15 November 2000
Scotland 0, Australia 2 -
One Glorious Night in Glasgow
The overwhelming sentiment coming out of this result was respect. It is amazing what simple a scoreline implies: 2-0 against means a predictable loss; one-nil, a brave loss (we've had enough of those); 0-0, a hard fought draw; 1-0 to Aus means a lucky win; but 2-0 means clear superiority. Unlike the 3-0 win against Hungary, this game was telecast live through-out the UK where the the most impact amongst the English speaking world is made. Australia was expected to eventually be out-classed, or out-gunned, and maybe escape with a draw. Instead, the Scots received a stunning performance that was not too dissimilar to what the world champions France did to them several months ago: dominated, out-performed individually, bobbed up with a couple of goals just to show some tangible return. That was France, this was Australia, and Scotland were embarrassed. In the washup, Scotland's coach Graig Brown has refused to play anymore friendlies. Not that he will have that much influence in the near future if you are to listen to the way the Scottish media scythed not only into him and his tactics, but also the "rubbish" team and the lack of skill on the individual players. It is not everyday a footballing backwater makes you look inept.
To get the full Scottish reaction, there is a full match report sourced from the Glasgow Herald in the Australia in Action section. Below, though, is the Australian reaction from actually being there, sent in by a Socceroo Realm reader. The thing I'd like to know, isn't Lazar married?
Ripper Roos
With matches by Australia's flagship football team, being so few and far between, meant
that when the opportunity came up to actually see them play at the historical, but newly
refurbished Hampden Park, I jumped at the chance. Having lived in London for the past few
years meant Glasgow was only an hours flight away for me. As a football fan and a proud
Australian, it was a match too good to miss.
Flew up on the Tuesday morning, in the end by myself, as all other potential takers pulled out. I stayed at the same hotel as the Aussie team - the Glasgow Moathouse Hotel. As the hotel was near Ibrox - the first thing I did on arriving was walk to the ground to check out this famous stadium. I had always wanted to check out Northern Spirit's other home ground. The unfortunate thing for me is they only do ground tours on Sundays so no luck there. Had a quick look around at the attached Rangers Superstore, and I can assure you that there was absolutely no evidence of Spirit merchandise on sale in the shop. I trust this scenario is reciprocated in the Spirit store back in Sydney.
On Tuesday afternoon there was the press conference for the team which attracted a large contingent of national media attention. I was just hanging around in the foyer, seeing who I could recognise when I got talking to a journalist from the Observer - Amy Lawrence (yes - a female football journalist) - who was up from London to do a feature on Mark Viduka. Had lunch with her in the arvo, and then in the evening had dinner with her, and two other football journo's, Kevin (?) from The Times, and Phil Shaw from the Independent, who were also in town covering the game. Had a great time talking football over a lovely Italian meal. They all knew about Kewell and Viduka, so I told them the next superstar out of Australia would be Brett Emerton of Feynoord. Wasn't I happy when he walked away with the Man of the Match award the very next day. Afterwards we met up with the AAP man - Trevor Marshallsea and we all got plastered together. Considering I was in Glasgow by myself, I think ending up having dinner and getting pissed with a number of British national newspaper football journalists, is what they call - falling on your feet.
Wednesday didn't begin for me until around midday. At 2.30pm I met up with the Aussie team manager - Bonnie Mersiades (who does all the admin work), as well as a few other Aussie supporters lead by Damian Smith who had just driven up from Leeds. As Tony Vidmar and Hayden Foxe were sitting nearby enjoying a cappuccino, I politely asked if I could join them, and was rewarded with a long chat. Hayden Foxe is honestly a top bloke, and I really hope he goes far in the game. With Rio Ferdinand likely to be sold to Leeds it definitely opens up a huge opportunity should his work permit be eventually granted. Tony V thought the crowd in Iran was the most terrifying he has faced. Truly frightening he reckons ! I mentioned I had gone to Budapest, and he acknowledged that it too had been an intimidating crowd.
Made my way to Hampden Park by taxi, shortly after seeing the Aussie team bus off. Picked up Amy from her hotel which for me had a two fold benefit - one, because she having a press pass, we were able to be dropped off right out the front, and two........she paid (well The Observer did anyway!)
Seat allocation was excellent - row J (9 rows from front), midway between the halfway line and right hand penalty box per the TV camera position. There was about 10 aussie supporters in our row, as 3 more had flown up from Luton just a couple of hours before the game. Everyone was showing their colours either by wearing the Aussie flag or Aussie shirt. Quick predictions amongst ourselves just before kick-off revealed a few nil-nil and 1-nil losses. Being a true believer (others would say overly optimistic) I actually tipped a 2-nil victory to the boys. Yeah, yeah.....sure you did I hear you scoff...but I can assure you, hand on my heart, it is true.
For the first half hour Scotland never saw the ball - there always appeared to be an Aussie in possession of the leather. Early on Emerton (the superstar) scored an excellent goal, as a quick switch of feet sent two defenders out of the stadium for loaves of bread. At first I thought he had taken the ball too far and should have shot earlier .......but what do I know ! Seeing the ball in the onion sack brought 10 people jumping to their feet in ecstasy, oblivious to the sea of disbelieve which surrounded them. I am sure at this stage the Scottish crowd thought this was just a minor blip on the radar - the Tartan Army had come to watch the good ship Scotland sail to a comprehensive victory over these colonial upstarts. No large icebergs were expected to be encountered on this voyage.
However Tiatto and Lazaridis were having none of that and continued to carve the poor Scottish defence apart on the left, while Okon and Skoko conducted the midfield like maestro's. Exhibition stuff indeed! Near the end of the half, Scotland had a couple of chances which were expertly foiled by Schwarzer, who on this showing is a shoe-in for the No.1 jersey when the all important qualifiers come around.
Half time was met with a chorus of boos from the home team fans who I'm sure were totally dumbfounded by what they were seeing. King of the Glasgow kids, Mark Viduka kept the locals partially contented during the break, by sitting up the back of the main stand and signing autograph after autograph, for a gaggle of his pre pubescent admirers - his ankle may have been getting a rest but his wrist was in danger of contracting RSI.
Second half was basically a repeat of the first. Aussie possession, with an occasional Scottish attack. Out of what appeared nothing, the Aussies got their second goal when David Zdrllic made amends for his first half howler, heading the ball past the hapless keeper with not a defender in cooee calling distance of him. Captain of the the floundering Scottish ship, Craig Brown had only a few minutes earlier shuffled the deck chairs by calling on Hendry and Elliott to batten down the hatches, but these two must have been seeing the ship doctor for sea sickness tablets when hard man Muscat launched his speculative cross. Again row J jumped to their feet and again they were surrounded by confused faces. Why wasn't Australia following the script and why hadn't they been told ?
Evidence of Australia's overwhelming domination came from the fact that a tattooed Scottish fan had to resort to flashing his quickly shrinking family jewels to the Glasgow air to give his fellow supporters something to cheer about. The final whistle brought big smiles to every Aussie face in the stadium, and photos of the Hampden Park scoreboard were quickly taken for prosperity. It was certainly a good night to be an Aussie in Glasgow.
Hitched a ride with Damian and the rest of the Leeds crew back to the hotel. On the way we came across a lone aussie who had travelled from Edinburgh just for the game. He was going to catch the train straight back home but on hearing we were going to the teams hotel hitched a ride with us as well. (Amazingly he wasn't even an avid soccer fan but had just been caught up in the excitement of it all. Back at the hotel I had to explain to him who he was actually getting his photo taken with. For the most part he had absolutely no idea!!)
Scottish fans leaving the home of Scottish football, sheepishly took the loss with a shrug, but were very forthcoming in their congratulations on Australia's good showing. Though having said that, we did have to endure a schoolboy rendition of 'who let the Aussies out' as we floated in the Glasgow mist back to the car.
Back at the luxurious surrounds of the hotel everyone was very upbeat. I decided it was time to go back to my childhood and once again became an avid autograph and photograph hunter. The next hour was spent, getting photos with, and autographs of, most of the Aussie players until they all left to seek out some female action in the Glasgow nightclubs. Having said that, Stan the Man did arrive back early with a stunning young lady with a long slit in her skirt revealing some rather exquisite pegs. Was it his lovely wife up from Birmingham, or just some tasty local talent? Either way he obviously scores beauties both on and off the field !!!
Last part of the night was spent swapping footballing tales with the English branch of the Frank Farina Green and Gold Army (FFGGA), which at this stage comprises, Peter Thorpe, Rodney Lock and Kingston Arthur. New members, I am assured, are always welcome. From these discussions I learned that there are actually other people in this world almost as sad as me for their devotion to the Aussie cause.
At 2.00 am we had to relucantly call it quits as the bar at the hotel called last drinks. What a night ! A comprehensive victory for the mighty Roos and then hours of talking football and rubbing shoulders with Australia's elite. What more could any fan want? World Cup qualification anyone?
Andrew Fairburn