Michael Jackson, Irankunda, the World Cup: a Socceroos breakdown

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When your starstruckers goal celebration involves back flips,

putting on a glove and dancing like Michael Jackson.

You know, the vibes are rather high in the Sokka Roots.

Nestor Ehrankunder's joy for night out in a five-one win over Curacao was a reminder

of just how excited Sokka Roots fans should be for the World Cup.

And yes, we know it's going to be tougher than Curacao.

In fact, Turkey has just been confirmed as their tournament opener after their win this morning.

We've also had to confirm that Italy won't be at the tournament at all.

So, broadly, there's a lot to unpack.

Good news is, we've got a former Sokka Roots captain to do the unpacking.

On Patrick Stack, this is ABC Sports Daily.

Paul Lacon is a former Sokka Roots captain.

He is on the coaching team working with Tony Poppavitch ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

Paul, a five-one win over Curacao.

You could not have hoped for any better, could you?

It was a great evening.

You know, we closed our international window with another win.

Yeah, we all love winning, so to get another win last night's score,

five goals, he couldn't have ended better this window.

It was hard last night not to be drawn to Nestoria and Kunda, two goals,

an outrageous Michael Jackson inspired celebration.

Have you ever seen a post-goal celebration quite like that one last night?

Yeah, we all knew he was going to pull out the summer soul,

but we had no idea that he was going to, someone was going to give him the Michael Jackson glove.

But look, Nest is certainly, I think,

he puts bums on seats.

People come out to watch those type of players and

you know, we're super delighted with his contribution,

you know, to the team and moving forward.

We hope or we expect that Nestoria will, you know, do the same for us at the World Cup.

Tony Poppavitch spoke about how much he's evolved as a player and a person post-match.

He's a young man that's just is growing in maturity.

Not just on the field, but I think off the field, you know, he's

living on his own. He firstly goes to Bayern, which is a big jump.

A huge jump if you ever look at the world-class players and that they have there,

and then grasshoppers, now Wofford, is in the national team.

He's adapting, he's learning, yeah, a very good young man.

He does, as you say, seem to be the sort of magnetic player who can drive awareness

of this team and what they're capable of achieving at the FIFA World Cup.

What have you seen in him that has that sort of extra X factor?

Yeah, well, look, when you come on the scene at such a young age and

and performance as well as what, you know, what he did in the A league before he moved to Europe,

yeah, I think then a lot of people expect to see it all the time.

And as a young kid, when you're learning, you're developing, you're becoming,

well, you're sort of understanding what it is to be a professional.

You move to Europe and, you know, you have to sort of accept that not,

yeah, every week is going to be a goal and a summer soul that there's going to be, you know,

tough moments and I think this is understanding then and he's learning to handle that a lot better

last season, was probably not a great season for him in his first season in Europe,

but I think he's adapting, he's understanding the challenges, he knows,

and he's learning what's required to be a consistent performer.

So, you know, that's, you know, a part of our job is to keep him on track, make him understand

that consistency is the only way to becoming, you know, a top professional player and, you know,

for us, it's important that we try and get him to contribute in the way, you know, that he has

for us in these two games. Last one on him is team mates back in Watford. I don't know if you've

seen the clips already, it's sort of going viral on social media, their reviews of his celebration.

There's a foot, there's a mouth to it, he starts dancing and he puts a groove on,

look, Michael Jackson's groove on, but he must have pre, he must have pre-ass someone.

No, that is brutal, that is brutal man. I just wanted to understand the response from

his team mates and the coaches afterwards. Yeah, look, if he scores two goals like that in any

game for us, he can celebrate however he likes. Do you and couldn't lose up again and he's in

behind the, but he's scored again. Well, he's unstoppable. And again, look, that's what he brings.

And, you know, for us, it's part of what makes him, gives him that X-Factor as you mentioned

earlier. So, you know, we're delighted and, you know, long may continue. Press like Mayor drew

on to the strikers, but there's no doubt there's high quality across the board. And two other

goal scorers last night who maybe we don't expect that level of output from them on the score sheet

weekend wake up, but Jordy Bossen, Alessandra Chacati, I just wanted to get your sense to someone

who's played at such high levels. What excites you about this pair in particular, how big do you think

the FIFA World Cup could be for them? Oh, look, I think it'll be massive. Not only for them, but for,

you know, many others and they're two very important players for us. You know, I think everyone's

seeing the impact that that Jordy Boss has when he starts. Forget about when he comes on. And we

knew last night that, you know, it was always planned to get him on at some stage. You know, we're

mindful of his loading and the travel that these boys have to make to come out and play from Europe. So,

you know, no surprise, you know, for us to see how well Jordy came into the game and, and, and

delivered. Jordy Bossen again. Still boss. Trying to cover up that he's done it. Where does he go, scoring

and, of course, you know, Ale who, you know, for us is is another young player who's finding his

feet and in professional football, learning every day, you know, and for him to get that goal, I

think, well, only helping to grow in confidence. Put it to again, McGree, the cross back in, the

chance. Oh, great finish. Alexander O'Jirkati's first goal for Australia. And it's put the

soccer rules back in front, midway through the second half. Your next game is May 30 against

co-hosts Mexico in Los Angeles. You're going to name the squad the very next day. Players like

Motura, Jackson Irvine, they're just some who were not in this international window due to injury.

How much change can you see within this group by that June 1st deadline? Yeah, you mentioned two

players who, of course, most have been out. Jackson has had a little bit of a full issue, but he's

managed to manage his loads and continue to play. And, you know, hopefully we don't have too many

others that are struggling with injuries. So we've never really been able to name a squad for

any of the international windows without players pulling out through injuries. So, you know, how much

really changed between last night or these two games to the, you know, the war cup, I think will

depend on the next two months on the way players perform and the physical condition that they're in.

You know, we know that the war cup's going to be tough. We're playing some of the best teams

in the world. So we have to be the fittest team there and that means that we need, you know,

everyone fit and healthy. So a lot will depend on what happens between now and the end of the,

you know, the season here in Australia and in Europe. As of this morning, we have clarity on who

is going to be the tournament opener for the Socaros with the 25th ranked nation in the world

Turkey, beating Kosovo 1-0. That is going to be Australia's first hurdle at the football world cup.

They've got star player like Madrid star, Adria Gula. I don't get the sense that your group will

necessarily fear this team or anyone, but talk to us about Turkey and the challenge that they provide.

Yeah, look, it's a big challenge, but, you know, in saying that if it had had been Kosovo or

Romania or, you know, any other European nation, you know, it's a world cup. So you expect to be

playing the best players, the best teams. So for us, it doesn't really change with any of our

three opponents. Of course, Turkey will be the first, the first team we face and, you know,

we're looking to prepare for that game as best as we can and then go out there and perform. I

think, you know, it's no secret in tournaments. That first game can be vital. If you get a win,

then it sets everything up. You know, we now, in our minds as we get closer to the World Cup,

that Turkey game becomes the most important game for us. One team who will not be there is

Italy, beaten on penalties by Bosnia and Herzegovina. And he does. It got underneath Don Aruma.

The Italian course continues. Bosnia and Herzegovina will play in the FIFA World Cup.

You have played in the Serie A. You understand this nation better than most,

given your Italian heritage. How is that going to be received at the Azuri? Miss a third straight

World Cup? It was said it was unthinkable 12 years ago when they missed the first one. And then

the second and the third. So from that perspective, nothing's changed. It's a, you know, it's a

complete disaster. And I don't say that because I played in Italy or I have an Italian background.

I think everyone, all football lovers around the world can't really fathom that, you know,

the World Cup once again will be without the Azuri, the blue shirt. But, you know, that's

that's the sign of how football is changing a bit. I think the Italians haven't

have stagnated a little. They haven't sort of evolved like the way football, modern football has

gone. And, you know, the first thing that happens is, you know, you struggle at international level.

And I think that's what we've seen over the past number of years.

I can't help but be drawn to the idea or the lens of Christian Volpata around this sort of

story. Obviously, he's been sort of at the centre of, you know, Australia and Italy and the potential

to play for both nations. We know that Tony visited him ultimately. He's not part of the group

right now. Can you just clarify, is he now with Italy out of the football world cup? Is there any

prospect that he could work his way into calculations for the soccer roots? Yeah, I look, I think

it's quite simple. You have to want to play for your country. So until he officially made

himself available, it's impossible for him to be selected, whether we want to select him or

or whether he wants, you know, to be selected. And at the end of the day, if he still holds this

stream and ambition to represent Italy, I think he's in total too, like any other, you know,

player that's playing around the world. You know, we've made a public, you know, that we'd,

you know, like to be able to have the opportunity to select him. But until he, you know, gives us that

signal, you know, for us, it's really insignificant where we're only sort of focusing on the boys

that, you know, that are available to be selected for Australia. Final one, I just wanted to kind of

focus on you. Obviously, a former soccer who's captain went so close to going to a world cup yourself

as a player at a sixth straight campaign for the soccer. To see these young men up close, Paul,

is that part of you that, you know, wants to sort of drive home to them the enormity of what

they're about to do? Yeah, absolutely. I didn't have the opportunity to play in a world cup.

I represent Australia at every other level. I played in an under 20 world cup in an Olympic

games. I coached the young soccer rules at a youth world cup. So I understand what it is

to play in a big tournament. But, you know, nothing comes bigger than, than, than a senior world cup.

And having worked in their youth space and having worked with a number of these soccer

boy's, you know, when they were teenagers for me, I'd be lying if it didn't feel that extra

bit special. And the belief that I had or that I have now in, you know, Australian players is

no different to when I was, you know, working with them before. So I think we'll always have that

underdog tag when we, you know, go into these sort of, you know, competitions. And, you know,

I think we thrive on it, you know, going out there and showing that Australian footballers

are really good footballers. It was a heck of a send-off in Melbourne overnight. I appreciate

you taking the time to talk to us ahead of the world cup campaign. Paul, thanks so much for your time.

Now you're welcome. Thank you.

Headlines and there's some other world cup news around. We've got to shout out Graham Arnold.

The former soccerist coach is taking a rock to the biggest tournament in football after they beat

Bolivia. For the first time in 40 years, the Lions of Mesopotamia will roar at the world cup.

That was the final place in the 48 team tournament elsewhere, Sweden beat Poland. And the

Democratic Republic of Congo edged out Jamaica to gain qualification while Checher defeated Denmark

on penalties to grab their place. Speaking of grabbing places, cricket Australia has released its

annual list of contract applies for the next 12 months. We're inevitably drawn to those who do

not get a deal after having had one, and you can't not notice that Sam Constas is in that bucket.

This is a guy who was the hottest new property in the game this time last year. Does it matter? Well,

it's less guaranteed income, and it's maybe an indicator that he's not in the short-term

plans, but it's not like he can't be picked. After all, he was still the third best run-score

in Sheffield Shield this summer. Others to lose deals, Cooper Connolly, Glenn Maxwell,

Joe Richardson, Lance Morris, and of course the retired was Macawaja. Those who would have been

happy today on the 21-man list include Bowler's Brendan Doggett, Michael Neesert,

Todd Murphy, as well as Open Jack Weather Old, who retained his upgraded contract,

fellow opener Matt Renshaw. It did not receive a deal. How much do you think a central contract

is worth? Well, the average for this list is just over a million dollars. Any BBL deal would be

extra money on top of that. Good money and cricket these days if you're at the top.

On Tuesday's episode, we dug into the wild Tiger Woods story, and wondered if he'd seriously

turn up to the masters after he's racing car crash and subsequent charges. Well, he has

released a statement saying he will step away from golf to seek treatment and focus on his health.

I'm Patrick Stack. This is ABC Sport Daily produced by Poppy Penny. Thanks to Paramount Plus.

Watford FC, Fox Sports, FIFA Plus for the extra audio used in this episode.