Only in football

Only in football can a win be a defeat.

As sort of predicted by me last night, Australia got the win, but it mattered little, because we didn't score enough, and Germany didn't score enough/Ghana didn't win. It was actually heart-wrenching stuff. Comparable to Italy stealing the win against Australia last time. Although I think I actually cried then.

An excellent performance by the Socceroos, I thought. It makes me all the more sadder that we did that badly against the Germans in the first game. Their team isn't even that great. It's just when you're Australia, and you're trying to play defensively, you're usually asking for trouble. Sometimes attack is the best defence. At least then you sort of get to keep the ball, thus keeping it from them i.e. Spain style.

Anyway, the way the Socceroos were playing this morning, they could've taken on almost anybody. The pressing and the passing was all reminiscent of the way they played under Hiddink, when they actually looked like a team.

It's a shame that the golden generation should disband like this. If we had gotten a better coach in/played better against Germany, things might have turned out differently. I mean, the second-placed team in this group, which would've been us, plays the USA. While that's no walk in the park, it's manageable, especially if they play like they played today.

Ifs and buts matter not now. What's done is done. I'm going to miss this generation of Socceroos, and all the great memories that they gave us.

In all seriousness, one of the biggest regrets in my life thus far is not watching the Japan vs Australia game in 2006. All my parents' fault. That game means so much, especially because I missed it. Sigh. I never understood why they used to let me wake up ridiculously early, but not sleep late.

On a side note, I don't know why TAB and all that keep underrating Australia. You'd think that with professionals and stuff, they'd get it right sometimes. Against Ghana, Australia winning was about three times the payout of a Ghana win. Today, similar odds for an Australia win. Australia's not that much worser than Serbia, in my opinion, even before the game. I actually tipped an Australia win. Yeah. Bizarre.

Anyway, I hope a new generation emerges sooner rather than later. Doesn't look promising right now. But then again, a good coach can make a mediocre team good. Take Switzerland for example. I watched them beat Spain. Unbeknown to me, their coach has won, like, everything there is to win. And they played great.

To summarise, good effort lads.

Word of the Day: Socceroos