[El Capitano Gatisto]

Originally Posted by Wee Gooner You see, this is a situation where a having a clue what the fuck you're on about would be handy. Comparing our preparation to Germany's is laughable. I'm sure we'd be much better prepared as well if we'd played in Euro 2004.

Only about half of the German line-up this year is the same as Euro 2004. Most of the squad are newly capped youngsters and they have a new coach. Essentially their preparation has consisted of friendlies and the Confederations Cup. However, most of their players (like Australia) play in top European leagues and thus are perfectly match fit and used to big games.

Originally Posted by Wee Gooner Much as you love to deride us because we were in a shit confederation, we don't control the teams we play against. We can only play what's put out there on the park in front of us. And if there's nobody to play meaningful games against in your own confederation, you're up shit creek. Our only option for playing meaningful games has been to look outside Oceania, and that's like trying to get blood from a stone. Since the loss to Uruguay in 2001, we've played a bunch of friendlies and in a Confederations Cup. Apart from that, there's really not a lot more can be done from inside Oceania. When was the last time Ireland played a meaningful game against a team outside of Europe? I'll hazard a guess here and say it was the 2002 World Cup, which proves my point rather well.

I don't deride you for playing in a shit confederation, I get annoyed because for the past 10 years or so the Aussies have done nothing but whine because they haven't been handed an automatic place. Long before you even started following the game there has been rumblings and complaints about unfairness, about it coming down to a difficult couple of games when it's like that for fucking everyone.

You shouldn't hazard a guess that's wrong because then your whole assumption collapses. Since World Cup 2002 Ireland have played friendlies against Australia, Canada, Brazil, Nigeria, Jamaica, China and Chile (from what I remember) from outside the European confederation. International friendlies are meaningful if your team makes them so. Generally our friendlies are well-contested and genuinely used to try out players and systems.

If the Australian side and coaching staff fail to use international friendlies as a means to try out systems and players then that is their problem. It is their own fault for being under-prepared, just as it is Sven-Goran Eriksson's fault over a number of years he has failed to find the system to get the best out of his players.

Originally Posted by Wee Gooner The problem is, clubs don't want to release their players for friendlies and the ones that do show up aren't bothered, so friendlies are generally farcical and achieve nothing. That's not to say we haven't tried, we've played friendlies against England, Jamaica, Venezuela, Holland, Greece, Liechtenstein, South Africa, Iraq, Indonesia, Turkey, Ireland and New Zealand since the last World Cup. That's on top of the Confederations Cup where we played Argentina and Germany's B teams, and Tunisia. In effect, apart from the Confederations Cup we've played friendlies against 5 half-decent teams; England, Holland, Greece, Turkey and Ireland. Of which only the Ireland (preparing for Euro 2004 qualifying) and Holland (preparing for the World Cup) games weren't completely farcical. England made 11 subs at halftime, Greece came out here for a holiday and so did Turkey. So out of all that, we've managed to have 5 games even resembling meaningful, one was after we'd already qualified and another was over 2 years beforehand. Again, we can only play what's put in front of us; it's hardly our fault if the teams we play aren't bothered.

Clubs don't have a choice. They have to release their players. If Australian footballers are of the mindset that they don't feel it's important to get together for friendlies, then that is also your own problem and your own fault.

The teams being not bothered is no excuse for your team not being arsed. Being under-prepared will always be the fault of your own coaching staff, not anyone else. Just so happens you got a coach this time whose preparation is second to none.

Originally Posted by Wee Gooner Let that be a lesson to you; know what you're on about before you start talking.

I know a lot more than you. It's 16 years since my team first qualified for a World Cup and made it to the quarter finals. I'd still have a handful of friendlies and a semi-tough play-off every time to qualify. I don't see why the Australians should be allowed to move because all their deserve at this point is to play for half a place.