The USS Quad Damage

Summed up in a senetence, Australia made it to the second round with every referee having a bizarre prejudice against them.

The media pushed forward the idea what Australia making it to the world cup would somehow make soccer a popular sport in Australia. However after years of being screwed over by Fifa with the Oceania grouping saga. Then the quite obvious bias of referees when we do actually make it. I believe that soccer is now almost guarenteed to be relegated as a second rate sport.

In Australian sport we value fairness as much as victory. Take the third umpire in cricket or video referee in football (Rugby). We take great lengths in each sport to ensure that the correct decision is reached by the umpires and referees. Soccer on the other hand has dubious decisions regarding penalties and fouls and hasn't attempted to rectify this in any real way.

Perhaps even more important is that in cricket, league, union and afl players get hit and hit quite hard in the course of playing. It is seen as a desireable characteristic to be able to shrug it off and continue with the exception of a clear and obvious injury which sidelines said player. Even then players don't act even half as injured as soccer players whom have simply been touched by an opposing player and fall to the ground demanding a penalty for a fake injury.

As far as most people will be concerned other countries in effect cheated and Australians will be quite content to point that out and say. If you want to play us at a real game and fair game then try Rugby, League or Cricket.