As usual i dont choose the titles

https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/10/06/why-cant-australian-football-produce-strikers/

Another good read, good stuff mate! 

thanks! It was released low in the feed in the afternoon so hard to get commenters. Please consider sharing

Since I have trouble posting on Roar sometimes, will comment here.

Terrific article, with good supporting data. Thanks for writing it and posting on here, Grazor!

There might be some data somewhere about which international teams excel at  scoring goals from  higher percentage of goal conversion, from balls played into the pen box? 

It would be good to get data for the last 10 - 15 years. 

Then the next step is to send staff  from Football Aus Tech Dept to determine what they are doing to produce more prolific goal scorers, from less chances.

It is the hardest task in football - scoring goals.

I remember seeing a doco on Jamey Maclaren. He had a small pitch at his house, with goals set up. He worked hard at scoring, with a lot of extra time committed than his club training. I think he had a sister and brother assisting him.

Its because Australians as a culture lack creativity, innovation and unpredictability.  All characteristics required to be a successful striker.

thanks!

It is tough to collect data, but I can probably check what is typical at the euro. Once teaching for the new semester slows down and I have a bit of time I am curious if this stat varies as you go down the leagues

I don't think I completely agree, although I think I know what you mean.

Many of our collective hindrances when it comes to producing strikers are down to lacking individuality, ruthlessness and a touch of flair.

Australian culture in general? Or Australian footballers? Because if you mean culture in general it's pretty easy to poke holes right through that argument. 

Both.

It's interesting and I don't think coincidental that Australian basketball faces a similar issue. We have produced some quality NBA players who excel as members of teams (e.g. Bogut, Simmons, Giddey) but almost nobody who is a genuinely great shooter.

I think both these issues reflect Australian sporting culture but not a lack creativity/innovation as suggested above. Rather, I think we are anti people going for glory themselves and are anti ball hogs. I think that's why we've produced some of the best passers in the NBA and in football likewise seem to try to pass it on the net, rather than take the shot. 

hey long time no see!

I definitely noticed the difference watching aussie bakeoff/masterchef and foreign versions. In the aussie ones they try and help each other

Put it this way I don’t think Australia would produce a Neymar in these kind of conditions.

The problem is creativity and instinct gets out coached in favour of being team players which in one reason why we can’t develop top class attacking midfielders and attackers.

I think the Australian sporting culture and psyche reflects in the kind of players that usually gets developed here and if they do have that x-factor type of players that tend to frowned upon for being different.

The one thing I picked here is how we value those hard working, never say die attitude kind of players perhaps more than other nations which is ok but I don’t think that’s enough if Australia wants to go to the next level.

The outlier/individual player has been hamstrung for decades your right, we've coached the talented individual player out of their natural game.
I suppose thats one reason we are not producing any true strikers let alone regular attacking scoring midfielders as well.
Back in my young Rep days you would watch a skilful kid dribble through 2/3 players and bang in goals.
Also despite our natural game being physical back in the day (yes Barca those soldiers/workers never say die types to this day) the skilful players would shine - whereas playing in NT games with far better defense's we would struggle and to this day.
We've introduced small sided games at Youth level that goals don't count some years ago its about playing the ball - I get playing the ball retain possesion BUT to not SCORE and everyone is a winner defies WINNING at all costs mentality, oh its about mental health :)
Why is it in cricket/NRL/swimming etc we are about winning/scoring whereas we introduced a soft approach in our recent times.

Kamaryn quotes what I feel as stated above, hogs, oh if my kid is on the bench why isn't getting enough game time ?

As other nations near by show they are advancing we are doing the same same no ?
We have lost or dropped Youth leagues, we are relying on the few Pro Clubs we have with academies, we have NO 2nd Pro level let alone any some form unified system that works top to bottom.
We lose countless promising players by their teens due to a system that has very limited spots and IF they force their way into the Pro league that goes for "imports" in key positions, striker/attacking mids.
In the meantime most of our promising young players here are on the pines.
Nisbet is a prime example imo that he's the "man" @ 25yrs whereas imo a player of his ability should be bleeding obvious and making in roads from 20 and knocking on NT doors.
I know this isn't like for like but look at United's Mainoo, 19yrs already played a WC and throw in the brilliant young Spanish players.
OK some will say we may have more late bloomers the way our system works and considering just 1 Pro league with just 13 clubs.
Lack of clubs, lack of competition, the soft approach, scratch out the "hogs" or the outliers, we are choking ourselves yet some think not.
The proof is in the pudding, rest of Asia has matured, caught up and over taken us in many ways.
Our arrogance of the past and yes we did have this for many years has been blown, we keep having our eyes shut and many don't believe our system is broken and some are complacent thinking our 1 Pro league has been the future, no its not good enough alone.

Another good topic Graz well done mate.

Australia in general is a very conformist / rules-based country. People with flair, individualism and who act differently are generally ostracized or looked on negatively. 

It's a massive generalisation, but I think rings true, if this has any effect on how we produce footballers I don't know...probably minimal but it could make sense. 

I also just think we don't have the culture and the kids in the streets playing that breeds this type of footballer. It's all 2500k marketing camps. Which is probably a much more likely reason. 

This is very true. There's a team first culture in Australian sport. Tall poppies get cut-down by the group.

That's a barrier but it doesn't stop creative players being developed in other sports. It's something we need to address in our development pathways. 

I think the team mentality. The physicality and hard work. They're strengths and shouldn't be dismissed. But we need to add the other parts to improve. 

yes mate, for sure there is so many pieces to the puzzle and the times.
Another strange thing with all the football exposure/kids wearing Euro kits etcetc you'd think we'd be heading for that BOOM we/I've been waiting on for the last 30+ yrs but here we are.
Yep $2500/3k wannabee camps, Individual training, seriously what a turn around.
Once upon a time my ol man would struggle to buy me good boots, forget a LFC shirt as a gift OR APIA shirt BUT we as kids would be down the local oval smashing balls, my Mums plants were smashed up at home.
I'm glad I encouraged my 2 sons (31/24) football is the game and they live and breath it as I do, they continously keep goign to kickabouts with mates.
Now these budding fully kitted up and comers have the skills you'd die for then when going into camps they are trained out of their abilty having mimicked CR7/Messi/Neymar or whoever.

yeah bloody oath. 

I was telling someone the other day how we used to make footballs with newspaper and sticky tape when I was little. They couldn't;t believe it lol 

C'mon man we used to kick a coke can around or a PRIMA box when the teacher on yard duty would confiscate the soccer ball. lol.....

Another differentiating factor I see here as opposed to other more "flair" nations is the notion of "gentlemanly sport"... We dont have that Win at all costs no matter how you get there attitude that they have in South American, Eastern European and some Asian cultures... You speak to any mainstream Aussie sports lover and their number #1 criticism of soccer is how often players "dive" fro free-kicks... In Argentina that is celebrated..... A player that can dribble 1/2 the opposition squad is LOVED by his teammates (and the opponents try and kick three shade of shit out of him) but here he is a ball hog and not a team player.... we value different things here thats all. 

My old man got ma a Candy Liverpool top (grey away one) on a trip back to Europe in 1990 and I though I was the king of the world man. Wore it to training EVERY SINGLE session (and I reckon I played 20% better with it on).hahahahahahahah

Oh and the goals in the back yard where between two grape vines but you where screwed if you missed and the ball went into the tomatoes and veggies patch.... hahahah copped many a beating kicking the ball around the back yard with the cousins  :)

yes here the divers etc are called cheats, the dark arts by other nations even I dislike but credit where credit is due, if you can get away with it its a win for the team.
Though don't go as far as biting ears lol.......
Isn't it upside down here, the rugbys/afl they all play dirty tactics and accepted whereas any wrong doing in our game its frowned upon.
Like HTF did this develop, the play acting is sissy whereas abroad called it the Act Of God :)

couldn't agree more

I was just thinking the same thing. You look at any good successful striker and there is an element of selfishness about them. I think we lack a bit of that. It's probably why we see so many foreign strikers doing well in the A-League. They know what they want and aren't afraid to take it. They'll take the shot on goal even when there is only a small gap and a player wide open at the far post to receive a pass. Which often gets results here, because the Aussie defenders and keepers are anticipating the pass.

Its also really strange to me, why it is acceptable in other dinky di sports? Why is that bowlers and fielders in cricket try and influence the umpire with cries of "howzat" at every ball almost or having to introduce a million technological methods of proving a batsmen is LBW or snicked the ball because players wouldn't own up to it.... The infamous under arm ball is a true sense of pride to Aussie ingenuity but middle eastern teams running down the clock to protect a lead is dirty? Or tennis, when a player scrubs a clay court ball mark with his.her foot its "cheeky larrikanism" but a keeper scuffing the penalty spot is a cheat?

#9s and #10s are MEANT to be selfish bastards.... thats written in the laws of the game... well it should be :) 

Growing up, playing in the streets with 40 kids all chasing one ball, you learn pretty quickly that if you wanna get a touch of the ball at all you have to protect it from other players..... Futsal is great for tricks and flicks but doesn't teach the "dirty arts" some of these South American and African players learn at an early age.... 

Agree with Barca  "The kind of players we value will make us proud but the goal scorers and attacking players will win you games"

hey in our current state I have no care what number a selfish player wears haha but yep, selfishness is needed and back yourself, thats the mentality of a winner.

'In our current state', LFC when did Australia produce strikers outside of the Dukes?

I found this reply interesting re. "metre in/metre down" targeting for goalscoring, which I'd not heard of before but it's certainly an intriguing idea: