Soccer: Not so fast you Aussies ... we're here as well

By TERRY MADDAFORD

It is no surprise that the Australians are already preparing to play in the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany. But, hello, have not their arrogant media missed something?

In an AAP report in the Sydney Morning Herald under the heading: "Is it advance Australia fair after Oceania claims World Cup spot?" Australia were described as being handed virtual automatic qualification for the finals.

Further down, the report said Australia were ranked No 47 and New Zealand 48. Wrong.Fifa's latest rankings show New Zealand at 49 and Australia at 50.

That Oceania does not have a country ranked in Fifa's top 32, the number of countries who will play in Germany, is irrelevant. At this year's finals in Japan and Korea, there were a number of finalists ranked outside the top 32.

Is that not what the World Cup is about? An all-encompassing competition open to Fifa's 200-plus members?

Many would question Africa's right to having five teams at the finals.

They, like the Asian and the North/Central American (Concacaf) confederations, have never produced a World Cup winner.

On that basis, soccer's showpiece would be restricted to just Europe and South America, the only confederations to have won the cup.

There has been unwarranted criticism of Fifa's ground-breaking decision by those who contend Oceania is not strong enough to warrant direct representation.

Rubbish.

In 1998, Australia, as Oceania champion, played Iran for the last place at the finals in France. The unbeaten Socceroos fell only at the last hurdle, against Iran on the away goals rule.

Australia had another chance last year when they beat Uruguay in Melbourne, but went down in Montevideo. Hardly the record of a country out of their depth.

While some here, perhaps hanging on to the memories of 1982 (when the All Whites cleaned out Australia), question the decision, there was no doubt among the all-powerful Fifa executive.

Backing president Sepp Blatter's call, the 24 members voted unanimously for Oceania's direct representation.

While OFC president Basil Scarsella obviously did some good with last-minute lobbying, the efforts by New Zealand and Australia at recent Confederations Cup - Fifa's second-tier competition - surely played a part in what many had touted as an inevitable decision.

The challenge for New Zealand - sorry, should that not be Australia - is to ensure they get a decent build-up and then go on to perform on the world stage.

Suggestions the Oceania team will be out of their depth is bah, humbug stuff.

The last Oceania team to play at the World Cup finals was not handed anything like the 8-0 hiding Saudi Arabia endured this year.

And who was that Oceania team? New Zealand, no less.