Credit: The Maracana via Facebook

Jump forward to more recent memory, and the World Cup knockout stages have been dominated by mainly European teams, with the obvious exception of Brazil and Argentina. So what about the Oceanian nations? So far, only Australia and New Zealand have managed to qualify for the group stages and the furthest either of these teams have got in 2006 when Australia reached the last 16, a feat they look unlikely to achieve again next year if you believe the bookies, with the latest football odds putting them at group outsiders at 3/1 to qualify, behind World Cup newcomers Peru.

In a country dominated by both rugby and cricket, it comes as no surprise that the national team is suffering slightly, although if they can emulate their success on these fronts anytime soon, the Socceroos could certainly dominate for years to come. There are signs of improvement within the national team set-up with ‘soccer’ gaining popularity across Australia as a whole host of stars are now plying their trade across the top leagues in Europe: most notably Aaron Mooy at Huddersfield, Matthew Ryan at Brighton and Matthew Leckie at Hertha Berlin.

Despite history being against them, World Cup glory isn’t too farfetched for the Socceroos, they will be relatively happy with the draw that they have been given, particularly the order in which their games come. Australia theoretically play best to worst, France, Denmark and then Peru. Provided that Australia have left themselves within touching distance of qualifying, the Peru match could prove to be an enthralling fixture.
As if things weren’t tough enough, the shock departure of hugely popular first-team coach Ange Postecoglou has added to Australian woes. Postecoglou seemed to have become disillusioned with the FFA short-sightedness and failure to show ambition. Whoever is chosen to succeed Postecoglou will inherit a well-drilled team in an excellent position with apparently little to no World Cup expectations from the FFA – or basically a win-win job!

Credit: Ange Postecoglou via Facebook

If the Socceroos harbour any ambition, they might want to take inspiration from FIFA’s sister tournament, the UEFA European Championships. The Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece and recently Portugal have all won against the odds, albeit not quite as drastically.
There is a lot to be said for attractive attacking football; however, it’s a solid defence where games, and tournaments, are won. ‘Lesser’ teams know they will have to outwit the footballing elite tactically if they wish to progress. In 2016, Portugal only progressed to the knockout rounds via goal difference having drawn all of their three group matches; in fact, they only won one match within 90 minutes en-route to lifting the trophy, which came in a 2-0 win against equally overachieving Wales.
If Australia have any hopes of creating the biggest upset in world football they will not only have to play well, but they will have to play smart. 

Today, we find out more about the A-League’s ‘fab four’ of newcomers. Starting with a major signing for last season’s 4th placed team, a scintillating Scot is the first player up…

Ross McCormack – Melbourne City (loan)
For many years, the club formerly known as Melbourne Heart have been overshadowed by its local rivals, but that could be about to change. Just two days before the transfer window shut, it was City’s turn to brag as they turned on the style and claimed a third win in four away derbies. The 31-year old Aston Villa striker has credentials to burn, and opened his goal scoring account for City the following week in a 1-0 win over Wellington Phoenix.

After transferring from Motherwell to Cardiff nearly a decade ago, McCormack became one of the most consistent strikers in English football. In successive spells with Cardiff, Leeds United and Fulham, he never once slipped below a rate of 1 goal in every 3 games. After being linked to a number of Premier League clubs, his big chance never came, but the £12m sum that moved him to Aston Villa in August 2016 was a reflection of the faith in his talent that still exists.

It is still early days, but the English game in which McCormack is so experienced is without equal when it comes to toughness and resilience. McCormack is no stranger to playing 50+ games a season, and his stamina could be the scourge of the A-League in the coming months. This is reflected in the latest Oddschecker soccer markets, which price McCormack at 10/1 to be the top goal scorer of the 2017/18 A-League.

Massimo Maccarone – Brisbane Roar
After finishing third last season, most Brisbane Roar fans would have expected the club to press on and invest in the attacking department. With Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory in their sights, the free signing of 38-year old Massimo Maccarone raised a few eyebrows in Brisbane.

Though well past his playing prime, Maccarone still knows where the goal is. In two spells with Italian club Empoli he was a true talisman in testing times. As a youngster, his contributions helped Empoli reach the Promised Land of Serie A in 2002, before transferring to Middlesbrough. On his return to Empoli in 2014, he was a key figure in keeping the club in the Italian top flight for two years.

His time at Middlesbrough in the mid 2000s saw him emerge as a cult hero on Teeside, and he was a vital cog in a side that reached the 2006 UEFA Cup final. With Jamie Maclaren now gone from the Roar, a man with unrivalled experience is needed. Encouragingly, Maccarone has already netted his first A-League goal, doing so in a 2-1 home defeat for the Roar to Adelaide United.

Matias Sanchez – Melbourne Victory
As a versatile midfielder and a former Argentina U20 starlet, Sanchez has already captured the imaginations of a fanbase with high expectations after a championship near-miss in 2016/17. Since making his senior debut in 2006 with Argentine club Racing Club de Avellaneda, he has become a seasoned journeyman across the top flight of his native Argentina.

Standing 1.73m tall, Sanchez offers a good turn of pace, much of which can be attributed to his low centre of gravity. In turn, he also offers the mobility necessary to act as a ‘midfield’ engine and make the most of his technical ability on the ball. If nothing else, the mere fact that Sanchez once shared a youth dressing room with Sergio Aguero and Angel Di Maria gives him a degree of menace, regardless of whether or not he is in form.

Adrian Mierzejewski – Sydney FC
Breaking in to a title-winning squad is no mean feat, especially given the margin by which Sydney became A-League premiers in 2016/17. Yet, with 40 caps for Poland, Sydney’s brand new hitman Adrian Mierzejewski already looks the part next to Milos Ninkovic in a partnership that blends strength and skill. Arguably his greatest weapon is the ability to finish calmly in one-on-one situations.

Unlike most other A-League players, Mierzejewski has playing experience in European club competitions, having made multiple appearances in the UEFA Europa League with Trabzonspor earlier this decade. Having already played against some of Europe’s finest players, Mierzejewski also comes into the A-League after three years of playing in Saudi Arabia. Ultimately, this could be crucial for Sydney, with the club preparing to embark on a continental odyssey of its own in 2018. It is, arguably, this last point which distinguishes him from the marquee signings of the other three clubs.

Although the 2017/18 season is in its infancy, Sydney FC are already climbing the table with the haste of true champions, and Mierzejewski has every chance of being the next cult icon in Australian football.

Author bio
Tamhas Woods is a sports and betting writer with many years of experience in producing articles based around soccer analysis.

While there will be little doubt the Italian and his team will be fully focused on the rest of this season, the decision-makers at Stamford Bridge are believed to be busy planning for next year. A number of world class players have been linked with Chelsea in recent weeks, and the club’s Premier League rivals will be rightly concerned as to just how much stronger Conte’s side are going to be next season. 

Here are three ambitious but achievable transfer targets Chelsea are expected to be aiming to land this summer. 

Romelu Lukaku: Three years after leaving Stamford Bridge, Lukaku is on the verge of making a return to the club he first signed for as an 18-year old. Having made it clear to Everton that he won’t be signing a new contract in the summer, the prolific forward has been linked with a £70 million move back to West London. Despite never making it at Chelsea during his three-year stay, where he spent two seasons out on loan, Lukaku has proven himself to be one of European football’s best strikers, scoring 64 league goals in just 134 appearances. Currently top of the Premier League goalscoring charts, Lukaku has betting odds of 11/10 to end the campaign as the division’s top goalscorer.  

“Romelu Lukaku Chelsea” (CC BY 2.0) by Wshjackson

Dele Alli: Playing League One football just two years ago, Alli has enjoyed a remarkable rise to the top of English football since signing for Spurs from the MK Dons. Having made a seamless transition into the Premier League, it wasn’t long before international recognition came Alli’s way. Now a key part of both Tottenham and England’s midfield, the 20-year-old appears to be the latest Spurs player destined to test the club’s resolve when Europe’s biggest names come calling. While Real Madrid have been linked with the youngster, Chelsea are expected to make a very serious move for Alli at the end of this season, and Spurs could well have a battle on their hands to keep their star man. 

“MK Dons Vs Barnsley” (CC BY 2.0) by joshjdss

Alexis Sanchez: With just over a year left on his contract but having insisted he isn’t looking to leave London, there has been a growing amount of talk regarding a potential shock deal for Sanchez to move to Chelsea in the summer. Playing in a team that have again failed to last the pace both domestically and in Europe, the Chilean star has looked an increasingly desolate figure during the second half of the season. While the Gunners will be desperate to tie down Sanchez to a new deal, they will be dreading the possibility of having to explain to their fans why they have sold the club’s best player to one of their biggest rivals. 

Manager Jose Mourinho is not just having problems on the pitch, he has been sent off from the touchline twice already in the campaign and is set for another spell in the stands.
Here are five players who can help rescue United’s season once the transfer window opens in January:

Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid

Frenchman Antoine Griezmann has been linked with a move to Old Trafford for a number of transfer windows now. The Atletico forward has scored 66 goals in the last three seasons for his club and has been one of the key reasons why the Spanish club have been able to compete with the likes of local rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona in La Liga and the Champions League.

“Grizzi” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by xavnal
 
Griezmann was named as the player of the tournament at Euro 2016 last summer where he was also the top goalscorer with nine goals as the hosts reached the final but were beaten by Portugal in extra time. If Mourinho was able to persuade the French international to join his fellow compatriot Paul Pogba at United, it would be a huge coup for the Reds boss.

Leonardo Bonucci – Juventus

One of the priorities Mourinho will be keen to address as early as possible in his team in his back four. They have leaked goals all season and the injury to Eric Bailly has left them short of real quality in the defensive line.

Bonucci is regarded as one of the best defenders on the planet. He has excelled with Juventus in recent seasons and also caught the eye of many at Euro 2016 where he was very solid for Italy.

“Euro 2016, Bonucci a L’Equipe: ”Sì, fac” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by NazionaleCalcio

The 29-year-old may cost up to £50 million, but Mourinho may see that as a small price to pay to secure the services of the Italian in January.

Ivan Rakitic – Barcelona

via GIPHY

Croatia international Ivan Rakitic has been linked with a move away from Barcelona in the near future and that is likely to prompt the interested of a flurry of clubs who will be keen to secure his signature.

Rakitic joined the Spanish giants in 2014 from Sevilla. In that time he has gone on to win La Liga twice, the Copa del Ray and the Champions League. The busy midfielder can add a real touch of quality to any side in the world. He is exactly the player Mourinho would love to have in the heart of his team. The 28-year-old is not a prolific goalscorer himself but he offers much more than goals and would help transform this struggling United side.

Heading into the tournament, the state of the game in Australia was the topic of much discussion among fans, commentators and players but the overriding reaction was largely positive. In fact, after witnessing the passionate fans and impressive performances, Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic praised the development of the game.

“Australian soccer is progressing and improving every year, we know it’s not the favourite sport here, but nevertheless it’s growing,” said the Bosnian pro.

This positive review was quickly buoyed by a stunning performance by Melbourne Victory in the final game of the International Champions Cup. Despite the Aussie side lining up against last season’s Champions League runners-up, Nick Ansell shocked the crowd with a powerful header in the 44th minute.

Although against the run of play, Melbourne’s solitary goal was enough to clinch the game and a memorable victory for Kevin Muscat’s players.

Aussie Soccer Reaching Fever Pitch

“Yellow galore, Australia supporters, Asi” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by  Doug Beckers 

Of course, a few compliments and a pre-season win over a European side aren’t enough to cause a soccer revolution across Australia, but they are certainly signs that the sport is gaining some traction. In fact, when you look around the industry, a number of markers suggest that Australia is now becoming a soccer nation.

According to Topend Sports, soccer currently ranks as the seventh most searched for sport among Australians while it doesn’t even make it into the top ten list for the most participants. While this would suggest a certain amount of apathy towards the sport, a report by Football Federation Australia has found that participation rates have increased by 7% over the last two years.

Owing to the success of the national side in the Asian Cup and the World Cup, more Aussies are now playing soccer and that’s leading to growth across the industry. Indeed, as well as fans tuning in to watch the game, punters are now looking to soccer as a legitimate betting activity.

The Growth of an Industry

“Puma” (CC BY 2.0) by  Dawn Huczek 

While betting on horses, cricket and AFL have always been popular, soccer hasn’t captured the imagination of the masses in the same way. In contrast to European betting markets where soccer betting is hugely popular, Aussies aren’t as enthused about speculating on the Hyundai A-League.

However, as the popularity of the sport grows, soccer betting platforms offering news, results and expert insights should all start to welcome more visitors. Indeed, inside bet365’s soccer betting portal, the casual punters can not only get daily insights into the Premier League and Champions League, but all the latest updates from Australia’s top teams.

While soccer might not ever become the leading sport in Australia, there is certainly evidence to suggest that its popularity is on the up. Thanks to improved performances on the pitch, greater access to information and betting options and more people playing the game, soccer is enjoying a revival across the country and that’s great news for Aussie sport as a whole.