympics, the time is ripe for post-mortems, soul-searching, planning and strategy.

What went right? What went wrong? Will we gloss over our deficiencies? Will we get a new coach and expect an instant solution?

These questions will be given voice in many sports (good morning Cycling Australia), but as my brief is as a football columnist, I should concentrate my attention in that area.

If I had a dollar for every time I've had somebody say to me "Arnold's got to go" in the last week, I'd be able to buy a full tank of petrol.

Is Graham Arnold a good coach? I'm not sure, to be honest. Has he had a charmed run in important positions in the game? I think the answer is probably yes, and I have no doubt that he and Frank Farina were thrust into positions of massive responsibility long before they had completed a full coaching apprenticeship.

But will sacking Arnold solve all our problems? Do you think that if we swapped coaches with Argentina, we would have won a gold medal? If you answered yes to that, do you want to buy a bridge?

Is it too hard to admit that we weren't good enough? Be honest, how many of our group opponents would have swapped any of our individuals for theirs?

I'm not having a go at our players here either I thought Stu Musialik in particular was very neat and tidy in all aspects of his game, and Matthew Spiranovic and goalkeeper Adam Federici were sound but merely pointing out the calibre of the opposition.

No surprises then that our best performers were an overworked centre-back, a busy goalkeeper and a deep-lying midfielder.

"Why didn't we pick Nathan Burns and Bruce Djite?" asked my son Alex, among many others. Don't know mate, and even though I'm a rap for Burns in particular, I don't think they would have chased hopeful balls any more effectively than poor old Archie Thompson.

Perhaps one day everyone will realise just how important Mark Viduka was to the structure of our last World Cup campaign.

As I transcend the twilight between old player and old fart, I think of my favourite description of Australian football: "The more things change, the more they stay the same."

The report card from the Olympics would read: competitive, organised and robust, but lacking in the individual skill and technique required to hurt teams at international level.

Cue in Frank Arok's team of the '80s, Eddie Thomson's sides of the '90s, and to a lesser extent, even Guus Hiddink's team of '06, and the description fits.

Were the media's and football hierarchy's expectations of a medal too high? At the time, I thought massively, and so it proved to be.

I stumbled across an article I wrote between the draw with Croatia and the round-of-16 clash with Italy at the 2006 World Cup and, with appropriate modesty, would like to relay an extract . . .

"Guus Hiddink is seldom wrong, goalkeeping selections aside, and he has nominated youth development as critical to the future.

"It's not a new concept coaches and analysts have been spruiking it for years.

"Importantly, we need to fund it properly, identify prospective coaches locally and encourage them to expand their knowledge and capability, and pass it on to our youngsters.

"Not at 18 or 19, because it's too late then. We need to teach our talented youngsters the proper techniques required to survive in top-level football at an early age.

"The Socceroos have been magnificent, but only the foolhardy would suggest we play with the same level of technique and comfort as the big names in the world of football.

"We should be very proud of the Aussies but not forget to build on this foundation, and not mistakenly believe that we've fixed everything in the 12-month tenure of a talented, brave and occasionally fortunate Dutch master coach."

The Asian Cup "failure" and the disappointing campaign in Beijing are stark reminders that we have a long way to go. The implementation of small-sided games in the younger age groups is a step in the right direction, despite opposition from some areas.

I do hope we find the balance between coaching correct techniques and allowing flair and individuality the chance to flourish.

We are behind the best footballing nations in terms of feel and touch with the ball, fluency and anticipation.

I'm constantly amazed by the number of kids who can do all sorts of "circus tricks" with the ball but can't pass 10 metres accurately and with appropriate weight when a modicum of pressure is applied.

Do we lack patience in mastering the basics? Do we get them to the stage where they become second nature?

I noticed across a number of team sports at the Olympics that when push came to shove, the Aussies were left lamenting when the most basic of skills were tested.

This was never more evident than when the Opals, under intense defensive pressure and with the route to Lauren Jackson under siege, shot just 25 per cent from the floor in the gold-medal match.

And to that end, does a seven-foot frame and a megamillion-dollar NBL contract make Andrew Bogut, and Luc Longley before him, better players than a pure shooter like Andrew Gaze?

But I digress. Sometimes, in more melancholy moments, I wonder if we will ever really compete with the likes of Argentina and Brazil.

Do we have the cultural heritage, the innate connection with the game that others do?

After all, how many great fast bowlers have Argentina produced?

Perhaps we should import Ronaldo and Ronaldinho and Messi when they've retired, and pay them exorbitant fees to be part of a breeding program.

Whatever the answer, we need to keep trying, otherwise we will have to bury our heads in the sand, and declare Geelong and either Melbourne or Manly world champions.

It's a long, long road ahead.

If you'll excuse me now, I've got to do the Harold Holt sorry, make that Usain Bolt and ponder just how good that Phelps boy is going to be on a Rice diet.

Did somebody mention breeding programs?

Sometimes, in more melancholy moments, I wonder if we will ever really compete with the likes of Argentina and Brazil. Do we have the cultural heritage, the innate connection with the game that others do?

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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