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Road to World Cup 26 - Ep 21 - Australia
2 Plays18 days ago
Join your hosts Nick Britten Ken Davies as we take the deepest of deep dives into everything related to the FIFA World Cup 2026 held in Canada, Mexico and the USA.
All the news, analysis and comment from every team, every qualification process and of course the tournament itself. The biggest festival of soccer in the world.
This week we go down under to Australia: who are they, who are the key players and how will they get on next year? Plus your World Cup news roundup, Kenny’s Quiz and much, much more. And we’re joined by Skippy the Bush Kangaroo!
Your weekly guide to the pinnacle of world soccer brought to you by Global Sports Podcast Network
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Transcript
Podcast Introduction
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello, bonjour, ciao, ni hao, привет, hola, and for the purposes of today's world, if you can't already see who we're covering today, if you're listening to this only and you're not watching on video, it's good day.
00:00:14
Ken Davies
Thank you.
00:00:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're listening to Road to the World Cup 26 podcast, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network, the only place to find your regular soccer content on the English Premier League.
Ken's Wedding Experience
00:00:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
And of course because you're listening to all of this, The World Cup 2026. I'm your host, Nick Britton. I am joined, as always, by my esteemed friend, ah my fine colleague. He was away yesterday, but he's back.
00:00:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's the beaver himself. Mr. Ken Davis. Hello, Ken.
00:00:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
How are you
00:00:49
Ken Davies
Good morning.
00:00:50
Ken Davies
Good morning, everybody. I'm feeling a bit, so what's the word, exhausted. I've been Indian wedding and for the last week. um Honestly, these guys now at a party.
00:00:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:01:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
It goes on. Every Indian wedding goes on for about five days, doesn't it?
00:01:00
Ken Davies
and
00:01:03
Ken Davies
Oh, my God. Oh, my God. I've got one more tonight. ah But it's like, I'm not a party animal. I'm a Labrador. And you know what mean? I'd rather be sitting in front of the fire, to be honest.
00:01:15
Ken Davies
But so anyway... I'm here and um I'm on it and I can't wait. But
The Skippy Prop
00:01:20
Ken Davies
why, Nick? I need to ask you. If you're watching on YouTube, you'll know why I'm asking. Why have you got something that looks like a roast chicken with ah with a flag around it behind you? And are you wearing that daft hat?
00:01:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I think it's a bit of a clue to who we're doing. This is not a roast chicken.
00:01:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
This, my friend, is Skippy the kangaroo.
00:01:37
Ken Davies
Oh.
00:01:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Good night, Gary. How are you doing?
00:01:43
Ken Davies
What's that, Skip?
00:01:44
Ken Davies
What's that? He's stuck down a mine and he's broken his leg.
00:01:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
you funny Anybody who go what what on earth are they talking about? There was a great program back in the, when was it, 70s, 80s?
00:01:56
Ken Davies
Oh, 60s, late 60s, nearly 70s. Skippy the bush kangaroo next.
00:01:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
60s, right, called Skippy the kangaroo. And it was very popular here in the UK.
00:02:03
Ken Davies
Skippy the bush kangaroo.
00:02:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, sorry. Skippy the bush cat. Is there a... Right, okay. And that's the sound that Skippy used to make. And used to solve mysteries and all that kind of stuff ah just by... by um just I don't know.
00:02:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just...
00:02:17
Ken Davies
It was the same story. It was the same story.
00:02:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was the same story every week.
00:02:20
Ken Davies
Someone got injured.
00:02:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
So something happens.
00:02:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:21
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:02:22
Ken Davies
Behind the, I don't know, the gum tree. And Skippy hopped off to find his owner and said, and luckily the owner could speak kangaroo.
00:02:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. I said, what's that, Skippy?
00:02:36
Ken Davies
What's that, Skippy?
00:02:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Old Bill's fallen down the mine? And something like that.
00:02:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
that and then there were and then And then they would go and find out old Bill down the line and they'd save him.
00:02:40
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:02:43
Ken Davies
Yeah. Yeah.
00:02:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
and And Skippy was the hero of the day.
00:02:45
Ken Davies
yeah what isn't What is... Oh, he's falling off.
00:02:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
mr
00:02:48
Ken Davies
Look, he's falling off. But what I would suggest, Nick, I thought it always thought it was a bit suspicious that Skippy was always involved in the crime.
00:02:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
and so
00:02:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's all over.
00:02:56
Ken Davies
You know what mean? He was always there on the scene. I think he's one of these people that start fires just so they can kind of put him out.
00:02:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know.
00:03:03
Ken Davies
So I think Skippy is a bit of a...
00:03:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:03:05
Ken Davies
He's a prime suspect because he's always there when the bad things happen. Ain't that right, Skippy?
00:03:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
This is true. and he And he was never interviewed by the cops, was he?
00:03:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was always just like deemed the hero of the hour.
00:03:13
Ken Davies
No.
00:03:13
Ken Davies
No.
00:03:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
So Scooby the Kangaroos here, I have, if I'm sorry, if you're if you're not watching this, you're just listening to it and you're wondering what earths going on.
00:03:16
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:03:16
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:03:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm wearing a a a traditional Australian, I've come in traditional Australian dress. So I'm wearing a corked hat because everybody in Australia wears a corked hat, we know this. And I've got a blow up kangaroo ah with an Australian flag draped around his neck ah to celebrate the fact that of course,
00:03:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Today, we are going down under, and today's team is Australia.
00:04:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
you reckon, Kenny?
00:04:03
Ken Davies
Nice.
Podcast Segments Overview
00:04:04
Ken Davies
I like it. Is that Australia the Beautiful, Australia the Wonderful, or something like that? It's a very, very nice song. bit a bit It's a bit sedate, because Australians are rarely sedate, ah but it pulls at the heartstrings. So i do I do like Australia, though the... Oh,
00:04:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's called Advance Australia Fair.
00:04:24
Ken Davies
Advanced Australia Fair. I'm getting over.
00:04:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's written by Scotland, actually. It's written by Scotland.
00:04:28
Ken Davies
It's written by Scotsman.
00:04:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:30
Ken Davies
But anyway, it's a great national anthem. And yeah, I can quite happily listen to that for a while.
00:04:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Good. Very glad to hear it. Right, we're going to have a look at Australia today. As we always do, there'll be a little bit of news, for a little round of news. Not much going on this week, be fair. Ken will talk to us about the history of Australia in the World Cup.
00:04:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm going to pick out five key players. Ken's going to tell them how they're gonna play. and We've got a bit of ah a postbag, obviously, discussing some emails and letters that we've had in. ah Kenny's quiz, everybody's favourite time of the week, is coming up, ladies and gentlemen.
00:05:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we'll have a quick look at Tony Popovich, the senior manager.
00:05:02
Ken Davies
Kylie Minogue is the answer. Kylie Minogue, Dame Edna Everidge and Canberra. They're my answers.
00:05:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Excellent. Well, we don't need to do Kenny's quiz anymore, do we? Yeah, that's right. Congratulations. And then we'll end the podcast, as we always do, with a look at how we both think ah Australia are going to get um
00:05:18
Ken Davies
Neighbours.
00:05:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Neighbours is the correct answer. Ramsey Street is the correct answer.
00:05:22
Ken Davies
Great.
00:05:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't even know what I'm asking this. Ramsey Street is the correct answer. so So we're going to start, as always, with a little bit of ah news and having a look at the world's
00:05:25
Ken Davies
Home and away.
00:05:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can see you've you've been hard at it the last few days, haven't you, Kenny?
00:05:48
Ken Davies
I'm back in the morning.
00:05:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
You've been hard at it because you're not even shuffling your papers this week.
00:05:52
Ken Davies
I can't.
00:05:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:05:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're literally sitting there with your head.
00:05:53
Ken Davies
I just haven't got the strength for it.
00:05:57
Ken Davies
I just need to.
00:05:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mate, get back to bed.
00:05:59
Ken Davies
My body is like, you know, when you say people die and all you can see is a very narrow kind of window, the all the extraneous information gets like filtered out. That's exactly how I'm feeling. So I haven't got the brain energy to shuffle papers. I just got to focus on this. Let's get through the next 45 minutes.
00:06:15
Ken Davies
Make it as brilliant as it can be. And then we'll go for a lie down.
World Cup Tickets & Hospitality Demand
00:06:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, okay, bit of ticketing news then, ah and that is that FIFA have said that the ticket, general tickets, hospitality tickets have been on sale for a little while, but general tickets are going to be released in phases. The first draw up, get lost, get lost.
00:06:31
Ken Davies
Oh, Skippy once more on, Skippy once more.
00:06:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:06:36
Ken Davies
Oh, it's a flying kangaroo.
00:06:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:06:38
Ken Davies
Oh,
00:06:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's gone. ah Yeah, tickets are going to be released in phases with the first draw application window opening on Wednesday, September the 10th. So people, if you want to get tickets for the World Cup, what you need to do is register now, register your interest, and Wednesday, September the 10th is the first draw application window.
00:06:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, so get yourselves all...
00:06:59
Ken Davies
it wasn't easy get released.
00:06:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
don't wait What's that?
00:07:03
Ken Davies
When are the media tickets released, we need to go on media tickets.
00:07:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, we'll be going. Yeah, we'll be going, obviously, because we're covering all the games, obviously.
00:07:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
and Interestingly, hospitality tickets have been on sale but have been released in batches. I did pick up a story the day, actually, which I thought was interesting, in the London paper. ah City AM, which so which said that England's ticket hospitality ticket packages yeah went on sale and were completely sold out in three days.
00:07:30
Ken Davies
Hmm.
00:07:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, anything else is still on sale and has been. England went on sale and sold out within three days. So, it looks like they're going to have to find some more and release some more tickets somewhere along the line for England fans.
00:07:33
Ken Davies
Wow.
00:07:43
Ken Davies
laugh Huge amount interest.
00:07:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. so
00:07:46
Ken Davies
Can I just mention, if you anyone's watching on YouTube, obviously Nick's got his corked hat on, and those corks are swinging in a slightly hypnotic way. And um I'm finding I'm just watching the corks going, swinging hypnotically.
00:07:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
i'm going to take
00:07:59
Ken Davies
And yeah to be honest, I was nearly a away. I nearly regressed back to my earlier life then for for for a while. But yeah, the hospitality...
00:08:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
I could have had you walking around like pretending to be a chicken and doing really
00:08:09
Ken Davies
ah You could have doing any any anything, eating an onion that ah tastes like an apple, which is the standard one, isn't it, with hypnotists?
00:08:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah yeah yeah
00:08:16
Ken Davies
They give you an onion say, oh, that's a lovely apple, isn't it? You eat it. They say, oh, yeah, that was a delicious apple.
00:08:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:08:21
Ken Davies
Oh, it's an onion.
00:08:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
To fair, given your state, mate, given your state, I think you'd just do that anyway.
00:08:28
Ken Davies
I've had so much Indian food in the course of the last five days, I never want to see an onion ever again in the rest of my life. In fact, my skin started to peel off.
Australia's World Cup History
00:08:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, tell us a little bit, Ken. Tell us a little bit about the history of Australia in the World Cup.
00:08:45
Ken Davies
Well, first match 1922, 20 past seven. And originally, of course, they were in Oceania Football Confederation, but they transferred to the Asian Football Confederation in 2006. I thought...
00:09:00
Ken Davies
i saw This was because of the standard of competition. They thought they'd get better competition in the AFC, Rod and Oceania, and that would be a good place to move to. In fact, slightly more complicated than that.
00:09:14
Ken Davies
When I looked at the qualification success of Australia pre-2006 and post-2006, an interesting pattern emerged, and we like interesting patterns. Um,
00:09:27
Ken Davies
Australia only qualified twice in 11 attempts on their part of Oceania. And the reason for that was because if you qualified for oceane ah Oceania, you only got a playoff berth.
00:09:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm
00:09:39
Ken Davies
You didn't get a direct ah qualification into the World Cup.
00:09:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
going to go ahead and see what happens.
00:09:43
Ken Davies
And every time, well, not every time, but many times that they came across another team in the playoffs, they failed. So the reason really they moved to Australia the Asian Football Confederation, is that they had automatic and considerable number of automatic playoff berths.
00:09:59
Ken Davies
So they didn't have to go through the playoff situation. So that's why they moved. And sure as eggs are eggs, ever since 2006, when they moved to AFC, they've qualified ever since. So the strategy they had and moving for that reason has really paid off very well for
Australia's Recent Performance
00:10:12
Ken Davies
them.
00:10:12
Ken Davies
So they they used to dominate qualification when in Oceania, including Nick. And we've touched on this before. I'm just going to check if you've done your homework. They had a very famous 2001 victory against American Samoa.
00:10:25
Ken Davies
The score was
00:10:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
36-0. Oh, 31-0.
00:10:31
Ken Davies
thirty one now you won know ah which is the highest ever international
00:10:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've talked about this. We've talked about this at on the podcast
00:10:39
Ken Davies
Oh, we did, yeah. yeah Do you remember Archie Thompson, who scored a number of goals in that game? How many did he score?
00:10:49
Ken Davies
thirteen 13.
00:10:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah, good player, Archie.
00:10:51
Ken Davies
13 goals one game.
00:10:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
He had a good day.
00:10:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
um When he got out of bed that morning... he's He's never going to think, going to score 13 goals today when we play.
00:10:54
Ken Davies
Yeah, top, top.
00:11:00
Ken Davies
No. Imagine what the American Samoa goalkeeper was dreaming about. She oh, I'm going say three penalties tomorrow. We're going to be the first time American Samoa has ever beaten Australia.
00:11:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're going to see a last-minute penalty. I'm going to be the hero. I'm going to be carried off the pitch on everyone's shoulders.
00:11:12
Ken Davies
And...
00:11:15
Ken Davies
Yeah. Yeah, the cammy off shoulder high, American Samoa.
00:11:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
sort He probably was carried off.
00:11:19
Ken Davies
Yeah. Yeah.
00:11:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
He probably was carried off everybody's shoulders and dumped in the sea. He's chucked away.
00:11:22
Ken Davies
yeah
00:11:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:23
Ken Davies
Poor bloke's probably still got PTSD from it, to be honest. so So they've qualified for every World Cup since 2006, including now 2026. twenty six So that's seven qualifications now.
00:11:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:11:35
Ken Davies
Round of 16 is the furthest they've got in 2006 and 2022. The first one, by the way, was 1974. I remember that. um So decent World Cup history, certainly since 2006.
00:11:48
Ken Davies
and six The form is he's decent. ah Last 10 games, and these are the games over 2024 and 2025. 2024 started badly. They lost at home to Bahrain 1-0 in qualification, but they haven't lost ever since.
00:12:03
Ken Davies
ah In fact, 2025, they've had a pretty good 2025. They beat Japan 1-0 on the 5th of June in Perth. They beat Saudi Arabia 2-1 away on the 10th of June in Jeddah. So yeah da've they've they've won a fair amount of games. you fact, in their qualification, well, fact, they've won all the games in 2025 and they've not lost in the last nine.
00:12:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
then Yeah, and this is down to the fact they changed the manager. this is This is all down, because their qualification was was going very badly, and they risked unbelievably, yeah, not qualifying in a 48-team World Cup.
00:12:26
Ken Davies
So in terms of...
00:12:34
Ken Davies
That's right, some jeopardy involvement.
00:12:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
They were in danger of that, so they sacked the manager last September and bought in, Tony Popovich.
00:12:42
Ken Davies
Yeah, and he's made a huge difference, um unbeaten.
00:12:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's done it.
00:12:46
Ken Davies
we'll come to We'll come to some of the changes, I think, in terms of the ah formation a little bit later. But they've come through as one of the six teams from round three. You'll remember the byignine Byzantine qualification process in the and in the Asian region.
00:13:00
Ken Davies
ah Confederation there's still another two to qualify automatically from round four but they came through in round three Ranking wise currently 24th could give you a bit of context in terms of where they sit in the 48th Highest was 14th in 2009.
00:13:15
Ken Davies
They've been as low as a hundred and second in 2015 so since 2015 it's been a pretty inexorable rise and ascendancy up to 24th so ah decent team ah Again, always with the Asian Confederation, they only occasionally play decent teams.
00:13:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that means, you know, that's a great opportunity do that.
00:13:34
Ken Davies
But their record against decent teams has been pretty good. And um there's ah I think there's a little nuance, a little wrinkle in the formation that we'll talk about later that sets them up quite well against decent teams.
00:13:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that means, you know, that's a great opportunity to do that. And that means, you know, that's great opportunity to do that.
00:13:46
Ken Davies
So that actually may help them at the World Cup.
FIFA Ranking & Strategy
00:13:50
Ken Davies
So that's for a little bit of history, little bit of form and a little bit of ranking information about Australia.
00:13:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very good. Thank you very much indeed. And that will play into into stuff we're going to talk about later in the podcast, particularly around Tony Popovich and what he's done since he has arrived to take over the National League.
00:14:08
Ken Davies
Do remember him as a player, Nick? Because you're a big Crystal Palace fan.
00:14:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, he played Palace. Yeah, he played for Palace. Yeah, I remember well. Centre half for Palace. Yeah.
00:14:14
Ken Davies
Yeah, good centre-half, decent centre-half.
00:14:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it was good, yeah.
00:14:16
Ken Davies
No nonsense.
00:14:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, no, no. And I think he's sort of taken that into his... You can tell he's a manager. As a manager, can tell he's centre-half because the way he sets his team up is is its pretty defensive.
00:14:28
Ken Davies
Yeah. Yeah, we'll come to that.
00:14:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we'll come to that.
00:14:30
Ken Davies
I think we will.
00:14:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll come to that little bit. Good. Okay. Thank you very much indeed, Ken. That was good. Do you want to do an ad break should we have look at some players?
00:14:37
Ken Davies
Yeah, let's have a quick ad about it.
00:14:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll go. We'll go just some way.
00:14:39
Ken Davies
Because, as you know, as Tony Popovich knows very well, in football it pays to get your teams. You're actually right. And here at Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery partner. And we can happily announce that we are continuing with Zencastr all the way through 2025, 2026 season because they make our life so easy.
00:14:59
Ken Davies
I'll make your life easy as well. If you want to bring your vision to life, share it with your audience. Because there's 4K video recording, there's easy AI editing, and amazing distribution tools, and it's all in one place. You don't need two different systems to get your story out there. So if you've got a story to tell, make sure you tell it with Zencastr and she check check the show notes more details.
00:15:21
Ken Davies
Hi, Skip. what is What's going on, Skip?
00:15:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Skippy's very happy with that. Skippy's back and he's happy with Zencastr.
00:15:28
Ken Davies
Well done, Skip.
00:15:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
He likes Zencastr, don't you, Skippy?
00:15:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, sure.
00:15:30
Ken Davies
Skip's on Zencastle.
00:15:32
Ken Davies
like to skip. Skippy the podcast, can you imagine?
00:15:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
That'd be good. Should we do that? Should we get Skippy involved in a podcast?
00:15:38
Ken Davies
This sounds like Skippy the podcast. He's coming at He's coming for He's coming for you.
00:15:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's going to fall over now.
00:15:42
Ken Davies
Stay there, Skip. Stay there, Skip.
00:15:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. but Yeah, he's all right. He's okay.
00:15:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll leave him there.
00:15:46
Ken Davies
He's moving.
00:15:46
Ken Davies
yeah He actually is moving like he's alive.
00:15:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a bit sinister.
00:15:51
Ken Davies
Every time you turn around, he's moving towards you, isn't
00:15:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sitting on my shoulder is a bit sinister. but Right. Okay. Let's have a look at five key players then, as we always do. and Start with goalkeeper, because that's what we always like to start with. ah Matt Ryan is the goalkeeper. Mattie Ryan.
00:16:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Following the theme, Ken, of goalkeepers beyond the age of 30, which is a current theme, he is 33 years old.
00:16:10
Ken Davies
Decent Keeper.
00:16:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
So plenty, plenty of experience. He's well known to to Premier League watchers. He played 121 games for Brighton and Hove Albion between 2017 and 2021.
00:16:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's moved around. Yeah, he was a good keeper. I remember him. remember him, Brian. He was a good keeper. ah But he's moved around a lot since then. He's kind of had a different team every season. He most recently joined Launce in France in January this year.
00:16:23
Ken Davies
decent
00:16:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Played a few games for them, but has now left. He left a couple of months ago. So he's now a free agent. doesn't have a team, as things stand.
Matt Ryan's Role
00:16:43
Ken Davies
He's a good pickup someone.
00:16:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think so.
00:16:45
Ken Davies
He's a decent pickup for someone who can't second level, isn't he?
00:16:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, think so. Yeah, I think so. I think so. His international career is is fine. he made well He made his 100th appearance, actually, just recently in Australia's final qualifier when they beat Saudi Arabia 2-1, which was the game that sent them through to the World Cup.
00:17:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
That was his 100th game. So fair play to him. It didn't look like he was going to get there because when Popovich arrived in September the last year, dropped him, brought in a young goalkeeper,
00:17:03
Ken Davies
Hmm.
00:17:13
Ken Davies
Mm-hmm.
00:17:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
But Ryan was was was pretty pretty quickly back between the sticks. And no doubt will be, well, I say no doubt, be honest, we don't know, do we? But you would presume, providing he finds a club, that he'll be their goalkeeper in the World Cup next year.
00:17:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's the goalkeeper. I always like to do a goalkeeper. Right, couple of other players to look at. ah Martin Boyle is a 32-year-old Hibernian in Scotland, plays for Hibernian
Australia's Ageing Team Concerns
00:17:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
in Scotland. He's ever-present on the right wing.
00:17:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
A good player, works hard. He's good on the counter, which is how Australia like to play. Popovich really, really likes him. 34 caps for Australia, scored 10 goals in that team. Hibs have just qualified for Europe, actually. So he's sort of he's on the back of a very good season.
00:17:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think if the World Cup was was now... He would be great. he would He would be going in and firing. But he'll be 33, obviously, um when when the World Cup takes place. there is a current There's a bit of a theme going on, I think, with Australia. And you might have picked this up in your in your research, Ken, that they're a kind of ageing team.
00:18:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
And there's lots of young players waiting in the wings, but haven't yet had any kind of opportunity. Now that maybe, now they've qualified, they've kind got a year to to sort it all out. We may actually be looking at a very different team to what we're looking at now.
00:18:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
because the players who have played in qualifying, they're all kind of the wrong A.
00:18:29
Ken Davies
Yeah, I agree with you.
00:18:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
You've got Boyle's 32. um Players like Adam Taggart, who going to move on to now, he's 32. He's a veteran striker. We don't want to be relying on him going into a World Cup next year when he'll be 33.
00:18:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
But Taggart, you know, he plays for Perth glory. He's been around the the international set-up for a long time. Had a quiet season in the A-League this season. He's got 10 goals over the course of the year.
00:18:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
but only scored three times ah yeah after March. He... Kangaroos go nuts, isn't it?
00:19:07
Ken Davies
um If you're just listening to this, honestly, I'm afraid to say you're missing half of the action. There's more action on this podcast than there's been on any other podcast. And that's all down to Skippy, to be honest. It's not down to me and Nick. Skippy is by far the most entertaining thing on this podcast.
00:19:23
Ken Davies
He is not. he He's alive. I'm telling you, every time you look at one, he's creeping up on you.
00:19:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
It just keeps moving.
00:19:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
and Yeah, he he I think Taggart is a sign of kind of where Australia are going wrong. It's a sign of their problems because they don't have a number nine. They don't really have a striker.
00:19:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've got a year to find one, but they don't really have a striker. And, you know, is is if you look at his international, he made his international debut in 2012. He's only played 19 times. He scored seven goals in that time.
00:19:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
So he's in and out, he's in and out. And and I think he's sort of symbolic of of where they're going to struggle next year unless they sort this part of pitch out. ah But their main striker is a guy called Nishan Velupile. And I'm going talk about him for a moment. He's 24 years old.
00:20:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's probably been the the biggest surprise of the Popovich era in as much as he made his debut last September when Popovich came in. He's done really, really well. He's played five games. He's scored three goals.
00:20:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Missed the last couple of qualifiers because he was injured. But he's also had a very, very good club season. So he plays for Melbourne Victory and he scored 12 goals in 30 games. So he might be somebody to look to look to ah next year and and part of that sort of new crop coming through.
00:20:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Good player. Yeah. Can he do it against the the big... I mean, I worry about... um Look, these players have got play somewhere, but if you're playing your your club football in the A-League in Australia and you're going to come up against world-class defences at World Club, how good are you going to be?
00:20:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's my concern about Australia.
00:20:55
Ken Davies
That's a theme, I think.
00:20:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:56
Ken Davies
That's a theme. Looking at the players, as we always do, and you you you you lead on that, but we all we all have a look at that. I just wonder about the standard of competition a lot of these players are playing against week in, week out.
00:21:08
Ken Davies
It seems to be second tier rather than first tier.
00:21:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:11
Ken Davies
And I think once they come across first tier players, there's going to be a ah big difference, a big step up.
00:21:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, my last year so my last player, it was if if I'm brutally honest, it's quite difficult to find to look at players who currently play for Australia and get very excited about any of them. As I say, there is a younger crop, a younger generation kind of coming through who are waiting for their opportunity. So and go my last player is going to be one of those.
00:21:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you and I were watching this year, Ken, because he's just signed for Watford in the championship here in the in the UK.
00:21:39
Ken Davies
Okay.
00:21:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we'll get a chance to see him when they come to Derby. He played for Bayern Munich before, but didn't really make his mark at Bayern. But he's 19 years old. He's a winger. Sorry, I should introduce him, shouldn't I? I'm just talking about random player.
00:21:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
His name is Nestor Irakunda.
00:21:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
There you go. so no he know like So now he's 19 years old.
00:21:59
Ken Davies
okay
Nestor Irakunda's Potential
00:22:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was named by Goal.com as one of the top 50 wunderkids when he was at Bayern. So he's got something about him, but struggled for game time at Bayern.
00:22:02
Ken Davies
isn'
00:22:09
Ken Davies
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:22:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's skillful. He's quick. He's a Watford sort of player, if i'm honest with you. They like these type of players on a wing. Watford have always had got a good, powerful wingers. It's the way they play. And he is known, very known for his range of celebratory backflips when he scores.
00:22:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we would we don't want to be seeing any of that at Pride Park, but I'll be very happy to see it. elsewhere So Popovich has been taking talking about him recently, saying how good the move is for Australia, getting him playing regularly a decent level ah in the championships. he he has made five He has got five caps and he's got a goal out of those five caps.
00:22:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, the question is, Ken, he was described by one of his mates.
00:22:49
Ken Davies
Oh, no. Oh, no.
00:22:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh Oh, yes.
00:22:51
Ken Davies
Here we
00:22:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was describing one of his friends as the Australian who...
00:22:56
Ken Davies
go. The Australian... The Australian... He's on the wing. Anya.
00:23:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
That doesn't help, the way.
00:23:04
Ken Davies
Anya. Anya.
00:23:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Catchy Henia.
00:23:07
Ken Davies
No, I would say if he's on the wing... Could you be the Australian Messi? Oh. Okay.
00:23:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, he's not.
00:23:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's not the Australian Messi. Neither is he the Australian Neymar. But he was described randomly by one of his mates as the Australian Jude Bellingham, which is such a bizarre comparison, isn't it?
00:23:14
Ken Davies
oh
00:23:23
Ken Davies
Oh, OK. That's a down... I mean, Bellingham's a great player, but it's...
00:23:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah know it's just such a bizarre comparison isn't it
00:23:31
Ken Davies
No, he's not Bellingham at all, is he? plays in a different position, play completely different type of player.
00:23:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. A tricky winger, fast, powerful, tricky winger is like, it's not.
00:23:40
Ken Davies
It's not Bellingham. No, not that right.
00:23:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Anyway, there we are. ah So, look, they're your players to watch out for. I think we'll see. wellll I think Ryan will be in goal. We'll see Boyle. I don't think we'll see Taggart. We'll see Velu Pille.
00:23:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
And ah then are we going to get a new crop of youngsters coming through? Because we could be, as I said, talking about a very different Australia team to the one that's qualified. And so there's a lot of work to do there, but it could be an exciting time for them.
00:24:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
How do
Defensive Play Style Analysis
00:24:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
they line up? do they line up?
00:24:10
Ken Davies
Yeah, it's an interesting point.
00:24:12
Ken Davies
Well, it's an interesting point, in that because in a way, I think this goes back to the fact that they were struggling with qualification ah earlier in the qualification process and actually have had not enough time to bed in the newer players and have had to rely, if you like, on experience to get in, if you like, through the qualification process.
00:24:33
Ken Davies
My worry, of course, is Are they going to have enough time in the course of the next year? And the next year is going to be absolutely critical for them ah to bring those players through ah because they need to, because if they don't do that, I think they're really going to struggle.
00:24:46
Ken Davies
But let's just go back to a formation. Formation interesting on this. Principally, I've tended to do on this, because Australia can play Indonesia and they can play teams that really aren't going to give them much of a game,
00:25:00
Ken Davies
It's really looking at how they set up when they play better teams like Japan and Saudi Arabia.
00:25:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
good question.
00:25:05
Ken Davies
I think that gives us a clue as to how they how they really do set themselves up. ah It seems to be a variance of a 3-4-3. So it can be a 3 at the back, 4 across the middle, and either 3 up front or 2 sitting behind a lone striker.
00:25:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, I think was going be little bit more, I think was little more, but think it was a little bit more, but I think it little bit more, think was little bit more, but I think it was a little bit more,
00:25:21
Ken Davies
That lone striker, you mentioned the the guy, that's the lad that's coming through. The last two games, it's been Duke, who's played a lot of games for him, and Varela, who's played a lot of games for them. But that seems to be the setup.
00:25:34
Ken Davies
One of the interesting things about the last three games is how little possession they have.
00:25:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
but think was a little bit more, but I think it was little bit more, but I think it a little bit more,
00:25:40
Ken Davies
So in the last three games, they've had 29% possession, 31% possession, and 24% possession. They've won two of those games and they've drawn the other one. So what we're looking at here with Popovic is a team that's very, very comfortable out of possession.
00:25:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
And......you know what
00:25:56
Ken Davies
and will soak up pressure, will bring teams onto them and then hit them hard on the counterattack. That's absolutely, I think, what how he's set up from ah from from a structural perspective. So don't expect ah fireworks from Australia.
00:26:13
Ken Davies
Expect a lot of sitting back.
00:26:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
I do?
00:26:15
Ken Davies
Expect a lot of soaking up of pressure and then... Very, very good on the transition.
00:26:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
but
00:26:21
Ken Davies
That seems to be where the goals come from. There's a bit of a lack of goals. We'll talk about that later as well. But expect a fairly defensive set-up, loads of pressure being so good, big transition periods, and then hitting them on the counter-attack.
00:26:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:26:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
yes so And thing.
00:26:34
Ken Davies
That seems to be the way things are set-up and where Popovich likes to run things.
00:26:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think you're absolutely right. ah You're absolutely right. Don't expect fireworks. It should be their logo. it should be all over their shirt because I think Australia are going to be quite dull to watch, if honest with you.
00:26:46
Ken Davies
yeah
00:26:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah The exciting bit will be if they can get if they can get the forward line firing, they get some young players and some speed up there and find find a good number nine, and then they've got a chance. But you're right. I think they'll just theyll just sit behind the ball all the time and wait for teams to try and break them down.
00:27:05
Ken Davies
I don't think it's gonna work.
00:27:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know. Is it going to be interesting to watch? I don't know. We'll see. i mean
00:27:09
Ken Davies
you know i'm just gonna
00:27:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll see. ah Right, okay, we're going to have a quick look at the this week's postbag, and I'm going to introduce this week's postbag with the National a Musical Instrument of Australia.
00:27:34
Ken Davies
You know, Nick, that reminds me of the chicken boonah from Wednesday night.
00:27:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
like that.
00:27:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Skippy was getting excited. He was dancing up and down.
00:27:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Love bit of a digital do.
00:27:41
Ken Davies
He loved that, didn't he, old Skippy?
00:27:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Love a bit of a digital you do. long as it would ah We've heard from Roberto in Milan, who had dropped us and a line, dropped us an email in the week, to talk about something we talked about like on last week's podcast, which is IFAB's new proposed rule about penalties. Now, if you missed last week's podcast, A, why?
00:27:44
Ken Davies
The roast chicken in the restaurant.
00:28:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Where have you been? ah But B, we were talking about new rules that are proposed that will be coming into play in time for next year's World Cup. One of them is... the fact that they're going to change rules around penalty kicks during open play.
00:28:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
And when a penalty is taken, if it is saved or hits the woodwork, the game is stopped and restarts with a goal kick. So there's no rebounds, there's no follow-ups, there's none of that brilliant goal-mouth scramble that we often see after a penalty is missed.
00:28:24
Ken Davies
Thank you.
00:28:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we had a very brief chat about that last week. um And Roberto Milan has got in touch to say, because I was kind of, I think it's a very poor rule change. And Ken, you you were saying actually, no, you think it's a good rule change.
00:28:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now in the week, England women played Italy women in the semifinals of the European Championships. And with only a few minutes to go right at the end of the game, and in fact, at the end of extra time, England were awarded a penalty.
00:28:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
bit of a soft penalty, but a penalty nonetheless.
Penalty Rules Debate
00:29:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Chloe Kelly ran up, took it. ah Giuliani in the Italy goal saved it. Kelly got to the ball first, poked home the rebound.
00:29:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
England won the game and got through to the final. And Roberto in Milan says, well, I was watching that game. Obviously, he's a sports Italy woman. And he said, look, i I know that it went against us and blah, blah, blah. And I know, you know, we were kicked we were knocked out because of this. But...
00:29:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Penalty rebounds are really exciting. They they create my real moments of tension, real moments of ah excitement. and And you've got that moment where if if the ball doesn't go in, it comes back out. Who's going to get to it Can they score? What's the goalkeeper doing? You've got 10, 11, 12, 20 or 20 odd players rushing into the area. Everybody's trying to get to it first.
00:29:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he said...
00:29:45
Ken Davies
Thank
00:29:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
we don't I don't totally don't agree with this rule change. Keep rebounds in penalties because they are a really exciting moment of a game. How's that changed your mind at all, Ken?
00:29:58
Ken Davies
No, it hasn't actually. And know I'm going to double down on this because firstly, so just to put it in context, what we're talking about is having penalties in the 90 minutes, exactly the same as it would be in a penalty shootout. Once the save has been made or the ball's hit, the post, the ball is dead.
00:30:16
Ken Davies
So there can't be any follow-ups. My view is now, and I should preface this by saying I've got a proper downer on penalties. ah Nick, ah just mentioned there how soft the penalty was that was given. It was extraordinarily soft.
00:30:29
Ken Davies
And in fact, penalties are, in my opinion, should be completely and radically changed because it gives such an advantage to the attacker ah because the chances of that person scoring at that point in time is probably about 2%. The chances of scoring a penalty are about 78%. So, ah but let's put that to one side.
00:30:49
Ken Davies
My big issue with it is that not only is that huge advantage with the penalty taker, This gives them two chances. And I don't think there should be two chances. This is the equivalent of a penalty in basketball when the ball hits the rim and bounces out for someone to follow in and push it back down again.
00:31:07
Ken Davies
Makes no sense. Wouldn't work in any other sport. Shouldn't work in football. You get one chance. It's a pretty advantageous situation anyway to be given a 78% chance of scoring.
00:31:18
Ken Davies
all All the odds are in the favour of thee of the penalty taker. For the keeper to pull off a miraculous save, which is difficult enough from a penalty, only for the bloke to, or only for the lady, or only for the player to follow in and nod it in the far corner, I think is ah massively over-advantageous for the penalty taker.
00:31:39
Ken Davies
So, no, give him one chance to score a penalty, not two chances. That's my opinion, still.
00:31:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
OK, well, my opinion on it hasn't changed either. And I agree with ah Roberto in Milan. I think penalty rebounds are an exciting moment in the game. It doesn't always go right back to the kicker.
00:31:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
So defenders have got a chance.
00:31:59
Ken Davies
Thank you.
00:32:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Goalkeepers still got a chance. It creates excitement. And that's the whole point of going to watch football is to create excitement. is to be on the edge of your seat, whether you're the defending team or whether that you are the attacking team.
00:32:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
We don't go to football to sit there and be bored. And this is ah this is a rule change, I'm afraid, which is just makes football more boring.
00:32:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Simple.
00:32:21
Ken Davies
Well, it's good it's a good point, but we could make a football interesting all kinds of artificial ways, couldn't we?
00:32:26
Ken Davies
We could say, actually, we have to hop. We have to strap one of our legs up and the whole game is played by hopping, which Skippy will be up front for Australia.
00:32:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, it'd be great at that, yeah.
00:32:37
Ken Davies
But, I mean, there's all kinds of ways you make it exciting by ridiculous, ridiculous kind of artificial rules.
00:32:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
It might still be, to be fair.
00:32:44
Ken Davies
And think this is one of them. But, Will, hey, we're going to keep an eye on
00:32:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
what's 134-year rule. I wrote a blog on this, by the way. If you want to read it, um do feel free. It's on the Global it so no globalve Sports Podcast. It's ah it's a Global Sports Podcast Network website is what I was looking for.
00:33:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
GlobalSportsPodcastNetwork.com. And it's what 134-year-old change rome why change it Literally, why change it for the point of...
00:33:00
Ken Davies
yeah
00:33:09
Ken Davies
well because it's about because Nick it's about continuous improvement it's about making the game better and better and better
00:33:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's not... being you' exploit It isn't.
00:33:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's about medical. Right, Roberto in Milan.
00:33:17
Ken Davies
Anyway, now, by the way, hope you're enjoying the Road to World Cup 26, just like, was it Marco in in Napoli?
00:33:26
Ken Davies
and Roberto and Milan. Sorry, mate. I hope you're enjoying the Road to World Cup 26. If, like Roberto and Milan, you want to send us something and get our opinions on things, make them as controversial as you like.
00:33:39
Ken Davies
That was quite an interesting, chewy one, because me and Nick have different opinions on that.
00:33:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
think that's why I was very good
00:33:43
Ken Davies
Please do. And also subscribe, leave a review, um share the podcast with your friends.
00:33:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think
00:33:48
Ken Davies
We'd love to hear your thoughts on the whole World Cup qualifying process, the whole World Cup, anything at all, to be honest.
00:33:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
that's why I was very good one. I think that's why I was a very good one. I think that's why I was very good think that's I was very good one.
00:33:54
Ken Davies
Now, you can email us road to wo up twenty six at at gmail.com.
00:33:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
think
00:33:59
Ken Davies
Go and have a look at the website. You'll find us there as well. It's globalsportspodcastnetwork.com. And, yeah, very much looking forward to hearing your views, opinions, and and congratulations.
00:34:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
that' Yeah, and we're on YouTube, we're on Insta, we're on <unk>re on X, we're in the way.
00:34:18
Ken Davies
everyone.
00:34:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're all over the place. We're all over this. We're all over this. ah Right, okay, let's have a quick word from our sponsor, Ken, and then we shall move on to the best part of everybody's week.
00:34:29
Ken Davies
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00:34:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
um
00:34:35
Ken Davies
My body is feeling particularly unique right now. Because without knowing, no not and good I'm not even sure Bionique can help me out of this situation.
00:34:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not in a good way. Not in a good way.
00:34:45
Ken Davies
Because without knowing what deficiencies you have, taking off-the-shelf supplements probably mean you're not getting enough of what you need. You may be getting too much of what you don't. I've got too much of what I don't need. I'm just saying that. I'm putting that out there.
00:34:56
Ken Davies
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00:35:10
Ken Davies
I tell you what, I'm going to buy every single packet and I'm going to just be taking them for the rest of the day.
00:35:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
the
00:35:15
Ken Davies
And I'll report back on what happens.
00:35:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, it is, of course, everybody's favorite time of the week. It's Kenny's quiz. He looks in no state to take this quiz, I've got to say. So I'm going to make it very, very... Oh, pipe's out. That's always a good sign.
00:35:33
Ken Davies
That's terrible.
00:35:42
Ken Davies
Pipes out there. The pipe of the pipe of thinking is out.
00:35:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Excellent. Good.
00:35:46
Ken Davies
The pipe of intelligence.
00:35:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
and going to make this nice and easy and nice and quick.
00:35:49
Ken Davies
Great. Carly Minogue, Dame Edna Reveridge and Ramsey Street.
00:35:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah are the correct answers. Congratulations, you've succeeded on this week's quiz. Right, which Australian animal is known for its loud loud laughing sound, Kenny?
00:36:06
Ken Davies
Uh, uh, Carly Minogue. No, uh, I'm, I'm, I'm going kookaburra.
00:36:13
Ken Davies
Yay. Good start. Here we go.
00:36:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
One out of one, very good. What is the national dish of Australia?
00:36:25
Ken Davies
The national dish of Australia. I've got a feeling it's a cake and it's got a funny name.
00:36:37
Ken Davies
Like a... I think it's like a... Is it a lamb... Lamerton or something like that? Something like that?
00:36:46
Ken Davies
I think it's... It ain't going to be kangaroo or koala curry, is it? It's going to...
00:36:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
You've got curry on the brain, you have.
00:36:52
Ken Davies
Barbecue... I've got curry everywhere else. Barbecue... The barbecue, I suppose it could be.
00:36:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
the
00:37:01
Ken Davies
i
00:37:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
but I hate to see you fishing around hopelessly.
00:37:03
Ken Davies
i um i think i think it's um I think it's a lamington cake.
00:37:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. A lamington cake.
00:37:13
Ken Davies
I think it's called a lamington. It's a type of cake they make.
00:37:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's
00:37:16
Ken Davies
All the 1960s and 1950s, all the housewives used to make this type of cake.
00:37:28
Ken Davies
That goes right through me now.
00:37:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
curiously curiously, well, it's not the only thing that's gone right through you by the looks of things. ah Curious, funnily enough, you kind of got the name half right, but it's not a cake. The national dish of Australia, not surprisingly, because there's more of them than there are us, is roast lamb.
00:37:44
Ken Davies
Oh, yeah, funny i makes sense. That makes sense.
00:37:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Finally then, which Australian city, and you're just going to have to guess at this, which Australian city has the largest Greek population outside of Athens?
00:37:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Which Australian city has the largest Greek population outside of Athens?
00:38:01
Ken Davies
Melbourne.
00:38:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
We should go out on a five-day bender more often.
00:38:09
Ken Davies
Blimey.
00:38:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Two out three.
00:38:13
Ken Davies
That's, that's, it was either was going to be Sydney or Melbourne, wasn't it?
00:38:16
Ken Davies
And I thought Sydney's too obvious, so went for Melbourne.
00:38:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, no, very good. Well done. Two out three. Well done. I hope you you played along at home. I hope you're shafting the answers out and got three out three. But two out three is a pretty good effort, ah I've got to say.
00:38:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
is a pretty good effort
00:38:28
Ken Davies
i did
00:38:29
Ken Davies
Yeah, two points. Up the league, we go.
00:38:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Indeed. Right, before we get on to our predictions, a very quick word about the manager of Australia.
Tony Popovich's Management
00:38:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
a man called Tony Popovich, who, as we were saying a little bit earlier on, Ken, we recognise remember as a player.
00:38:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was a very good centre-half and he played for Paris, a team I'm very fond of and familiar with, ah amongst various other clubs, and took over...
00:38:47
Ken Davies
Hmm.
00:38:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Australia's national team as coach last September at a time, as I mentioned this earlier on in the podcast, at a time when they were doing really poorly in qualifying. And the idea of Australia failing to qualify, not just for a World Cup, because they normally go through playoffs, Australia. they very rarely actually qualify off the bat automatically.
00:39:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
They normally have to go through a playoff. But they they were at a moment in their qualifying campaign where they were fall out, fall to the bottom of their group and risk just literally not... not not qualifying at all, which in an expanded World Cup was bad enough when there were 32 teams, but 48 is just ridiculous.
00:39:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
So they got rid Graham Arnold, the previous coach, brought in Tony Popovich, and it was a moment of genius. I've got to say, it was ah it was ah an inspired decision because it was just before two the two absolutely crucial games, ah China, who, you know, they're wooden spoon contenders, aren't they?
00:39:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
And at the other end of the league, Japan, who are great team.
00:39:50
Ken Davies
Mm.
00:39:53
Ken Davies
Sword and... It's even chopsticks. Sword and chopsticks. Yeah. Mm.
00:39:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, Wooden Chops. Sorry.
00:39:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah You've got to beat China because if you don't beat China, then you don't deserve to go to a World Cup.
00:39:58
Ken Davies
dis
00:40:01
Ken Davies
yeah
00:40:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Japan is a hard, hard game. So you need to need to be on it.
00:40:06
Ken Davies
and
00:40:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it was ah it was a controversial move to get rid of a manager halfway through qualifying, maybe. But it turned out to be absolutely the right decision because if they'd lost those games, they would have been ah in real trouble.
00:40:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
They beat China 3-1. They took a point off Japan, won all. And that kick-started the rest of their campaign, which has just seen them win in total five five wins and three draws in his eight games in charge.
00:40:33
Ken Davies
Won every game in 2025. Hmm. No.
00:40:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
And they've qualified automatically. Bingo. So well done. Well done, Tony Popovich. You've done a brilliant, brilliant job there. The only thing is, is that this is not the most attractive of football that he plays.
00:40:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's quite dour. It's quite pragmatic. You've talked about the fact that they tend to sit behind a ball. That's exactly right. What they'll do is they'll allow you to have possession. And their main hope of getting anything out of a game is to hit you on a break and hit you on the counter.
00:41:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, it's pretty successful so far for him, but does he have the players to do it against top-level teams? That's going to be the key. So we've mentioned already, he needs to find younger younger talent coming through. There are players waiting in the wings. There's four or five players who are banging on the door.
00:41:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's going to have a chance to have a look at those during friendlies over the next year. He's got to get this sorted out. If he wants to play this you want play this game ah in the in the way that he does, and there's nothing wrong with that by the way. It's not great to watch, but...
00:41:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
It doesn't really matter, does it? If you're a manager, you just want to win games. And he's got he's let's let's have a bit of attacking flair up the top end of the pitch. But he he's done exactly what he needed to do.
00:41:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's come in, he's won games, he's made them difficult to beat, he's shored up the defence, and they've qualified for the World Cup. So many congratulations to him. I think Tony Popovich has done a really, really, really good job. And it'll be interesting to see when the next level of challenge comes his way, how they cope with it.
00:41:59
Ken Davies
Do you think, by the way, that there is a correlation between the position that a manager played as a player and his approach to to formation, set-up and tactics as a manager?
00:42:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's interesting. I don't know.
00:42:15
Ken Davies
Because few times now we've come across that.
00:42:17
Ken Davies
We've talked about, I think we did it with Ecuador, with the guys that clearly has been a... ah defensive player, defensively minded player, and suddenly they get super, super effective, if you like, in that phase of the game.
00:42:32
Ken Davies
Do you think actually that's a thing that that's ah you get attacking attacking?
00:42:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's really interesting. Yeah, it's an interesting point. do you know what you know You know you went away a couple of weeks ago and did some research on extra time.
00:42:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
I might go away and do a little bit research on this because it's an interesting point. It's not something I've ever thought about particularly. But yeah, it might be it might be that. and I'm just trying to think of of managers around you know your top managers, your Ancelotti's and your Guardiola's and managers like that, whether or not the way they play correlated to the to the way they played as individuals and and the positions they played.
00:42:44
Ken Davies
Hmm.
00:43:03
Ken Davies
I reckon there's something in there.
00:43:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
It is an interesting it is interesting conversation to have.
00:43:08
Ken Davies
There you go. By the way, when we set out this this episode, we say we've got to keep your 45 minutes
World Cup Predictions
00:43:14
Ken Davies
date. I reckon we've got a good chance. We need, though, to talk about predictions.
00:43:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well...
00:43:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
but nearly that We're nearly there. so Go on, you go first, because i went first last week.
00:43:18
Ken Davies
ah
00:43:21
Ken Davies
ah Well, I've got my doubts about Australia, i'll be quite honest with you. I think, as we talked about earlier, they've left it a bit late to introduce some of the players that I think are really going to be ah their lifeline at the next World Cup.
00:43:35
Ken Davies
I see them getting around the group stages and I see them probably, not conceding many, probably reasonably effective at corners and set pieces, maybe nicking a couple of goals that way.
00:43:49
Ken Davies
But I think they're going to get found out in round of 32. So I just think they've got a bit of a lack of depth. The next 12 months are going to be really critical. Most of the players are playing their second tier.
00:44:01
Ken Davies
I think they lack goals. I think they're going to get found out at 32. So they're going out in the round of 32 for me.
00:44:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, okay. I actually haven't got them going that far. I don't think they'll get out of the group stages ah because I just don't think they've got enough goals in them. and this is this is this is right here right now, this might change over the next few year, but I don't think they've got enough goals in them.
00:44:18
Ken Davies
yeah
00:44:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I don't think they're that... the they I can just see them drawing all their games. That might be enough. I it kind of depends on who's in your group here. So I kind of head to my bets at this moment in time.
00:44:30
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:44:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
If they get a favourable group, they'll get through to round 32. They're not going to be beyond that. They're going and be beyond that.
00:44:36
Ken Davies
No.
00:44:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I think if they get a tough group, they're not going to get out of it because I just think they're just not going to be good enough. Yeah.
00:44:43
Ken Davies
have to force you into a decision group stage run
00:44:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
could be loaded, it could be loaded, 0-0s. I think they're a team that will just draw loads of their games, I'm going to say, out in the group stages again. Nathan, that's good.
00:44:52
Ken Davies
Right. Okay. By the way, I did a slight analysis. That is now 13 teams. We have agreed on eight of them. We've agreed on eight of them. There's only five that we've disagreed on.
00:45:03
Ken Davies
And that's only disagreed by a round of one. What do you say, Skip?
00:45:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
faithful principle
00:45:08
Ken Davies
No, no, Skippy.
00:45:09
Ken Davies
They're not going win it. They're not going to win it, Skippy.
00:45:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
He thinks they're going to win it.
00:45:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's what he's just said.
00:45:13
Ken Davies
He does?
00:45:13
Ken Davies
He does?
00:45:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
He also said, oh, Bill's down the mine again.
00:45:15
Ken Davies
No.
00:45:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Even though we told him last week to get out of mine, he's fallen back down the mine. So Skippy needs to go and save him. so
00:45:21
Ken Davies
like scar I reckon we see skipping one of them serial killer programs.
00:45:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
probably
00:45:25
Ken Davies
You imagine murder Australia starring Skippy the bush kangaroo.
00:45:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the police just missed but just missed all these signs.
00:45:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
they missed all They missed all the signs because they were so they were so pleased that he'd come and reported the crimes.
00:45:33
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:45:33
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:45:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
They just missed all the warning signs that he was actually guilty of
00:45:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Who knows?
00:45:40
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:45:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Who knows? Right. Okay. Look, 45 minutes. We're done. and That's the end of this episode. So thank you very much indeed for joining us. Now, this is the last team, Australia, the last team that have qualified so far that we can talk about until more teams qualify in October out of Asia in the next round of qualifiers then.
00:45:41
Ken Davies
yeah
00:45:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
And of course, we've got most of the UEFA campaign still to run. So we're going to do something different next week. And we're going to bring you news of that when we do it next week, aren't we, Ken?
00:46:08
Ken Davies
No, but we have got some actually quite clever ideas.
00:46:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh
00:46:11
Ken Davies
And what we're going to be...
00:46:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
I haven't quite nailed down which of them we're going to do yet.
00:46:15
Ken Davies
I ah think but you't you won't want to miss it next week because it'd be an interesting history lesson. I know that.
00:46:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, if you've got any ideas, let us know.
00:46:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
But no, no, we've got two of them
00:46:25
Ken Davies
LAUGHTER
00:46:27
Ken Davies
Marco wants us to do something on Italy, we will. Anyway, we'll...
00:46:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
them. Yeah, yeah, exactly. So, ah so ah Yeah, no, it will be good. We've got we've got two or three really good ideas. it will be very big I think we're entering a very good new phase of this podcast. It's all World Cup related, obviously, and so we very much look forward to bringing you that next week. But for now, but for now thank you very much indeed for joining us. From Skippy, who's been a ah star of the show today, he's off to to to go to down any old mine and find Bill.
00:46:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
From me and from you, Ken, thank you very much for listening. Thank much for watching. Look after yourselves, look after each other, and goodbye.