Half Time Heroes World Cup Bid Failure 2010 by Half Time Heroes

Half Time Heroes Contents Page

CHIPPY BRADY ADVENTURES OF THE BIG D & BUCKLE UP BEN

Con Stamacostas Close, but now Qatar!

WAYNE SNOWDON A-League action tours!

14 18

Cindy Tran interviews Sally shippard

Kieran Pender LaLigaHappenings!

fail, fail, fail, fail,

Kieran Pender dodgy decisions

10 12

BEN HALLS

FOREST BRAZIL US Soccer update

Glenn Siever is in Mariner Wonderland

Fail, fail, fail, fail,

MAD!

When David Beckam came to town

A-League Ammageddon!

NAT ADAMOPOULOS The Phoenix Cup

Half Time heroes Dodgy Back Page

The editor makes a comment.. Hello football fans and welcome to the Kieran Pender continues on with our World Cup Failure Edition of Half Time World CUP bid failure theme and he also Heroes. reviews the Classico that was recently played between Barcelona and Real MaThis month Half Time Heroes is a place drid. where the peoples of Australia, England and the USA It’s not just us Aussies pissed: Ben Halls can unite together as one is a mad Englishman and group of embarrassed losers Forest Brazil is a pissed off after all three of us missed Yank. Page 12 and 14. out on hosting the World Cup. The 2011 Womens’ World Cup was launched last Modernity has us all fussed over week, Cindy Tran caught success but why shouldn’t we celup with Matilda Star Sally ebrate failure with such gusto as Shippard, she talks about well? her Asian Cup winning year as the preparation starts to build for GerPerhaps we could start by burning car- many next year. toon Kangaroo effigies? I’m sure that would have some therapeutic effects. Nat Adamopoulos updates the action in the Phoenix Cup an annual Tournament The fallout from the indecision has been in Adelaide, that has been organised to outstanding with calls to sack people for offer people with disabilities the oppornot bribing other people with enough tunity to participate, enjoy and experibribes. ence the World Game. The excuses have also been outstanding with my favourite being that Australia was too honest. Really did we lose the bid because we were not dodgy enough? C’mon! This land was built on dodginess Convicts anyone? Ned Kelly? Stolen Jumbucks!! C’mon Australia we routinely steal people and horses from New Zealand. We coulda stole the World Cup. (Ohh shit that cartoon Kangaroo did)

Glenn Siever is in Mariner Wonderland and don’t forget Wayne Snowden’s cartoons, they feature on the Front Cover page 11, 12 and 19. Finally re-live Australia’s World Cup bid with special celebrities that have no football history and a cute yet damaging cartoon Kangaroo on page 6.

What’s that skip? A short fat bald man Anyway I hope you enjoy our homage to that looks like the penguin from Batman failure. Be sure to check out the final in- Returns has given the 2018 and 2022 stalment of the hilarious Adventures of World Cup’s to Russia and Qatar! the Big D (Andrew Demetriou) and Buckle UP Ben (Ben Buckley). Chippy Brady That’s just bullshit skip, bullshit........ finishes his look at sports administration in Australia as well as having a post WC bid rant. Peace and football. Con

Buckle-up Ben : The final adventureee.... Buckle-up Ben has that SBS tune in his head, “One World, one game, one bid one vote..let’s all play some fudball.” As he steps off a Melbourne tram he’s feeling lighter, taller than ever. He’s on his way to his final meeting with AFL Chief the Big D. Best man at the Big D’s wedding Buckles knows with the Aussie World Cup bid done and dusted he’ll be coming home to AFL or so he thinks? His work is done, and he can’t wait to return. SBS Football Commentator Craig Foster wants him out and others are starting to ask questions.

Buckles walks into AAMI Stadium where he’s due to meet the Big D.Buckles greets his friend who’s already sitting in the corner of a Box sipping coffee. Buckles raises his hands high in the air and proceeds to dance. Slowly at first.

“One World, one game, one bid one vote..let’s all play some fudball, One World, one game, one bid one vote.. let’s all play some fudball.

The Big D joins him and the two end hugging and rolling on the floor. Laughter rings out. Buckles: I did it, we did it. Lost to a desert nation with a million people. Only one vote, that’s all we got! Big D: Did well my friend, very well.

Buckles: Got the bit in about Collingwood in the video presentation; I mean at the FIFA World Cup presentation. Did you love it? Big D: Well I did, but we wanted more Buckles. Where were the Swans, the Gold Coast Suns, the Giant Western Outer Sydney or whatever Sheedy has called them, where were they? Buckles: Couldn’t get them all in, Big D it is FIFA and besides Kate Ellis knew nothing, but the new guy, Mark Arbib he actually likes the game, he was bit suspicious of me! Did you like the presentation – hardly any soccer in it, swimmers, athletes, cycling even dear old AFL. And plastic kangaroos what was that all about. Big D: Noyce

Buckles: Very Noyce, Phillip Noyce actually. So what now when do I come back. Big D: You’re not!

Buckles: The deal, we had a deal. Big D: My hands are tied Buckles, the rest of the AFL, they think you’re tarnished, dirty through soccer. We can’t be seen to bring you back. Besides we’re not completely happy with you. Buckle-up was shattered: What more could I have done. I did everything you asked and more, much more. Big D: We were going to get a heap of compensation, I mean a heap, and also we’d have got sooo many stadiums from the World Cup and many people would have seen North Melbourne v St Kilda. And Qantas, “your” sponsor wouldn’t give up Socceroo rights for AFL. We wanted to kill the soccer revenue stream. You were supposed to sort that, remember? Buckle-up: Okay okay I hear you. But I have one more piece of news. Big D: Go on.

Buckle-up: Qatar, Mohammed Bin Hamman, he’s worse than you, I mean the AFL. He’s such a bully, like you wouldn’t believe. Big D: I like him already. Buckle-up: He wants to meet, something about bringing the AFL Grand Final to Doha. Big D: Where’s that?

Buckle-up: Capital of Qatar. They want to build a replica MCG just for the Grand Final. Big D: Very interesting. How much do we get? Buckle-up: How much do you want. They said name your price. Big D: Good work let’s do it. Buckle-up: Now can I come back? Big D: I’ll think about it.

CHIPPY B:

Chippy is not happy. I mean I love Asia and the whole AFC thing but seriously Mr Bin Greedy known locally as Mohammed Bin Hamman head of the AFC, a Qatari, makes FIFA legend Sepp Blatter look like the mountain village idiot.

Okay Bin Greedy tells the world there is “No collusion” between Spain/Portugal and Qatar. “We’ll just vote for each other,” says the great man. And Sepp doesn’t blink.I’m head of the AFC so I’ll vote for Qatar, I’m a Qatari! Can you make this stuff up? Sepp smiles again! Four Asian nations were voting but Bin Greedy sees no problem voting for his own country.

But his real genius is revealed when you see what he has achieved by mis-use of his AFC Presidency compared to Sepp’s mis-use of his FIFA – more powerful – Presidency. Sepp’s been head of FIFA for so long. But what has he achieved? Never has a World Cup gone to Switzerland, not ever! Have they even bid?They’ve never even thought of an air-conditioned stadium and in winter they need them there I can tell you. And Sepp only has one wife. Mr Bin Greedy is often trailed by three or four beautiful women at AFC events.

And forget those 22 Qatari World Cup stadiums being pulled down for third world nations. AFL might grab a few, but who really believes the others will go to a third world nation. And which third world nation will have the resources to add the infrastructure, roads, sewers, etc etc to actually facilitate the moves. Only Ireland, Portugal or Greece maybe. But Burkina Faso? Good one Mohammed and Sepp believed it.

Oh and if we give you the World Cup you won’t stand against me Bin Hamman, says Sepp. Guess what Sepp – you’re so gone! Which brings me to Ben Buckley. Now Ben is a nice guy, but nice guys don’t win. He admitted just this week that his energies and focus had been split and it was now time to refocus on the A-League. And that’s the problem can Ben really improve the ALeague, the crowds. Compared to John O’Neill what excitement has he given us. Moved into Asia, a new league, great crowds etc all stemmed from O’Neill. Buckley may well have gained more sponsors, one vote, introduced a W-League but can he sell it to us football folk, his achievements, and how has he sold it to the rest of the country – the non football folk.

We’re currently unknown, again, across Australia. Shades of the National Soccer League forming? The best domestic football ever played in Australia and yet the crowds have plummeted. How does that work? Ben flew to Canberra to beg for Socceroos to remain on Fox, he knows the financial repercussions, and if it holds true he’ll have less money to work with not more. We’re in trouble.

Ben’s had a good run, but under his leadership since 2007 we have gone backwards in the key areas, Socceroos crowds, A-League crowds and grassroots support and assistance. Ben has one last speech to convince us he can do it. Fozzie says he should go already. But selling football, selling himself is not his strength. When did he last convince, nay excite you on Fox Sports or SBS. Too often he sounds stumbling, caught in the headlights. This is not the leader this game needs in this country. For most football fans, John O’Neill’s reign excited, new announcements followed, big crowds came. Asia, World Cup entry, Gus Hiddink, Dwight Yorke, Melbourne Grand Finals. Buckley will be remembered for what exactly?

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Close, But now Qatar - Co Not even Close, But now Qatar? Many football pundits and fans have been saying that after Qatar’s name was read by Sepp “The Penguin from Batman Returns” Blatter as the winners to host the 2022 World Cup it felt like the same pain as the Iran game in 19997. As per my nature I disagree. The 1997 World Cup qualifying game against Iran saw the Socceroos slip a 2-0 nil lead after a serial pest ran on the pitch and ripped the net holding up the game for 15mins. The difference between the 1997 and 2010 is that in 1997, Australia was actually in front at one point and it looked like it would win. Regarding the 2022 decision, Australia had no chance. In fact it had Ben Buckleys chance! The ‘Iran Game” incident, as it is commonly referred to now, left me speechless for days. However, the announcement in Zurich has left me saying Qatar!?! Qatar!?! Qatar!?! and other words that phonetically sound like Qatar aimed at Sepp Blatter and his 21 EX-Co mates. The Australian World Cup bid indecision revealed where Australian football stands in the world and in its own country. Such is the Hubris of Australian football that we decided to take on the World instead of taking on our own country. I think the bid team got confused with the concept of Australian Football’s legacy. Someone at the FFA should have made it clear that the WORLD CUP was for Australian Football not the Australian Football league (AFL). Especially with the stadium deal. Spending 45 million on tax payer’s money on Jack Warners wife’s jewellery and boxes of Viagra pills for the other boys was never going to be enough. Next time if Australia want to host a World Cup bid we are going to learn how to bribe some people. For the future a good starting bribe offer would be: ”We promise that Paul “the artful tax dodger” Hogan and a kangaroo cartoon will never feature in World Cup bid video again..... maybe..” Barcelona has just signed a shirt sponsor deal with the non-profit Qatar Association. For 111 years, Barcelona have never had a front shirt sponsor as the colours of the club were too holy or something

on Stamacostas lets rip to cover with banks or betting companies logos. Well, how have times changed particularly when it comes to logos. Barcelona’s deal with the well known Qatar association will see the Catalan club receive, in a lot of white envelopes, 30 million Euro a season up until 2016. One of the rumours of the bidding process was that the Spain /Portugal bid colluded with Qatar. So can we stop calling it a rumour now? The main problem with Australia not getting the World Cup bid is now we have to turn our attention to the A-League and who really wants to do that? Sure the World Cup would have been a great occasion for the country and the world. It would have been front and centre in our football minds and it would have paved over the ALeague cracks for the 12 years leading up to the event . Now people have to actually start working on the A-League and if you worked at Football Federation Australia on the World Cup bid and now you have to transfer to the A-League department that would suck. Instead of organising a breakfast on the Harbour Bridge with Australian WC bid ambassadors like Cathy Freeman and NSW Premier Christine ”vote for me cause I’m hot” Keneally now the FFA suits will have try and figure out how to get crowds back to the A-League and looking at the state of the game, getting Australia the World Cup in 2022 seems an easier task, even with the decision already made to give it to Qatar. The best solution I heard was that Frank Lowy should take out his cobwebbed wallet and start giving the A-League clubs blank cheques. Lowy dollars, Lowy dollars!! Paying supporters to come to the game is a great idea. Football lovers in this country have been fleeced for years. Others are saying that a quick and easy solution would be to hire more football people. Football people it seems have mystical qualities like the tooth fairy and they will be able fix mainstream Australia’s reluctance to care about club football. One way to fix the problem is to get the wogs back. Now that the Anglo’s have gotten bored lets re-unit the football family with a FFA cup. What about a later start to the season that should boost crowds? Should we have more mid week or less mid week games? What about the marquee concept? Anyone still awake?

Inspirational stuff from all involved.

Kieran Pender

A world cup bid dodgy decision

A showcase of mammoth importance, designed to answer one of the most important questions in global football. Global sport and politics even. The question? Which country will host the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups. The response, however, has only raised more questions than it answered. The FIFA executive committee, a group of extremely powerful men from around the world, decided on the hosts and in doing so highlighted the fundamental flaw in the bidding process. South Korea and Japan, two nations that co-hosted the 2002 World Cup and should have little hope of holding it again only 20 years later, received 4 and 3 votes respectively. Australia received just one.

tial to unravel Qatar’s ability to host the event.

Intense heat (above 40 degrees in summer), the extremely high cost associated with hosting the event, and political issues involved with bringing an event to the Middle Eastern region.

Iconic Australian football figure Les Murray is damming of the bid, claiming “That Qatar should hold the World Cup is a notion that borders on the ludicrous. If you are going to take the World Cup to new lands, why not take it to Australia? FIFA is in big trouble. Nobody will believe that Qatar won this process legitimately.”

“That Qatar should hold the World

Furthermore, Qatar’s dependence on gas and oil reserves for a successful economy leaves them in a position vulnerable to market change. A crisis could unravel their wealth and leave them struggling to build the required infrastructure.

The committee is all powerful Cup is a notion that borders on the and holds complete control ludicrous. If you are going to take over World Cup bidding, yet the World Cup to new lands, why are loyal to money and power not take it to Australia?’ politics. Judging a potential Les Murray host nation on its ability to successfully hold the biggest sporting event in the world Finally, Martin Samuel, writing should be a prerequisite, yet it appears as if loyalties for English newspaper the Daily Mail, perfectly laid and cash hold the biggest sway. England, the so-called out the main flaw in the 2022 World Cup decision. ‘home of football’, scored full marks in an analysis of “So forget England’s humiliation for a moment and their ability to host the tournament, and has world consider this: up against Qatar for 2022, Australia got class stadiums along with passionate general public. one vote. They were the only country that proved less Put simply, England would be an excellent choice of popular than England, eliminated at the first stage hosts and could probably hold the event tomorrow if in their bidding process. The country that hosted the need be. Yet they received a mere two votes from the greatest Olympics ever, in Sydney in 2000; a country Ex Co. that is defined by its love for sport and its prowess against all odds. This is the country that has missed A British television investigation into corruption in out, so that the World Cup can be played in a state FIFA also led to disdain amongst the group, despite with a population of 1.7 million that has never qualithe attempts of Panorama to expose the dishonesty fied for the tournament.” that football’s global body vows to repulse. These issues were problematic on their own, yet The World Cup bidding process and eventual deciArabic news organisation Al Jazeera’s reporting of the sion has raised more questions than answers, and will results almost an hours before they were officially further undermine the legitimacy of FIFA. While an announced only added to the intense scrutiny on FIFA. Australian-orientated article would obviously focus Although only a minor detail, and reports now claim on Qatar’s success, serious problems also exist in the they were tipped off by a member of the Qatari royal 2018 bidding results. family, it is a damming problem when combined with the corruption seemingly inherent in the top level of World football’s primary body now faces a rocky road world football. as it looks to regain a level of credibility. The eventual outcomes could have a fundamental impact on the While bringing the biggest sporting event in the future of football and profoundly change the way FIFA world to a country with less than two million people is viewed. Over to you Qatar, Russia and FIFA. The ball has its obvious flaws, other issues also have the potenis in your half now.

Wayne Snowdon

Ben Halls

sucks it up for england

http://thebenhallsblog.blogspot.com/

I must be calm. I must not commit libel. I must not give Con an apoplexy. I must... oh sod it. Hey FIFA, screw you too buddy! You know what, I can accept England not getting the World Cup. I really can. I know that English football, what with all its money and global success, is loathed by FIFA. I can begrudgingly accept that regardless of the fact that the British media have spent the last two years exposing corruption deep within FIFA’s secretive ranks, we were an outside bet at best.

For me, giving a nation the World Cup should be about three things above all else – helping the local economy, leaving a legacy and show-

Hey FIFA, screw too buddy!

Somewhere deep down, I can even muster some justification that Russia is probably a good home for a World Cup as the construction of the infrastructure needed to host the tournament will be a massive boost. Maybe some of that oligarch money will wind up in Russian football rather than the English game.

There are some eternal truths in sport – the FIA will always side with Ferrari, Floyd Mayweather will never shut his trap, Dimitar Berbatov will never move at a pace more elevated than a jog and FIFA will not give England a World Cup for a good few decades yet. In a strange way, I’m almost glad we didn’t get the World Cup. I’m pissed off, sure, but I would much rather live in a country that exposed the corruption which runs through FIFA than live in one who took part in the underhand dealings.

Why yes, by the way, the view from my pedestal is marvellous and my whiter-than-white coat is keeping me nice and warm. Trinidad & Tobago in 2008? Don’t know what you’re on about. Could you pass me a prawn sandwich? What I can’t accept, though, is the simply bizarre decision to give the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.

ing that a country’s society is progressive and tolerant. Like it or lump it, giving a country a World Cup is much more of a statement than simply choosing a place to hold a kick about. Qatar’s selection showed total disregard for these tenants. Saying their economy needs a boost is a bit like saying Messi needs to learn a few things before he becomes a decent player.

Meanwhile, most of the stadia that they are building for the tournament will be torn down after the tournament and dolled out as scrap. The one thing that bugs me about the Qatar 2022 tournament more than anything else, though, (aside from the fact that the country tolerates homosexuality with jail time and lashes) is the fact that it is highly likely that the kafala system will be used in the construction process. I

’ll hit my word count pretty quick if I go into it in detail so give it a Google, but the flashpoint you need to know is that Qatar has about 500,000 kafala construction workers and the laws governing them have phrases like ‘people trafficking’ and ‘slave labour’ banded about them by both Amnesty International and the US State Department. In other

news, I now feel awfully dirty for using the phrase ‘flashpoint.’

Oh, and lets not forget a basic feasibility test here – it is 45+ degrees in the summer in Qatar! What are they going to do, play all the games at night? The most baffling thing about the selection was the decision to overlook both Australia and the USA. Here you have two countries with well set up leagues (MLS’ stupid draft system aside) which need a real boost to get international recognition.

w you better choice.

A World Cup hosted in either of these countries – countries with strong footballing economies and obvious opportunities to leave long lasting legacies – would have been a much more logical, sensible and generally

More importantly, another USA-based World Cup could have finally pushed ‘soccer’ above Ice Hockey as the nation’s ‘fourth’ sport. In-

stead, FIFA stuck to their guns and went with nations interested in politicking, choosing two countries whose names have popped up more often than not in the FIFA corruption that the British media have been exposing with alarming regularity. It makes me sick. It makes me angry. It makes me lose faith in the game. FIFA preach respect while their delegates whore their World Cup votes to the highest bidder. They shunned England’s bid because we dared use the power of the free press against them. With MLS on the verge of hitting the big time, they shun the league for a meaningless tournament in the Middle East which will leave no legacy. After Australia’s 2010 heartfelt passion and heroics, they gave them one measly vote.

FIFA holds a stranglehold over the footballing world because they are above the law, accountable to nobody. If IOC members acted in the way FIFA delegates do, they’d be expelled. If a businessmen acted like FIFA delegates do, they’d be in prison. The jokes will be back in my next piece. There is nothing funny about what happened in Switzerland this month.

forest brazil US SOCCER UPDATE USA Hosts World Cup In 1994 and ... Yes, I am biased in my frustration of USA not getting a second time to host the World Cup. It seemed all the pieces were in place for it to happen. We had people of name that I had no idea were aware of the existence of soccer, throwing their support behind the bid. It is commonly known all the stadiums are plentiful and more than adequate for matches. With the States having such a mix of nationalities no matter where a nation plays there is sure to be support without fans having to come directly from their home nation. Summers can be intense in some areas of the country, but we’re not talking middle east hot in the summers. The only down side is the size of the country, with distances to different venues a decent plane ride away, whereas smaller nations considerably less. One can only wonder what kind of momentum the World Cup would have garnered. In ‘94 the professional league had just started and the average person on the street didn’t know the first thing about the game, not nearly seeing a jersey in sight in public. Fast forward to present and the MLS is in full swing and attracting European players, and giving young American talent a viable option rather than losing them to leagues in Scandinavia and similar nations on the financial scale. People Stateside now know the latest goings on in the soccer world, and jerseys can be found being worn very commonly throughout. Soccer (Futbol) can be found on T.V. at all times from all major leagues. It does annoy me to think of all the kids who will now be playing baseball or foot-

ball because the World Cup didn’t arrive when it should have. I do believe that the USA were a bit overconfident in thinking it was a done deal, myself included. I think the World Cup should have followed at bit more traditional route for the next few cycles at least. So with the Yanks not getting it, a European host of history should have received it, with the likes of England, Spain, or Holland and Belgium being the main choices other than Russia or Qatar. Then maybe try an experimental new country like we had in South Africa. The part that unfortunately seems to follow soccer more than other sports is the association of corruption. Recent allegations that suddenly FIFA executives bank accounts have grown, new cars appearred in drive ways and things of that nature. I do hope the Cup in Qatar goes as well as possible. With actually the size of the country being a good thing for getting to different stadiums in shorter times than the country that is hosting four years before they do. Plus they seem to be a very soccer-driven nation. There are many obstacles and misconceptions that need to be addressed, with summers in the Middle East not being the most welcoming to people with fair skin, and playing in such temperatures quite a serious matter as well. The handling of hooligans from different parts of the globe would be a new challenge. Perhaps with the amount of time till the cup arrives,and the financial means they have, those questions can be addressed.

When David Beckham went to Newcastle

Pics by John Turton/ Courtesy of Goal! Weekly

Glenn Siever is in A Mariner Wonderland Sometimes in life a thing comes along that takes you by surprise. Sometimes the surprise is good, other times it is bad. Hal 6 has provided a surprise for me. That surprise for me has been Graham Arnold. GA was the coach of the Northern Spirit a club I followed in the old NSL. He was poor, very poor and openly admits this today. However life was kind to GA, so when Frank Farina wanted an assistant coach for the Socceroos he choose his old mate Arine. We all know the story of how GA was put in charge of the Socceroos, the Asian cup, then the Olympic team, and so the story just continues to grow. Then assistant coach to Guus & Pim. Arguably Australia’s most unemployable coach. Then out of the blue, GA is coach of my beloved Mariners. Other fan forums laughed at us, the Mariners fans forum was a buzz with “Arnold Out”. To my amazement however, the quality of play has never been higher, we play out from the back. The level we play is also quite high in a tactical sense. We play 442 with the outside mids playing in the inner channel with the wide backs moving forward playing in the outer channel. We don’t defend the sideline, given the size of our midfield we pack the centre of the park and defend the centre of the park.

role as defensive mid from when he came as a central defender, again improving each week. Most pleasing has been for me anyway has been the growing confidence of Amini. At 17 this kid, if he keeps improving, will be a Socceroo. His touch is sublime at times, but at just 17, and a young 17 with heaps of growing still to do in speed and strength he is amazing to watch. GA has handled Amini in a clever way never over playing him. When he is getting monstered he replaces him. Most games around 60 minutes and he is off. Each week he brings a little more out of his natural skill and vision. More recently GA has lifted his confidence to the point were he is starting to show aggression in his play which was missing in his early games. My gut feeling is we will be lucky to see this kid much past his 18th, maybe 19th birthday. If you get the chance go and see this kid play, he is worth the price of your ticket. Others to watch in Arnie’s nursery are Oliver Bozanic 20, Trent Sainsbury 18, Marc Warren 18, also a smokie for the Asian cup, Joshua Rose, who has never played better. For me, I expected the worse and have been pleasantly surprised at what GA has done without losing, as I said, that surfie spirit of the blue water people on the coast. So Merry Christmas from the Coast!

The surprise has been has been how lets us all sing… a side with 12 changes to the squad has come together so well and so skil- Slay bells ring are you are listening, fully without sacrificing that surfie spirit of the blue water people. Most A beautiful sight, pleasing has been watching the five under-22 players develop their game. Walking in a Mariner Wonderland! Matt Ryan in goals is growing in confidence and skill each week. Griffiths’ http://www.youtube.comwatch?v=JE8D52xD4uw

Wayne Snowdon

survives the

Australian football writer

Cindy Tran

Asian Cup winner and Matild on 2012. Are you looking forward to the Women’s World Cup next year? Yes of course! We went to a function recently, where some of the German representatives came over from Germany. They sort of took us through what the hotels and venues were going to look like. So it was exciting and it really got the ball rolling. We sort of know what to look forward to and what to expect, assuming we make the team.

Sally Shipard will long be remembered as the youngest female footballer to ever represent Australia during the 2004 Olympic Games. After winning Australia’s first female Asian football title at the recent Asian Cup, the 23-year-old believes football will continue to grow in the country. Although, the festive season is fast approaching, Shipard has high hopes for 2011. I was fortunate to speak to Sally about Australia’s success at the Asian Cup, their World Cup draw, her club [Canberra United], and her thoughts on Australia missing out on hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. What was the feeling around the team after winning Australia’s first Asian Cup football title in China this year? It was incredible and it’s always nice to beat the boys at something. We were pretty stoked to be the first Australian side to be crowned Asian champions. I mean, to live in that fashion and to qualify for the World Cup next year is pretty special as well. Which team did you find to be the most difficult opposition at the Asian Cup? We faced North Korea in the finals and we beat Japan in the semi finals, but they’re all pretty tough matches. I guess, having not actually beaten North Korea in that final, would mean they were the strongest team we came across. But when you’re playing in the Asian team, they’re all pretty tough. You were the youngest female footballer to represent at the Olympic Games in 2004. Will you be playing at the next Olympic Games? Well hopefully. We’ve got the World Cup next year, which we all have our sights set on. We come home a couple of weeks after that and then we start preparing for the Olympic qualifiers. I would love to be there in London in 2012 and I would have loved to have been there in Beijing but we didn’t qualify so of course my sight is set

Australia was drawn alongside Brazil and Norway for the 2011 Women’s WC. What do you think Matildas would have to do in preparation towards then? We were chatting about this during the function. Obviously, it’s still 6 to 7 months away and we don’t want to get too caught up on it now. But I guess the W-League season by all of us girls will certainly enhance our chances of selection for the World Cup squad. The preparation for Matildas will start in February or March of next year and obviously it will kick on from there. It is our minority to work out what we need to be doing, what do we have in mind to play and what system. Honestly, all we could really do is make sure that we’re fit and healthy and we’re ready for the World Cup which I have no doubt that we will be. Do you think the Matildas feel pressured now after being drawn in the same group with Brazil? I don’t think there was any pressure. We think it gives us good attention to face a team like Brazil, especially in the first game. I guess, we can always hope that the team with high expectations like Brazil would start the tournament a bit slower or we catch them off guard in terms of the first games. All we could really expect is that each game we play, it’s going to be hard and it honestly doesn’t matter at that level of tournament of who we’re playing. How did you feel when Australia missed out on hosting the 2022 World Cup? It was devastating. To think that we only got one vote in the end after everyone was speaking so highly about the chances of actually hosting the 2022 World Cup. It was really disappointing but you can only move on from here and there’s no point looking back and wondering “what if?” because it’s not going to happen. It was just a learning experience in regards to football being able to continue to grow in Australia and would increase the Australian football world wide. I think Australia will be fine. If Australia did win the bid to host the 2022 WC. What changes would you like to see in the build up towards the 2022 WC?

Half Time Heroes exclusive interview with da’s Star Sally Shipard Perhaps the stadiums and really just concentrating on the grass roots, in terms of football. Also, kids will develop and grow to become footballers that could contribute for the rest of the world. That would be a focus I guess. I guess it’s a matter of “what if?” in terms of it not actually happening. In terms of the world cup to be held here in the future, it would major football and the tournaments, and making sure we have the right facilities and stuff like that. With any sport, everyone jumps on the band wagon, it’s quite easy especially the previous World Cups or when a team is successful, everyone’s awareness increases. We haven’t done a phenomenal thing for football in Australia, again I don’t think it would hinder the gross of the game at all in terms of participartion from kids. In terms of kids starting from a grass root level, is something that we’re really focusing on. Do you think the Women’s League is a great idea to increase females in male dominated sports? Absolutely, it’s a great way to increase pathways for young girls who identify that they want to be one. To be playing for their country or their local team and just to see the girls out on the pitch, week in and week out, there’s a televise match here every Saturday at 3pm on ABC 1. To give these young girls pleasure, and show them that it is possible that they can be doing this and they could be playing football. Everyone knows that females do play football here in Australia but it’s making young girls realise that if they do have that dream to play for Australia, then they can come through and this is the way they can do it. The W-League would provide some sort of stepping-stones for that to happen.

What would your advice be to young female players who want to take on football? My advice would be, you have to ultimately 100% enjoy what you do. Within enjoyment will come training, working hard and also maintaining a balance between your football, education, work, family, friends and friends who are away at football. Just having that moderate balance of all those things in your life. Also just enjoying what you do and working and training hard and making most of the opportunities. What’s the best thing about representing the Canberra United in the Women’s League? I get to play with all my mates and I get to play against some of my best mates. As well as that, I guess extra game practice which I find really important. I’m always learning and hopefully improving my game and the WLeague is just another way for me to do that. Football in Australia has always been judged by many people. What would you like them to know about the true meaning of Australian football? I think that football played here in Australia is played on a high level of passion within all the things that we do. And mainly out there, on the pitch during a game. I guess we haven’t always played that attractive football which we are working on but ultimately we offer many characteristics of worldwide know about Australian football and we will fight to the end and we will never give up. We’ve also got those technical players – good combination of things working in our favour in order to compete with the rest of the world. What’s the next big thing for you coming up? Just with the W-League in the next few weeks, and obviously the Christmas break and hopefully the Matildas stuff fix up in march next year for the world cup preparations. So we’ve got Newcastle this weekend and pretty much it for me.

South Australian football writer

Nat Adamopoulos

ADELAIDE stages 2nd annual Pheonix Cup for players with disabilities. Adelaide Just in case you haven’t yet heard…we didn’t get the World Cup for 2022 and if you didn’t know this…well you must’ve been living under a rock or in a cave or something! Well yes OK OK.... so we didn’t win the World Cup bid, yes we only got one measly vote in the decision out of a possible 22 and that moola $45 million...woah momma, well that was money well spent wasn’t it? Although how on earth did we ever think we would win it with the clepto kanga and Croc Dundee I will never know! So as most of us sit in anger and disbelief scratching our heads as to why Qatar a country that has a population less than the whole of South Australia will host WC 2022, I would like to distract you for just a moment. I would like to take your hand and take you to a place where football IS the winner! It’s a place where some of you may have never been before but its a place where the love that we have of the beautiful world game shines through with absolute brightness! On Saturday 23rd October I had the pleasure of filming at the Phoenix Cup Tournament in Adelaide, a tournament that has been specifically organised to offer people with disabilities the opportunity to participate, enjoy and experience, like we all do, the World Game and all that it has to offer. And let me tell you, my eyes were well and truly opened up to a whole new meaning of the word ‘passion’ for football. It was a day full of fun, fellowship and full-on fantastic football skills, a day where I was very much humbled and a day where I was thankful for being able to be a part of!

Ryan Mogg, a tournament organiser at the Modbury Jets Amateur Soccer Club, explained how the cup was conceived and met a need for grassroots sport. “We sat around one day and said how good it would be to be ab le to give people, men and women the chance to play football like we do in a competitive nature. A few of us actually followed through with the idea and so the Phoenix Cup was born, a tournament to provide people with disabilities the opportunity to participate in the world game.” The seven-a-side tournament only in its second year was played between eight teams of players with various intellectual, physical disabilities and sensory impairments. It began last year with teams from each of the Phoenix Society’s five metropolitan centres. This year around 90 players participated, with new teams from disabled training and service provider Orana, the SA Sport & Recreation Association for People with

Integration Difficulties (SASRAPID) and the SA Cerebral Palsy team. “The cerebral palsy team trains every week, but has no-one to play against,” Ryan said. “This competition will allow these sides to go out as a team and play as a team.” The game had some modifications applied to

suit the participants, with the added novelty of the playing field being set up with a 35m x 25m inflatable pitch within which to play. The unique pitch has inflatable edges and goals and is specifically designed to keep the ball in play and allows the game to flow on. Games consisted of two six minute halves which allowed many more games to be played throughout the day and gave spectators a chance to see all the teams competing within a short space of time.

The 2010 Teams were divided into two groups with Group 1 consisting of Orana Titans, Elizabeth Onslaught, Torrensville Cobras and SASRAPID Allstars and Group 2 having Torrensville Taipans, CP Megheads, Brogans Zeroes and 2009 reigning cup holders Gepps Cross Rebels. Ryan said last year’s tournament, won in a penalty shoot-out over the Torrensville Taipans and Gepps Cross Rebels, showcased a depth of talent and passion. “They went full tilt and it was great to watch.” And this year was no exception as all the teams played with their hearts, giving all they had…absolutely 110% effort by all. And there were some real diamonds that shone out during the day…..namely hatrick Patrick from the Orana team that was banging away goals left right and centre and tall timber Tom from the CP Megheads, weaving his magic each time he took to the field. It was hard to believe that some of these men and women did have a disability for the way the played showed nothing of that nature. A highlight of the day was the presentation of participation bags by Hamish Harlett from Port Adelaide

FC and during the break before the Semi Finals a Celebrity v Tournament All Stars penalty shootout took place, featuring Adelaide United players Adam Hughes, Iain Fyfe and Robert Cornthwaite.

After the very exciting Semis, the Grand Final was again a game that went down to the wire between newcomers SASRAPID Allstars and CP Megheads who were the favourites all day with their brilliant football skills and consistent goal scoring. But it wasn’t to be the Megheads day as they narrowly missed out in a penalty shoot out with the debutantes SASRAPID Allstars taking out the 2010 Phoenix Cup Title. Player of the tournament went to tall timber Tommy from the CP Megheads (no surprise there) and the Golden Boot was taken out by Hatrick Patrick who amassed a total of 10 goals. The Mayor of Tea Tree Gully Miriam Smith presented all trophies to the winning team and individual winners and medallions to each participant on the day.

As I stood there and filmed all day I couldn’t help but be impressed with the many aspects of this event. The first thing that stood out was the obvious sense of ‘fun’ that was being had by the competitors….smiles all round, great sportsmanship with many personal achievements being accomplished and congratulated by parents and supporters alike. Secondly I was pleasantly surprised with the high quality and excellent standard of football being played…with full on hard tackles being put in, team spirit coming to the forefront as teams scored goals and competed passionately in their games. Community spirit was high as sponsors, parents, supporters and locals all contributed to the overall success of the day. But the biggest and most satisfying aspect of the tournament was the feeling of knowing that all these competitors were experiencing something that a lot of us take for granted…..playing the simple game of football in a competitive yet very happy community based atmosphere. I couldn’t help thinking how privileged I was to be capturing such a unique football tournament on film and

how proud I was to be doing it. Thoughts were running through my head on how everyone should experience this day to appreciate what the World Game can really do for players….yet again proving it can transcend race, colour, religion, sex, age and ability to give these people the same sense of pride and being part of a team as those that play at the highest most elite level. A tournament like this cannot go ahead without the support of sponsors which for 2010 were Savings & Loans, Modbury Jets Amateur Football Club, the Government of South Australia, Adelaide United FC, Lion Nathan, SASRAPID, Drake Supermarkets, e-football, Full On Football, The Clovey, AWP, SADB Directional Drilling, SA Crate Hire & Sales and PN Beverages, who all contributed immensely to this wonderful event. A fantastic job done by the Tournament Organisors who should be commended on their wonderful efforts in getting this competition off and runnin. They hope that this tournament will develop to be an even bigger event as it takes to the field each year but their ultimate objective is for the establishment of a league for these players to play in regularly. Lets all hope their dream will come true in the not too distant future. So as we all ‘get over’ the loss of the World Cup for 2022, I urge that everyone seeks out and finds their own Phoenix Cup participants in their community and gives them the opportunities to play our wonderful game like we do week in week out because when you do….believe me it is the best reward you can ask for.

For further information regarding The Phoenix Cup contact Ryan Mogg on 0431400085 and for video highlights of the day go to www. youtube.com/user/fullonfootball. The World Game is truly alive and kicking for all!!!

La Happenings!

Kieran Pender Even Mourinho cannot stop Barcelona’s dream team He may be regarded as the best manager of his generation, lorded by both the media and his peers, but when Jose Mourinho sat in the dugout at Barcelona’s Camp Nou he looked as helpless as a child. Despite the intense build up, a hype surrounding El Clasico even beyond its usual scale, the match didn’t deliver the thrilling contest it had promised.

their new striker David Villa. The Valencia legend was top scorer at the Mestalla year after year, but had struggled to a degree at the Camp Nou. Struggling may seem an odd accusation to level at the world’s best striker, who had hit the ground running with a number of goals and assists, but Spanish newspapers are well known for their hyperbole.

Not though, because of a boring stalemate that so often eventuates from big encounters. Not because one side managed to clinch a lucky goal in an otherwise drab affair, as happens time and time again. And not because the teams were saving themselves for another day.

However the classy striker hit back at his critics with a quick fire double just before the hour mark, two beautiful through balls from Lionel Messi opening up a static Madrid defence. Finally, just before the game was brought to a close, youngster Jeffren completed the rout with a gorgeous strike from the right.

But because Barcelona delivered. They demonstrated the product they have been spruiked for the past few years; fluid, beautiful and deadly effective passing football. And in doing so they proved they are the best team in Spain, possibly even the world.

Losing five-nil to your most hated rivals must seem as bad as it can get, but defender Sergio Ramos decided to make things a little worse; a cynical tackle on Messi and the resulting scuffle seeing the Spaniard sent off.

They proved it with a clinical display that annihilated Mourinho’s men, reducing them to rubble and sending the Portuguese genius into damage mitigation mode; the substitution of Mesut Ozil and Marcelo for Lassana Diarra and Alvaro Arbelo. Replacing a talented playmaker and attacking wingback with a defensive midfielder and solid defender are not moves designed to scores goals, yet they were made by a confused Mourinho who had just seen his side fall to pieces.

In Jose Mourinho, Madrid had their next Galactico. For the first time the boss at the Bernabeu was sitting in the dugout, rather than in the director’s box. And undeniably he delivered, despite a slow start to the season Madrid have eased through the Champions League group stage and now look potent in the league.

But Barcelona’s refusal to pander to a side previously unbeaten in La Liga was the Catalan club’s real coup de grace. Instead of switching to a more balanced style in response to the might of Madrid, Pep Guardiola stuck to his guns. What followed wasn’t a firing of those guns, more an explosion. Incisive passing and clinical finishing led to a win more impressive than Barcelona’s six-two victory at the Bernabeu in 2009. As Sid Lowe wrote in his Guardian column “It was not that they thrashed Madrid 5-0, defeated Mourinho and his unbeaten €292 million team. It was that they did it their way.” Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco.

And after their display in the derby, few would disagree. Mourinho will now go back to the drawing board, and Madrid is only 2 points off the top, but he will need to demonstrate managerial prowess above and beyond most football men if he is too triumph.

Xavi opened the scoring only 10 minutes in, when he poked at a ball that had rather fortuitously deflected off Marcelo. Pedro made it two only eight minutes later after a beautiful build-up saw innumerable passes before David Villa took the ball to the byline and crossed over. Madrid then earned some respite, but was forced to defend wave after wave of attacking manoeuvres. While they managed to keep Barcelona out, they went into the break still two-nil down. It was as if the boys from the Catalan capital were just knocking the ball around at the local park. Simple. Beautiful. Amazing. One question mark still hanging over the Barca side was

This season, like last, has seen the hype focusing on Madrid; how their new mega stars would perform, whether Mourinho could triumph, etc. But Barcelona have just focused on their football, ignoring their noisy rivals, and worked on becoming the best team in world football.

Last season Mourinho took his Inter Milan side to the Nou Camp twice. Once they were thrashed, although a two-nil score line didn’t adequately reflect on the display, and on the second occasion they secured a result that took them through to the Champions League final. If Mourinho can see off Barcelona when they head to the Santiago Bernabeu next year, his status as one of the best ever managers will be confirmed. But while the Spanish press toil away over the Special One, his Catalan counterpart Guardiola continues to lead his side to triumph after triumph. The best side in the world at the moment? You’d be brave to disagree.

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