In overnight news, it turns out FIFA has reversed its initial thoughts about "automatic entry" for the winners of the Oceania region. This means that Australia will once again destroy tiny Pacific Islands on the way to World Cup Qualification, but play like a stinking dungpile against the top South American Teams.
Short of a magic ticket, it looks like Soccer Australia will have to lift its game and "deal with it". Paul Wade, former Australian Captain, jabbered like an unhappy freak about the inconsistencies and used a lot of words like "spineless" "lack of pallor" and so forth. Clearly upset; yet this was no ambush. There are reasons. Sound reasons. Soccer Australia is recovering lightly from insolvency. New Zealand didn't play so good at the Confederation Cup, but Soccer Australia isn't happy and also brandished subjective words like "politically powerful South American Teams".
Short of winning, the only way Australia will qualify for the soccer World Cup is to act as gracious host.
In one final kick to the junk, FIFA has declared what it has decreed now will hold true for 2006 and 2010.
Written on Sunday, 29 June 2003