The Road to Racing: Socceroos last chance to qualify for Germany 2006

Monday, November 14, 2005

Socceroos last chance to qualify for Germany 2006

Another chapter in the history of the Socceroos in World Cup qualifiers is about to be written. The Socceroos is challenging Uruguay for the 2nd leg of the 2006 World Cup qualifiers tomorrow night at Telstra Stadium in Sydney for a ticket to Germany World Cup 2006.

The Socceroos has rendez-vous with the history and it’s time now not to miss the boat to the most prestigious sporting event of the world. It's a remake of four years ago in Montevideo when the Socceroos of Frank Farina failed to qualify for the US World Cup.

After loosing 1-0 in Uruguay last sunday, the Socceroos seems to be in a must-win situation. The Socceroos coach, Guus Hiddink who was appointed to the job few months ago, had gathered the most highly experience squad to overcome the loss of the 1st leg. With Tim Cahill, Marco Bresciano, Lucas Neill, Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka and Jason Cullina, the socceroos will be tough to tackle on homeground. And Guus Hiddink knows it. He comments on SBS after the loss in Montevideo “I’m not happy with the result. We lost the match due to lack of concentration and intimidation. But next Sunday will be a different scenario at home”.

He believes that this generation of Australian players will lift-up the profile of Australian football on top of the world ladder. But in the meantime, the Dutch technician is particularly more concerned about his squad defense weaknesses. In fact, the socceroos defense has always been comprised on International echelon. And yet few socceroos defenders such as Tony Vidmar, Tony Popovic, Craig Moore and Scott Chipperfield will probably be close to their International retirement.

Still ‘mastermind’ Guus is confident about his defense for tomorrow night clash. However the main danger remains the irresistible striker of the ‘Los Celestes’, Alvaro Recoba. The Uruguayan will be man to watch and has to be taken in consideration. Excellent left-footed player, very good technician with a massive sense of vision on the ball and very dangerous with his free-kick and cross, Alvaro Recoba will be an absolute threat for the socceroos defense. Indeed, he was at the origin of the goal in Montevideo last weekend.

At stake the confrontation of tomorrow night is tactically and technically feasible for the socceroos. This is the time where the entire Australian population is waiting for as a wake-up call of their national team, after the gauntlet four years ago in Montevideo, and 32 years after they were allowed to play with the monsters in a World Cup tournament.

It’s now or never.

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Biography

Time has flown so fast these last decades. On the 14th September 2004, I found myself in a new country, with a different culture and different lifestyle. After spending twenty-four years going with the flow of life in Mauritius, now I find myself ”swimming in the vast ocean” in Sydney.
I wasn’t randomly chosen to be here in Australia. But the fate decreed that I should be here instead of somewhere else. Even though I had missed my chance of being in France or Reunion Island in the past but I don’t regret the move towards partaking the Aussie culture. Since October 2004, one dream has come true; being at the University of Technology of Sydney (UTS) by undertaking a degree in Journalism. Merely to become a professional ‘Sport Writer’.
As a matter of fact, it took me years to achieve what I have always wished in life – going to University. Now, I’m re-arranging the puzzle of my achievement so that I can complete the whole part of the puzzle in Sydney nowadays. The long trip I navigate before the plane landed the tarmac of SIA, however, was far more awe-inspiring.
My horizons were limited during 23 years I spent in Pointe-Aux-Sables; a small village on the west coast of Port-Louis, the Capital of Mauritius. My roots, which I take care of, come from this suburb where I was born on 12 March 1981; the Independence Day of Mauritius.
I have grown up in a small family with my dad, Roland, my mum, Monette and my younger brother, Stephane. At the time we were living in a typical modest house in the 80’s, it was such a model family living in a perfect communion of dialogue. During these years, it was such a formal and informal education. I won’t forget along side the ‘street education’ I have internalized so many years ago as a means of experiencing life in its entire dimension. I have shared my whole entire life with them full of happiness, joy, feelings, and compassion in a way of complacency as well as disagreement and arguments.
And I realize now how the success has come to me after a long battle. Finishing my HSC Advanced-level at the age of 20, reaching my best athletic performance at 21 and embracing a career as ‘Sport Journalist’ at 22 in 2002 working for a weekly newspaper, 5-Plus Dimanche and Racetime magazine. The mad thing was having a high status and famous personality where people recognize me through my articles and their impact in the Sports and Horse racing industry. It was the pinnacle of my career.
Knowing how tougher and tougher it was to ‘reach the top’ in a couple of years, but it wasn’t an easy things to achieve. Behind this success, there’s a family; the Jeanne’s family including Sylvio, Annette and their daughter Priscilla has been the catalyst of a massive contribution and devotion throughout my life. Their help, support and guidance have helped me to excel my qualities of making things better and better.
Contented with today and excited about tomorrow, I feel as happy right now as I ever have in nearly twenty-six years. I’m extremely happy about my life here in Sydney, my studies at Uni and my job at the stable...John O’Shea Racing Stables. Who knows I’ll end up like John O’Shea one day! It goes against the grain with me to even have to mention it: what goes on at the heart of my life in Sydney is no-one else’s business, but mine after all. I have proved myself in a way that people haven’t expected things will be a success for me. Now there are a lot of things to be learning yet and I’ll dedicate myself to it. A lot of living for me to do too, I can’t wait to find out what the next twist in my story – will be.