SBS soccer analyst and former Socceroo Craig Foster has delivered a scathing assessment of Australia’s unsuccessful World Cup campaign.
Speaking after Australia’s 2-0 loss to Peru on Wednesday night, Foster said the country has not learned from their three successive losses in Brazil four years ago.
Foster said the Socceroos are capable of better results in the world game, but have been let down by a ‘gutless approach’ in the past.
SBS soccer analyst and former Socceroo Craig Foster has delivered a scathing assessment of Australia’s unsuccessful World Cup campaign
Speaking after Australia’s 2-0 loss to Peru on Wednesday night, Foster said the country has not learned from the disaster in Brazil four years ago
‘There is no question that we could have done more,’ Foster said after the team’s disappointing exit at the hands of Peru.
‘In my view, we haven’t learnt from the last four years … according to the style of play, the guys executed it extremely well, but Australia’s capable of more.’
Foster slammed the transition from former coach Ange Postecoglou, in charge during the Socceroo’s three losses in Brazil, saying his plan was abandoned.
He said the previous four-year plan was thrown out, but the effort put in by Australian soccer was inadequate, and un-Australian.
Foster said the Socceroos are capable of better results in the world game, but have been let down by a ‘gutless’ approach in the past
‘There is no question that we could have done more,’ Foster said after the team’s disappointing exit at the hands of Peru
‘That wasn’t the Australian way … the guys went and gave everything and you can see what they’ve spent in pursuit of making their nation proud,’ he said.
‘We know these guys are capable of that, but that wasn’t what we’re capable of in terms of a football country.’
Foster then called for a change at the national level and bemoaned the latest ‘gallant defeat’, but refused to blame new coach Bert van Marwijk.
His comments came amid a national outpouring of anger over Peru’s first goal, which many thought was offside.
Thousands of angry Socceroos fans savaged the referees and the video review system on social media after the match, calling it a ‘farce’.
Thousands of angry Socceroos fans savaged the referees and the video review system on social media after the match, calling it a ‘farce’
One fan fumed: ‘The farce strikes again!’ while another seethed: ‘We’ve been bent over by the referees.’
Australia fought back bravely but went on to lose 2-0 after a deflected goal in the second half all but crushed their hopes of getting through the group stage.
Some 15,000 disgruntled Australians left Sochi’s Fisht Stadium with their World Cup dreams in tatters as they prepared for the 14,000km journey back Down Under.
Socceroos manager Bert van Marwijk said in a bitter post-match interview: ‘The first goal was offside.’
Captain Mile Jedinak said he was ‘disappointed and empty.’
Foster then called for a change at the national level and bemoaned the latest ‘gallant defeat’, but refused to blame new coach Bert van Marwijk