Australia plan for long-term success (FIFA) Thursday 8 January 2015 Share A decade ago Australia’s achievements in football had been sporadic at best. Australia’s passion for sport had been evident in many fields, but football ambitions had remained largely unfulfilled. Fast forward to the present day and the nation has reinvented itself in the round-ball game, ticking off numerous milestones along the way. Headline achievements have included three FIFA World Cup™ appearances for the Socceroos, a feat given further weight given the nation’s 32-year drought from the world stage. So too, the Matildas have achieved breakthrough success by reaching the quarter-finals at the past two FIFA Women’s World Cups™, as well being crowned Asian champions. There has also been the birth and strong growth of the fully-professional A-League, with Western Sydney Wanderers this year capping the tenth season of the competition by winning the AFC Champions League. Now Australia has the chance to impress over the coming month both on and off the field as they welcome 15 of the continent’s elite teams for the first-ever AFC Asian Cup held Down Under. This stunning change in fortune was down to hard work and good management rather than pure luck, as Football Federation Australia Secretary-General David Gallop explained to FIFA. “An overhaul with governance assistance happened with our sport, and led by our current chairman Mr Frank Lowy who’s done a fantastic job of revitalising Australian football, completely changing the structure, the board of governance, the creation of the A-League,” Gallop said. Australia are not prepared to rest on their laurels, however, and they are planning for future growth. The appointment of former youth national team coach Ange Postecoglou to the Socceroo role on a lengthy five-year deal indicates long-term success is the over-arching goal. Similarly, modern development structures for both men and women’s football is a key pillar of the Federation’s planning. “Our next phase is to make sure that the youth programs and the way we interact with our clubs in a youth academy system, all of these things are for the future,” said Gallop. “2006 was a golden generation for the Socceroos, but we want 2018 to be the next golden generation for the Socceroos and we are putting plans in place now to make sure that this is a real possibility.” Future planning Australia lost all three group matches at last year’s World Cup in Brazil but despite having one of the least experienced teams in the tournament they pushed Chile and the Netherlands all the way in group matches. “I’m excited about our performances in Brazil, although the scorecard didn’t reflect where we wanted to be,” said Gallop. “We had a new coach and he started a regeneration of our team to bring through a new generation of players and our eye is very much on how we might go in Russia, and the lead up to Russia. We have a nice mix of players playing around the world, but also some young guys playing in the A-League. While Russia 2018 looms as a long-term goal, the immediate aim is success on home soil at the AFC Asian Cup which commences on Friday in Melbourne. “We want to be in the final,” Gallop says of the Socceroos’ ambitions. “We were runners-up against Japan last time. Our aspiration, particularly giving that we are hosting the tournament and we’ll hopefully have big crowds behind the Socceroos, we would like to get down to the pointy of the end of the competition. Who knows, hopefully win it.” And it is not only in men’s football where Australia are aiming for success. This year Australia will have the opportunity to make a mark at the Women’s World Cup in Canada despite a remarkably tough group featuring USA, Sweden and Nigeria. Gallop says some of the reasons for impetus in women’s football Down Under is down to FIFA support. “Our most recent funding grant has been around women’s football and Goal Project funding,” he said. “That allows us to some development officers in place in Australia across the country. We are a big country so having development programs that spread across the country can sometimes be challenging. But we are certainly grateful for that funding and we think it will help us grow participation in Women’s football and also highlight the W-League, and of course our Matildas who are going to Canada to play in the World Cup.” https://youtube/watch?v=2JcbZMIsXm0
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 00:07:12 +0000
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