http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/Socceroos-a-weak-Cup-team-US-coach/2005/12/06/1133829573662.html
Socceroos a weak Cup team: US coach
December 6, 2005 - 12:29PM
The Socceroos have been rated as one of the two weakest sides at next year's World Cup by United States head coach Bruce Arena.
Despite Australia having beaten world No.18 Uruguay to qualify, Arena considered Australia and Trinidad & Tobago to be the easiest sides to beat in the quadrennial event starting next June.
World No.49 Australia is ranked higher than four other sides at the World Cup finals in Germany next year, with Ghana (50), Trinidad and Tobago (51), Togo (56) and Angola (62) all trailing.
"The last time around the easy games were China and Saudi Arabia," Arena said on the Sports Illustrated website.
"This time around you'd probably say Australia and Trinidad & Tobago are the weak ones."
"But Australia has basically all of its players in Europe, and Trinidad have a guy (in Dwight Yorke) who was arguably the top striker in soccer."
Arena has guided the United States to the quarter-finals at the 2002 World Cup and to eighth spot in the world rankings.
Socceroos a weak Cup team: US coach
December 6, 2005 - 12:29PM
The Socceroos have been rated as one of the two weakest sides at next year's World Cup by United States head coach Bruce Arena.
Despite Australia having beaten world No.18 Uruguay to qualify, Arena considered Australia and Trinidad & Tobago to be the easiest sides to beat in the quadrennial event starting next June.
World No.49 Australia is ranked higher than four other sides at the World Cup finals in Germany next year, with Ghana (50), Trinidad and Tobago (51), Togo (56) and Angola (62) all trailing.
"The last time around the easy games were China and Saudi Arabia," Arena said on the Sports Illustrated website.
"This time around you'd probably say Australia and Trinidad & Tobago are the weak ones."
"But Australia has basically all of its players in Europe, and Trinidad have a guy (in Dwight Yorke) who was arguably the top striker in soccer."
Arena has guided the United States to the quarter-finals at the 2002 World Cup and to eighth spot in the world rankings.