Soccer

» JCofBH - Australia

Picking up the 'surprise package' chat from the MLS thread, can I just say I do not fancy Australia to even get out their group.

They'll get 3 points off the Japs in the opener, but the crafty Croats will take second spot. Croatia's qualifying record is just too good, Guus notwithstanding.

And I don't want to hear about 'the convoluted qualifying system' Australia have had to endure. They got taught a lesson by Uruguay ahead of the last tournament, and choked massively at home against Iran before France '98.

A lot of sides in Europe would welcome the chance to effectively qualify over 2 legs against a middling South American or Asian side, and I don't know what Fifa are doing letting Australia jump ship to the Asian qualifiers. They have a perfectly good bite at the World Cup cherry as it is, and if they can't take it then tough.

-- posted by JCofBH