The boss of Australian soccer has pleaded with governments to not abandon the game when the cheering stops after a record-breakingWorld Cup.
Australian soccer is on a excessive because of the surge of ticket gross sales at Women’s World Cup which have already exceeded finances, however Football Australia CEO James Johnson mentioned the sport was in a fierce battle to maintain tempo with cashed up international rivals whereas doing justice to development at grassroots degree in Australia.
“I want the sport to look differently after these games,’’ Johnson told this masthead before Thursday’s sold-out Suncorp Stadium clash against Nigeria.
“We need to use this tournament to drive change in sport. Stadium upgrades, more people playing it. When that happens I will be happy with its legacy. We are going to need more Federal and State support.
“We are not just competing with Manly or the Roosters and Collingwood and Carlton. It’s not just the biggest European and South American nations but the Japanese, the Qataris, the Saudis. They are pumping billions of dollars into football.”
There have been whispers extra authorities is on the best way and Johnson is especially hoping Queensland authorities will open its coffers.
While there was greater than $357 million spent on the game’s legacy tasks by state and Federal Government the Queensland Government has dedicated simply $13 million.
“There have been big investments from Victoria in the legacy program but we would really like to see Queensland come to the table not for any other reason that Queensland is a major state of ours now,” Johnson mentioned.
“On numbers alone it is now the second biggest state in the country in participation numbers.
We have brought a lot of big content to Brisbane. The Matildas played Canada in Brisbane. Last year we went to Townsville and played New Zealand there with the Matildas.
“We would like to see Queensland come to the table for our legacy funding.
“I would like to see the Australian public stay with the sport and I think they will. I want people to look back at these games like they do at the Sydney Olympics and say I was at Suncorp Stadium when they played Nigeria.
“From the moment we announced host cities we knew the demand for tickets would be very high. We are a week into the tournament and we have already hit 1.5 million ticket sales which is what the tournament KPI was. And that number is only going to grow.Over 1.1 of that number is actually Australian tickets. The pickup of tickets in this county is phenomenal.’’
AUSTRALIA’S HORROR LUCK MUST END
Australia coach Tony Gustavsson insisted it was simply bad luck that two players were concussed in separate “high-intensity” coaching incidents on the eve of their Women’s World Cup conflict with Nigeria, and praised his crew for a way they responded.
The Matildas had been already with out the injured Sam Kerr for the match in Brisbane on Thursday and now fellow ahead Mary Fowler – who changed the Chelsea star of their opening sport – can also be unavailable.
With Kyah Simon nonetheless recovering from a knee harm sustained in October, Arsenal’s Caitlin Foord is their solely recognised striker.
Along with Fowler, defender Aivi Luik, who was a substitute of their 1-0 win in opposition to Ireland final week, additionally suffered a head knock in coaching and has been dominated out.
“It was a completely normal training, two days out you always have high-intensity,” mentioned Gustavsson, who refused to say how the incidents unfolded.
“Everything was good, we were just unlucky unfortunately, two head knocks. We didn’t do anything different than normal.
“The players kept going … they are on a mission, and just focused on what they can control so credit to them in yesterday’s training on how they responded to it.”
Gustavsson had no replace on Kerr’s calf harm, saying solely that she can be reassessed after the Nigeria sport.
“We want to wait until the last minute to see where’s she’s at in terms of availability,” he added, referring to their ultimate Group B match, in opposition to Canada on July 31 in Melbourne.
His choices in opposition to Nigeria seem to now be beginning Foord upfront with Emily van Egmond or Tameka Yallop, who each often play in midfield.
Australia have three factors and victory would guarantee they progress to the final 16 from Group B. Nigeria and Canada have one level every, with Ireland but to get off the mark.
NIGERIA STILL FEAR AUSTRALIAN ‘WEAPONS’
Nigeria coach Randy Waldrum warned a depleted Australia nonetheless have loads of “weapons” and it will not change how they approached the sport or give them a bonus.
“I don’t think it really changes our tactics and what we are trying to do. They obviously still have a lot of weapons that can hurt you,” mentioned the American.
“We know the strength of their team, I know a lot of their players well from when I was coaching in the (American) NWSL, I know their quality.
“So we cannot go into the match thinking we are at some advantage for that reason. We have to stick to the game plan and how we have been preparing for them since after the Canada match.” Nigeria opened their marketing campaign by incomes a invaluable level in a battling 0-0 draw in opposition to Olympic champions Canada, with goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie the African facet’s hero after saving a penalty.
The Nigerian defence was stable and gave little away in opposition to a crew ranked seventh on the earth.
Waldrum mentioned his facet had taken notice of how the Irish obtained gamers behind the ball to frustrate the co-hosts, however pressured they need to additionally put away any possibilities that come their method.
“We have quality in the team, players that can score goals. We just have to make sure that when those opportunities come that we’re clinical with them,” he mentioned.
They head into the match with out midfielder Deborah Abiodun, who picked up a crimson card in opposition to Canada, however are in any other case at full energy.
Originally printed as Matildas v Nigeria, FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023: Can Australia attain the knockout stage?
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
