England cannot beat Australia at anything

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/02/13/...4927699993.html

It was said that the Aussies were the best team that didn't make it to the World Cup.

Maybe it's true.

Congrats to the Socceroos!

Nice photos

Well, I have nothing against the Socceroos but to read some of the stuff coming from their fans is hysterical. You'd think that they'd beat the 1970 Brazilian World Cup team 6-1 or something. Nice of them to put one over on their colonial masters, but I hope they don't get big heads about this and think that they just need to show up to qualify for the next World Cup. But the English reaction is just as interesting: the English are finally waking up to the fact that, well, England isn't very good and it just might be "Johnny Foreigner" that makes the Premiereship what it is (see: Arsenal). They certainly flattered to deceive during the recent World Cup; a bunch of results grinded out and then they meet up with the Brazilians and get totally outclassed. I love English football--it's certainly the most viscerally exciting brand played--but the English have a woeful lack of skill players and tactical imagination. Kicking long balls to a lone striker is soooooo 60's.

Since FIFA changed the WC qualifying rules, the Socceroos are sure to make Germany 2006. They'll most likely win the Oceania group and since they won't have to go in to a playoff (where they've died a death in the last 2 WC qualifying stages), we'll be seeing a bunch of drunken Aussies in Deutschland chanting "Aussie Aussie Aussie! Oi Oi Oi!!!".

I can't wait.

Totally disgusted with our prima donna stars who couldn't give a stuff about playing for their country, whereas Aussie sportsmen always seem to be motivated even for a friendly.

And what a joke that our top clubs should be allowed to dictate that none of their players appear for more than 45 minutes each for England so as not to get too tired for their clubs' upcoming matches. So the whole team had to be substituted at half-time.

Never liked that Kewell chappy.

But I think that a negative--having your First 11 play only 45 minutes--turned in to a positive in some respects because the youngsters brought on in the 2nd half like Jeffers, Jenas and Rooney really acquitted themselves well.

Francis "f**king Traitor For Leaving Everton You f**king Jug Eared Bastard" Jeffers can score but since he's not going to dislodge Thierry Henry as the Arse's striker, he's not going to really get that much of a look-in. Jenas looks like the real deal as does Roonaldo. As a Blue, I'm terrified that he's going to be like Robbie Fowler and be burnt out by his mid-20's, but once he gets a sustained run in the Everton and England sides, he's going to have defenders shittin' themselves. Plus, he probably won't develop a drug problem like Fowler. If he pushes another Everton Traitor Bastard (he supported them as a kid), Michael "I'm Really Welsh" Owen to the touchline, all the better!

England's first 11 is just not good enough now and they could easily lose their two Euro 2004 qualifiers on March 29 and April 2. They need Roy Keane actually! Something really has to be done about balancing club/country committments though. I'd say that bullshit like Brazil flying to Japan just to make a huge pile of cash has to be stopped; if I was a coach of one of the Brazilians that had to go (they had to field a good team to make the money), I'd be livid.