Bluey
10-06-2009, 07:16 PM
The scramble for 2010 World Cup soccer tickets has begun now the Socceroos have advanced to the finals in South Africa.
Australia's scoreless draw against plucky Qatar in Doha early yesterday was enough to secure successive appearances at the world's biggest sporting tournament.
Buoyant coach Pim Verbeek is daring to dream of a World Cup quarter-final as his side basks in the glory of qualification. A point was all Australia needed but Verbeek said he wanted much more next year.
He wants to better the performance of fellow Dutchman Guus Hiddink's 2006 heroes, who reached the last 16 in Germany before a devastating 1-0 loss to eventual champion Italy.
"Now we have qualified, we want to do better than last time, and we will," Verbeek declared.
The party continues in Sydney on Wednesday night when the Socceroos host Bahrain.
Verbeek may experiment, with several players close to suspension and others, including Tim Cahill, carrying niggling injuries.
"We'll see who is ready and fit to play the game," Verbeek said.
Australia's official finals ticket allocation won't be known until the draw is unveiled in Cape Town on December 4.
The schedule, of who we play and where, will see about 12 per cent of tickets for each match go to Football Australia to be sold directly to local fans.
Until then, fans must try their luck in the second phase of FIFA's global ticketing application process.
Team-specific packages for Australia, England, Brazil, Argentina, Ireland and the Netherlands have already sold out but more are expected to be made available.
About 1.6 million ticket applications have so far been lodged. Australian fans are ranked in the top 10 on the back of the Socceroos' dominant qualifying efforts.
Tickets range from $25 up to $1135 for the July 11 final.
It will be Australia's third World Cup finals after 1974 and 2006.
"It's unbelievable. It's a boyhood dream," Socceroos skipper Lucas Neill said.
Neill will miss Bahrain after picking up his second yellow card of the qualifying stages against Qatar.
He later admitted deliberately getting booked, fearing a suspension for the opening match in South Africa next year.
"I'm just absolutely buzzing," Cahill said yesterday. "This is a reward for Australia. This is a reward for everyone."
Qualification also boosts Australia's claims to host a World Cup in 2018 or 2022, a bid Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will help launch in Canberra on Sunday.
Melbourne will catch Socceroos fever when Australia meets Japan at the MCG on June 17.
:)
Australia's scoreless draw against plucky Qatar in Doha early yesterday was enough to secure successive appearances at the world's biggest sporting tournament.
Buoyant coach Pim Verbeek is daring to dream of a World Cup quarter-final as his side basks in the glory of qualification. A point was all Australia needed but Verbeek said he wanted much more next year.
He wants to better the performance of fellow Dutchman Guus Hiddink's 2006 heroes, who reached the last 16 in Germany before a devastating 1-0 loss to eventual champion Italy.
"Now we have qualified, we want to do better than last time, and we will," Verbeek declared.
The party continues in Sydney on Wednesday night when the Socceroos host Bahrain.
Verbeek may experiment, with several players close to suspension and others, including Tim Cahill, carrying niggling injuries.
"We'll see who is ready and fit to play the game," Verbeek said.
Australia's official finals ticket allocation won't be known until the draw is unveiled in Cape Town on December 4.
The schedule, of who we play and where, will see about 12 per cent of tickets for each match go to Football Australia to be sold directly to local fans.
Until then, fans must try their luck in the second phase of FIFA's global ticketing application process.
Team-specific packages for Australia, England, Brazil, Argentina, Ireland and the Netherlands have already sold out but more are expected to be made available.
About 1.6 million ticket applications have so far been lodged. Australian fans are ranked in the top 10 on the back of the Socceroos' dominant qualifying efforts.
Tickets range from $25 up to $1135 for the July 11 final.
It will be Australia's third World Cup finals after 1974 and 2006.
"It's unbelievable. It's a boyhood dream," Socceroos skipper Lucas Neill said.
Neill will miss Bahrain after picking up his second yellow card of the qualifying stages against Qatar.
He later admitted deliberately getting booked, fearing a suspension for the opening match in South Africa next year.
"I'm just absolutely buzzing," Cahill said yesterday. "This is a reward for Australia. This is a reward for everyone."
Qualification also boosts Australia's claims to host a World Cup in 2018 or 2022, a bid Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will help launch in Canberra on Sunday.
Melbourne will catch Socceroos fever when Australia meets Japan at the MCG on June 17.
:)