That 2006 team had a great WC in Germany. Bloody unlucky to lose their R16 game to 10 man Italy. Australia went football (soccer) crazy for a few weeks.
Through a nostaglic lens there is always a lot of talk in Oz, that the development of that excellent 2006 side was built off most of them getting their football starts in the old NSL as teenagers. And a feeling that the A League hasn't provided the same opportunities for young Aussie talent. With the Oz dometic talent pathway not as good as it was in the past.
Certainly the NSL usually had 14 clubs, with 13 in it's final season, a number that the ALM has only just reached (which includes 2 NZ clubs). Couple that with the fact that there are more foreigners in the ALM compared to the NSL, and is probably some truth in that theory. Now with a poorer ALM (lower APL disbursements) we are seeing some clubs like the Jets almost do away with import players.
Then the Junior Socceroos (U20s) make a U20WC for the first time in ages. A connection?
Through a nostaglic lens there is always a lot of talk in Oz, that the development of that excellent 2006 side was built off most of them getting their football starts in the old NSL as teenagers. And a feeling that the A League hasn't provided the same opportunities for young Aussie talent. With the Oz dometic talent pathway not as good as it was in the past.
Certainly the NSL usually had 14 clubs, with 13 in it's final season, a number that the ALM has only just reached (which includes 2 NZ clubs). Couple that with the fact that there are more foreigners in the ALM compared to the NSL, and is probably some truth in that theory. Now with a poorer ALM (lower APL disbursements) we are seeing some clubs like the Jets almost do away with import players.
Then the Junior Socceroos (U20s) make a U20WC for the first time in ages. A connection?