Here are a few you-tube vids I found that should create some raging discussions on here, but I for one have to admit that the video's make a compelling argument. As a born and raised Australian I was quite happy to believe that we were robbed out of the game since it was posted in every paper and discussed to no ends in every talk show, but after reviewing these video's and then watching the game it's true that we only had 2 real threatening chances on net and then even with a man advantage Italy created more dangerous plays. I guess it's hard to be humbled, but we weren't really robbed of anything. Watch the video's then please comment below:
Lucas Neill on Grosso short version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbbYI61ymDE
Lucas Neill on Grosso Full Version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS6Wqt00gTc
Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uN7Upl-_zw
Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhDV5kajBP0
I'm trying to be as objective as possible, so here is what I think helped influence the thoughts of many of us Australians. For one, we aren't very Soccer aware to begin with so when Hiddink took over our team there was a lot of talk about how great of a coach he was and that he beleived he could take us far into the World Cup was something that we all wanted to hear. A couple of games in and he already had our boys shaped up quite well and playing a good 90 minutes of soccer with full on intensity, something that us Aussies are truly proud of. So it's easy to forget how badly we were outplayed by the Italians in the first half because we never gave up and ran our hearts out and tried to get as much possession as we could, though they were easily creating the better chances. When they went down to 10 men from the admittedly debatable red-card we poured on the pressure but still only managed one true goal scoring chance. Near the end of the match it's true that they had the better chances, but then after skinning Bresciano Grosso tries to do the same to Neill and within a split second there was a penalty called and we were out. The disappointment was overwhelming and when that happens it's human nature to look for a scapegoat and because Neill denied doing what he did we all wanted to believe that he never tripped Grosso. Sadley the clips above show that there was contact and Fifa rules state that contact made with a player before contact is made with the ball is a penalty when it happens within the box. Players also are responsible for their body parts at all times. Neill probably didn't try to trip Grosso, but he was reckless in his tackle and therefore is responsible for the loss. I wouldn't blame Neill, and I think we gave it all we had and we weren't going to do much more after that. This is what I truly believe. We have to be realistic. Italy was much better technically than us and were very comfortable with their one man deficit. We ran our hearts out but we never really threatened them. To get better as a nation I think we need to understand our strengths and our weaknesses and go from there. If we can, we can get better. We don't want to play a boring Pom style soccer for the rest of our existance do we? Na I say!!
On a side note I also thought this was sort of funny. Nike hasn't lost a chance to take advantage of the way the majority of us Australians felt after the match by creating the no dive t-shir:
![Image]()
Except I find it funny that our own hero John Aloisi dove to win the penalty and lone goal vs Ghana a few weeks back:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muIdH3LYlpo
Innit funny how Murphy's Law works at times?
Tee totally embodies legend of the fall
Email Print Normal font Large font Anthony Stavrinos
November 12, 2006
Christian Thompson in Leichhardt yesterday.
Photo: Grant Turner/Mediakoo
AdvertisementJUST when you thought it was safe to wipe away the tears and forget the Socceroos' controversial exit from the World Cup finals, along comes a T-shirt to send the bad memories rushing back.
The Italians, playing with 10 men, beat the Socceroos 1-0 in Kaiserslautern through a controversial penalty in stoppage time after the Spanish referee ruled Lucas Neill had brought down Fabio Grosso in the penalty area.
Australians overwhelmingly believed the Italian took a dive.
Now sportswear giant Nike has tapped into that sentiment with the blessing of Football Federation Australia (FFA), producing a T-shirt depicting a footballer in mid-air covered by a circle and diagonal line with the words "No Diving Allowed".
Nike spokeswoman Kate Meyers said the T-shirts, available through retail outlets across Australia, were being produced only for the Australian market.
The global sportswear giant has made a clear departure from its Joga Bonito - Portuguese for "play beautiful" - campaign for this year's World Cup to more aggressively point the finger at one of the game's biggest problems.
"Obviously it's a stronger message, but it's part of what Nike does globally with football," Meyers told The Sun-Herald. "Nike football stands for beautiful football, playing with skill, and on the flip-side, diving is not what we consider to be beautiful football."
She rejected suggestions that the T-shirts could offend some members of the Australian public, including its large Italian community.
"It's certainly not targeting any nationality or national team by any stretch," Meyers said.
"I think most Australians consider that diving is not a good thing in football."
FFA spokesman Stuart Hodge said the T-shirts carried a message consistent with what the FIFA and its president, Sepp Blatter, have been saying, that "there's too much diving or simulation in the game".
Lucas Neill on Grosso short version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbbYI61ymDE
Lucas Neill on Grosso Full Version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS6Wqt00gTc
Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uN7Upl-_zw
Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhDV5kajBP0
I'm trying to be as objective as possible, so here is what I think helped influence the thoughts of many of us Australians. For one, we aren't very Soccer aware to begin with so when Hiddink took over our team there was a lot of talk about how great of a coach he was and that he beleived he could take us far into the World Cup was something that we all wanted to hear. A couple of games in and he already had our boys shaped up quite well and playing a good 90 minutes of soccer with full on intensity, something that us Aussies are truly proud of. So it's easy to forget how badly we were outplayed by the Italians in the first half because we never gave up and ran our hearts out and tried to get as much possession as we could, though they were easily creating the better chances. When they went down to 10 men from the admittedly debatable red-card we poured on the pressure but still only managed one true goal scoring chance. Near the end of the match it's true that they had the better chances, but then after skinning Bresciano Grosso tries to do the same to Neill and within a split second there was a penalty called and we were out. The disappointment was overwhelming and when that happens it's human nature to look for a scapegoat and because Neill denied doing what he did we all wanted to believe that he never tripped Grosso. Sadley the clips above show that there was contact and Fifa rules state that contact made with a player before contact is made with the ball is a penalty when it happens within the box. Players also are responsible for their body parts at all times. Neill probably didn't try to trip Grosso, but he was reckless in his tackle and therefore is responsible for the loss. I wouldn't blame Neill, and I think we gave it all we had and we weren't going to do much more after that. This is what I truly believe. We have to be realistic. Italy was much better technically than us and were very comfortable with their one man deficit. We ran our hearts out but we never really threatened them. To get better as a nation I think we need to understand our strengths and our weaknesses and go from there. If we can, we can get better. We don't want to play a boring Pom style soccer for the rest of our existance do we? Na I say!!
On a side note I also thought this was sort of funny. Nike hasn't lost a chance to take advantage of the way the majority of us Australians felt after the match by creating the no dive t-shir:
Except I find it funny that our own hero John Aloisi dove to win the penalty and lone goal vs Ghana a few weeks back:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muIdH3LYlpo
Innit funny how Murphy's Law works at times?
Tee totally embodies legend of the fall
Email Print Normal font Large font Anthony Stavrinos
November 12, 2006
Christian Thompson in Leichhardt yesterday.
Photo: Grant Turner/Mediakoo
AdvertisementJUST when you thought it was safe to wipe away the tears and forget the Socceroos' controversial exit from the World Cup finals, along comes a T-shirt to send the bad memories rushing back.
The Italians, playing with 10 men, beat the Socceroos 1-0 in Kaiserslautern through a controversial penalty in stoppage time after the Spanish referee ruled Lucas Neill had brought down Fabio Grosso in the penalty area.
Australians overwhelmingly believed the Italian took a dive.
Now sportswear giant Nike has tapped into that sentiment with the blessing of Football Federation Australia (FFA), producing a T-shirt depicting a footballer in mid-air covered by a circle and diagonal line with the words "No Diving Allowed".
Nike spokeswoman Kate Meyers said the T-shirts, available through retail outlets across Australia, were being produced only for the Australian market.
The global sportswear giant has made a clear departure from its Joga Bonito - Portuguese for "play beautiful" - campaign for this year's World Cup to more aggressively point the finger at one of the game's biggest problems.
"Obviously it's a stronger message, but it's part of what Nike does globally with football," Meyers told The Sun-Herald. "Nike football stands for beautiful football, playing with skill, and on the flip-side, diving is not what we consider to be beautiful football."
She rejected suggestions that the T-shirts could offend some members of the Australian public, including its large Italian community.
"It's certainly not targeting any nationality or national team by any stretch," Meyers said.
"I think most Australians consider that diving is not a good thing in football."
FFA spokesman Stuart Hodge said the T-shirts carried a message consistent with what the FIFA and its president, Sepp Blatter, have been saying, that "there's too much diving or simulation in the game".
