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Newsgroups: rec.sport.soccer
Subject: Youth Champs part2 of 2
From: thomase@extro.ucc.su.OZ.AU (Thomas Esamie)
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1992 12:13:02 GMT
Organization: /etc/organization

	While the evolution of Australian Soccer has progressed markedly in
the intervening 12 years, the overriding message for the Young Socceroos
remains the same. "Soccer was copping a real bagging at the time because the
World Cup team had just been dumped by New Zealand [we'll get 'em next year :)]
, and we all felt we were on a mission to redeem the game", Hunter says.
	"There was a strong resolve to do well, there was a real sense of
patriotism in the team. I guess we didn't really know who we were up against;
there was a bit of an inferiority complex at first, but in the end we basically
decided that everybody had two arms and two legs just like us, and we had
nothing to fear. I'd like to think the team next year will do the same".
	But the new generation of Young Socceroos will go into this tournament
with a great deal more pressure riding on its shoulders. While the 1981 side
was comfortable with the role of underdog, the 1993 team will be expected to
achieve. "People recognise us as potential finalists" project manager George
Dick said.
	The reason for the greater sense of anticipation was the unexpected
success of the team in Portugal, where, against all odds, Australia qualified
for the semi-finals..
	The stakes have been raised, and the current team is expected to at
least match that magnificent achievement.
	Kevin Muscat, the rookie of Portugal who made such an impression that
he finished up playing in every match, is the sole survivor from the class
of '91, and will captain the young socceroos in March.
	"It's pretty difficult to compare the two teams, especially as the Boss
(Scheinflug) hasn't finalised the squad yet", says Muscat. "I think this team
has enough talent to get to the semis, but a lot will depend on the draw".
	Aware of the importance of the Australians performing with some
distinction on their own turf, the Australian Soccer Federation has financed
tours to Europe and South America already this year, while a home series
against South American champions Brazil is scheduled for next month.
	Scheinflug, nonetheless, has made no secret of his desire for a
much busier itenerary leading up to the championships. "Ideally I would like
this team to be virtually full time from now on," he said recently.
	When you compare the programs set down by qualifiers Brazil, Turkey
and Mexico, among others, then it is clear just how seriousle the major nations
are treating their approach to the champonships.
	Yet, despite generous subsidies from the Federal Government, economic
reality is likely to thwart Schinflug's hopes of a truly professional full
time preparation. There will be another tour to Europe in January but that, at
this stage, is where the money ends.
	For several observers, among them former Soccero captain Johnny Warren,
that situation is not good enough. Warren who travelled with the young
Socceroos to South America, wrote recently in his Sun-Herald column "The
message should be that our team, potentially for mine, better than the last one
which did so well in Portugal, is vastly under-prepared [I know this looks
wrong but I'm just copying]. Six months remain until the kick off in Australia
and the No 1 priority...is to give this team international experience".
	Whether Scheinflug, Warren and others can win the argument remains to
be seen. But it is clear that a team based around Muscat, sweeper Craig Moore,
playmaker Ante Moric and European-based strikers Alex Kiratzoglou and Paul
Agostino has enough quality to advance from the group stage, and the degree
of preparation may well decide what happens after that.
	The preparation for the tournament itself has been in full swing for
almost a year, and everything is right on schedule, according to Dick [such
an unfortunate name], who is organising the tournament from an office in
Wentworth Park he shares with Corinne Blatter [does Sepp know this? ;)], the
daughter of the FIFA general secretary.
	"I think we learned a bit from the 1981 tournament; there won't be so
much travelling for the teams for instance, and I'd expect it will be a
smoother operation this time", Dick said. "We're basically operating out of
four centres and then folding the tournament inwards, and for a whole lot of
reasons that makes it much easier to organise."
	The organisation is being handled by a committee chaired by former
NSW premier Neville Wran.

	With grants so far from FIFA, Coca-Cola, the NSW government, the
Sydney 2000 committee and the Australian Sports Commission, and the likelihood
that the State gvernments of South Australia, Victoria and Queensland will
also chip in, Dick is confident that, with reasonable crowd support, the $5
million budget will be met.
	Hotels have already been booked, as has domestic air travel, while
recent recent improvements to Olympic Park in Melbourne and Hindmarsh Stadium
in Adelaide indicates that the five stadiums to be used (Sydney Football
Stadium, Bruce Stadium [Canberra] and Lang Park [Brisbane] are the others)
will be serviceable.
	SBS-TV, which won the rights for the tournament ahead of the TEN
network [just as bloody well], has agreed to prime time coverage and, with an
estimated 10 cameras at each match, is busy preparing for the biggest outside
broadcast in its 10 year history. For those prepared to leave the sanctuary
of their lounge rooms, tickets will go on sale early next month.
	With at least 25% of International Olympic Committee votes tied to
soccer, the relevance of the tournament to Sydney's 2000 bid has not been
undervalued. As the championships will be staged just six months before the
decisive Olympic vote in Monte Carlo, those IOC delegates who plan to be in
Australia during March are sure to be well feted.
	The countdown to the championships will begin next Friday when 16
coloured balls will not only determine the fate of the competing teams, but
perhaps the fate of the tournament itself.
	With a kind draw - and that means avoiding favourites such as Russia,
Uruguay and Germany - the Young Socceroos may well force their way into the
semi-finals, and in the context of that kind of momentum, full houses at the
Sydney Football Stadium are not out of the question.
	With FIFA next week expected to agree to seed Australia, Brazil,
England and defending champions Portugal in seperate groups, each of the four
centres will at least be guaranteed a genuine drawcard.
	Perhaps one of the biggest drawcards may turn out to be european
champions Turkey, whose coach, Hamdi Serpil Tuzun, will be the only overseas
coach to attend the draw. It is only the second time the Turks have qualified
for the finals of a FIFA competition, and they are understandably elated.
	For the Turks, and their local community, these championships will
be special. For the rest of us, the sense of anticipation will be just as
acute.

			Thomas the Tank Engine
			aka Algor

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