Let Me Entertain You

April 30, 2009

As all the other countries in the world prepare for the next nerve-wracking and tense installment of World Cup qualifying in June, Australia can do so with the knowledge that its qualification is all but secure. It only needs one point from its remaining three games and in the event of failing to do this, Bahrain must win both of its games for Australia to miss out. The two then would be level on points which means Bahrain would also have to overcome the goal difference in which Australia currently has an advantage of nine. Soccer betting has all but conceded the fact that the Socceroos have made it.
So for all intents and purposes, the Socceroos are going to make it to successive World Cups for the first time. The qualifying campaign which began back in February 2008 is about to come to a productive end.

Australia finishes the soccer league with back to back home games against Bahrain and Japan. It would be nice if they could give the Australian public something to get excited about. With all the pressure off, there is no excuse not for playing attractive, free-flowing soccer. Pim Verbeek should blood some youngsters and let go of the reins and make the most of this rare opportunity.
The Socceroos had a dead-rubber at the end of the previous qualifying stage which was against China in Sydney and they played dreadfully. Hopefully Verbeek has learnt from that and won’t waste the occasion like he did then. The Australian soccer-public are becoming more and more discerning and while you may try to spin as much as you like, there is only so much they are going to take.

The game against Japan should also be interesting to see what approach Japan takes. By that stage it should also be a dead-rubber for them which should mean that the pressure is also off them. It would be nice to see these two rivals put on a great advertisement for the game by putting on a show. Something like 4-3 to Australia.

David Wiseman is a sports journalist, who also writes about cricket and tennis for Betfair Australia. He is still excited that Australia are ‘almost there’ in their World Cup qualifying bid, and can now concentrate on preparing himself for the Ashes cricket this spring.

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