Thing is in all three games the opposition parked the bus. Very hard to play against especially when the coach insists on a 433 with wing play. If Arnie was managing that team would have sent on another tall striker with 20 mins to go in a 442 and told the team to hit the long ball. Antiquated football but we would have eeked out some better results. 

I feel we can save our pretty football for the olympics if we qualify. Just do what u need to do to get there with the players available

I was looking at our previous underage teams and comparing them. There is a 19 year old named Dylan Scicluna who spent a decade at Wolves and is coming off the bench regularly for WSW. Anyone have any idea at what he’s like?

Isnt he playing for wsw?

Yeah I said that.

He hasnt played enough for me to confidentally assess him and there are a lot of players getting more game time at his age. My loose impression of him is that he looks skillful but no matter what position he plays in he looks out of position for some reason. 

One way we could improve - all this concern about not being able to break down a determined defensive minded team. You know where u face desperate teams regulaty? If u have relegation. Might be a long way away before we get p and r mind u

Who would they put in place of Vidmar? who had most to gain from the team missing out on the Olympics?

That post aged well. 

hehe there is always posters who know everything then eat their own poop.
Unfortunately I can't see many who make the grade looking ahead in the first place incl those wonders that are missing or not picked.

If only Irankunda was picked we would have won every game 5 nil.

Didnt watch any of the games, just highlights... No goals in 3 matches against fairly tame opposition says it all... Same woes as the senior team, we NEED someone that can finish... anyone.... please... 

If the media cared there would be pressure on vidmar to leave 

He's right to compliment our past performances. Sure Oceania qualification was easier than Asia but in 1992 we had to knock out the Netherlands in an inter-continental play-off to get to Barcelona. The last minute Ned Zelic goal to get us through in Holland was an absolute stunner
1988 Seoul Olympics, before it was U23, we beat Yugoslavia and Nigeria in the group and made the quarter-finals.
1992 Barcelona Olympics, the first time limited to U23 (+ 3 overage players),  we made the semi-finals

BPO'd the fuck out of everyone though.

I watched the first 2 matches although it's intimated above that the 'trolls' (I'm in that list I'd be pretty confident in saying) didn't even watch the matches but just want to hack down our tall poppies and I'm telling you it was cod ordinary.

And let's be fair. If we can't make it out of the group we don't deserve to be there. Indonesia particularly have done well.

At least the Matildas are there and might win a game..

To not score a single goal is completely unexceptable, huge questions should be on the preparation, player selection and approaches to the matches and why this lead to probably the worst campaign we ever had in Asia since we joined in 2006 at all levels.

Let's see what the 'disruptor' Ernie Merrick will do what it and if he will anyone accountable, doubt it because there is too many weak people running the sport that dont care for the sport and only care for themselves!

What a s***show and a bad look on Aus football! 

And I feel sorry for the players as some of them have produced better in the a-league, but they and the overall system will come under fire and not the coaching and overall process.

And that's the problem, adequate coaching at all levels in Oz football like we need to go back to the old long ball days simply because we cant break down a deep block...

I know, I know... I repeat myself over and over and over again... The Aleague is played in the same way, its not these players fault, they play the same way at club land as they do in the NT... When they play against nations with variety to their structure, that dont mind coughing up possession for large chunks of the game, who dont  press the prescribed mid/high line, who man mark and don't zone their defensive lines our lads cant break the shackles of their "training".

Its why Aleague graduates (and NPL dont worry Im not discriminating) only find mediocre success overseas at certain leagues and absolutely bomb at others.... THEY ONLY KNOW HOW TO PLAY ONE WAY!!!!!!!!!

I didnt watch the games but, even without a crystal ball, can describe the side to side passing, the massive ball retention in non-threatening positions, the same old tired ball diagonally over the top without movement in either the central or opposite wing... the lack of central runs, the 17 passes as compared to Qatars 1 pass.... it gets played out over and over again...  

Absolutely spot on.... doubt we will even get a statement from JJ. Just seems like groundhog day regarding these lame tournament exits, nothing is ever learnt and no one is ever held accountable.

Let's see how Irankunda goes OS. Garang has better stats in the A league at a similar age which is the only real comparison you can make. He hasn't played much since leaving which is also likely to happen to Nestory. Nestory himself has struggled this season until Mauk came back. He really thrived when Goodwin (previously) and Mauk feeds him.

Bloody hell. Shots fired. When I said we'll have to wait and see how he goes I got piled on.

Balin Trev incoming. And bbuoy (I think).

You're a brave man.

Just by the by. Indonesia have 275 million people at their disposal, a bunch of their players have played dozens of matches for the NT and it's their number 1 sport. And I think I heard they suspended their domestic comp to free up players for this tournament.

Smacks of absolute arrogance to say we should have easily beat them. They hammered Jordan 4-1. They're clearly a decent side.

I actually don't think you could fairly assess Garang from this tournament. For the first two games he only got on after the opposition were continually lying on the ground. In the last he looked ok without being a standout until he took a heavy head knock.  However, I'm keen on both Garang and Irankunda to have great careers. I'm sick of us all referring to who the next Harry Kewell is. I want people to ask in the future who is the next Garang Kuol or who is the next Nestory Irankunda in the same way as people of my generation of the question about the next Harry Kewell.

I was talking about how you said we'll have to wait and see how Irankunda goes in Europe.

Well he has done nothing yet. Happy for him (and the Socceroos hopefully) if he does well

agree pj but thats the point, we keep or lets agree going back to HK /Dukes and even some of the others back then - I/we getting old so are they but it shows we keep waiting,waiting,waiting,waiting.
Been a long time and I actually get sick of hearing wait till this kid makes it as well ! he's the best ever same age as xyz the last 10/15yrs and to date !

Hard to believe they wouldn’t have scored at least ONCE with Irankunda playing though 

I think Muz ‘s comment was ‘tongue in cheek’ ! (At least I hope it was).

Youth results arent correlated well with long term success. Our worst results in the 90s-early00s during that purple patch of youth developmemt was sydney 2000. Have a look at that squad! Our best result was to make a youth world cup final, a squad which made up the missing generation

That doesnt mean im not gutted, i love the olympics, badly wanted to qualify, but youth tournaments wont define them.