What was the Manchester culture? I

mean, that would be broadly similar.

There was a hardcore element of fans that would sing.

Liverpool's was the Kop.

Ours was the Kippaks.

United was the Stratford End.

Arsenal, the North Bank.

So moving to Australia, how did a friendship formed through Manchester City eventually lead to your opportunity at SBS?

And then suddenly it turns out that they've been lying, that you're like, well, you have let me down sort of personally.

Yeah, I think there's certainly an element of that.

I can't speak for, you know, other City fans.

They will, as I say, have their own opinions.

But, you know, at this moment in time, I certainly feel that.

And I should point out that, you know, in common with many other City fans, I don't think these rules are correct.

You know, I'm old enough to remember, as I'm sure you two are, Blackburn Rovers winning the Premier League back in 1995.

Do you wonder what the implications might be for all the other clubs part of this group?

Maybe that's an unfair perspective, but do you think the authorities just basically turned their back on one of the game's greatest assets?

Yeah, basically.

I think they were...

I think they were caught between a rock and a hard place.

And again, this goes back to our opening conversation about, you know, is football part of the culture in Australia? And the fact is that it's not.

But we're constantly striving for that approval of mainstream Australia.

Now, that's good.

Is this going to be something that the A-League should be looking to do more in the future? And why do you sort of think it went wrong with those sides that it didn't work out with?

Now, did it surprise you or not?

Not really, because the World Cup is seen as the crown jewel, and obviously, you know, 2030 will be 100 years old.

It's the biggest sporting event in the world.

Billions of people watch it and love it.

It's slightly different to domestic leagues, which, uh, made up of clubs, uh, particularly in England, but certainly around the world as well, including in Australia, of privately owned clubs.

So, you know, Infantino would probably argue, well, th- this happens in Europe under UEFA's jurisdiction an awful lot in domestic football, but the World Cup is seen as something very different and very special.

And the other thing to mention here is that the company that Infantino was looking to partner with for this new FFE enterprise, uh, Thrive Eternal, which is a company that is led by a relative of Donald Trump, with whom Infantino has, has forged a very close relationship over the last few years.

And what about him and his future then, which you alluded to? There's all sorts of people talking about the fact that this is the time to get him, to- for him to go, but no one, tell us if I'm wrong, because things may have moved in the last 24 hours, there's no real person, man, it'll be a man, won't it, uh, who is prepared to put their hand up and say, "I will challenge him."

Why did he push for a cash injection of over $4 billion? despite the criticism, right after what he should have been considering was his finest hour and the most lucrative World Cup in history.

Yeah, well, you know, rich people get rich by always focusing on money.

And, you know, I guess it is, in fairness to him, part of his brief to keep the money flowing into FIFA and into the individual member associations, which, of course, are the people that elect him every four years via the FIFA Congress.

So this...

Cash injection, I think the number quoted was $20 million as a one-off payment, almost like a signing on fee, and then promises of further money over the next few years under this new scheme.

And also, of course, there were rumors, and we should say just rumors because we don't know for sure that he was going to be the head of this new project, even when he left Feef, which would have earned him an awful lot of money.

So it's something that perhaps we shouldn't be surprised about, given the way that football has gone over the last few years.

And then we dovetail that into what was a breathtakingly quick announcement agreement by UEFA and other confederations, given your insight and knowledge of the way these things work, can you just lift the hood on how quickly this decision, because normally we don't see alignment across confederations and agreement within one confederation, for that matter, happen as quickly as it did.

If he plays down the left-hand side of the Paraguay attack, then to have Aziz, uh, and his experience up against him directly, I think makes sense.

Just a quick word on Paraguay before we finish, Andy.

Uh, you've spoken about Julio Enciso, the player from Strasbourg.

He is, as you rightly point out, really their, uh, creative spark.

The other player who provides that for them on occasion, Miguel Almirón, of course, is out suspended.

He got the red card, somewhat controversially some might say, for the hand over the mouth, one of FIFA's, uh, new rules.

Will they miss him today?

Otherwise, I think they'll be very cagey.

Simon Hill on the wash up to Australia's loss to the US at the World Cup.

You know, I thought he got his, his team selection wrong.

Uh, I don't think I'm the only person who thought that.

Um, I wonder in a quiet moment whether Tony Popovich might even admit that.

But he also has the benefits, as they've said in, within the camp of seeing the players day in, day out, uh, you know, who's got the right loading and who needs a bit of a spell, uh, whether he's saving players for later on in the tournament or the third game, I, I don't know.

Uh, but I think if you- if you're gonna play in the sort of defensive structure that Australia do, and that's perfectly understandable why they play that way, you know, we don't have the best players in the world, let's be honest about that, then you, you've got to have an out ball.

And unfortunately against the Americans, first half at least, uh, we didn't.

What, what's the wash up been to the Popovic tactics?

Well, I, I think, you know, obviously it's been largely driven for, um, from conversations back home.

Uh, you know, some ex-Socceroos have, uh, had their opinions and, um, I, I think they're entitled to them.

As you say, when you play at a World Cup and you lose a game, particularly, I think as timidly as we did in the first half, then there are bound to be questions asked.

Um, i- if you want my opinion, and it is only this, and I'm only, you know, an observer and a commentator, but, uh, you know, I thought he got his, his team selection wrong.

Uh, I don't think I'm the only person who thought that.

Um, I wonder in a quiet moment whether Tony Popovic might even [laughs] admit that.

I, I, I feel like that's gonna be the round that tests us.

Given the build up to this game, that first half performance just fell well short.

Yeah, it did.

I thought we didn't match the Americans' intensity.

Let's give them some credit as well.

They were very, very good today in that first half.

They continually dragged defenders out of position, particularly Balogun, who's a super player.

And, of course, they were without Pulisic as well, who's such a key component of their team.

So what were the conditions like there today? Do you think that played any factor at all?

And I can only imagine it was similar 20 years ago.

Yeah.

I've been asked that before, actually, since the win over Turkey.

And...

The answer is I don't know, because we've not yet sort of had the full journey at this World Cup.

You know, if it's a prelude to the Socceroos going through to not just the round of 32, but the round of 16, maybe even the quarterfinals, then, you know, I think it will take on its own very special hue.

At the moment, and, you know, maybe I'm being a bit selfish in this, I still put the 2006 one slightly above it, only because... you know, personally for me, it was the first World Cup that I commentated at.

It's a tough one, but yeah, went back to Simon asking about his thoughts about copying Croatia in the opening game for England.

And I can only imagine it was similar 20 years ago.

Yeah.

I've been asked that before, actually, since the win over Turkey.

And...

The answer is I don't know, because we've not yet sort of had the full journey at this World Cup.

You know, if it's a prelude to the Socceroos going through to not just the round of 32, but the round of 16, maybe even the quarterfinals, then, you know, I think it will take on its own very special hue.

At the moment, and, you know, maybe I'm being a bit selfish in this, I still put the 2006 one slightly above it, only because...

But how do you see this one? It should be a cracking way to open for both sides.

... and now that you've seen them, how it's changed your view.

Uh, well, I don't know whether my view's changed because obviously I've, I've watched a lot of Australia over recent years, and particularly under Tony Popovic.

So, you know, the way that they played was probably n- no great surprise.

And I, I think it's probably a very sensible way of playing because, you know, we, we've gotta be brutally honest.

Uh, we haven't got the best players in the world in the squad at the moment.

Uh, man for man, Turkey w- were probably better.

You know, they've got players like Arda Güler who plays for Real Madrid, arguably, you know, one of the biggest world clubs, uh, in, in football.

Consult a healthcare professional if symptoms persist.

... and now that you've seen them, how it's changed your view.

Uh, well, I don't know whether my view's changed because obviously I've, I've watched a lot of Australia over recent years, and particularly under Tony Popovic.

So, you know, the way that they played was probably n- no great surprise.

And I, I think it's probably a very sensible way of playing because, you know, we, we've gotta be brutally honest.

Uh, we haven't got the best players in the world in the squad at the moment.

Uh, man for man, Turkey w- were probably better.

You know, they've got players like Arda Güler who plays for Real Madrid, arguably, you know, one of the biggest world clubs, uh, i- in football.

Um, what, what have we got here in the, in prospect and in reality?

So talk to us about Tony because he had success wherever he's gone.

Yeah, look, Popper is his own man.

He doesn't give much away.

he's very cagey with the media uh keeps things in house which uh previous coaches have been a little more open which is you know probably better for us in the media but uh Again, he knows he has to make those big decisions, and goodness me, they were big calls last night.

And it could have so easily gone wrong.

He's got to balance that against the likely probability or not of getting a good result.

And if it goes wrong, obviously he's got to live with that and answer the questions from the media and put up with all the brickbats that he's inevitably going to get.

What sort of effect that potentially has on a team when something like that takes place?

So talk to us about Tony because he had success wherever he's gone.

Yeah, look, Popper is his own man.

He doesn't give much away.

He's very cagey with the media, uh, keeps things in house, which, uh, previous coaches have been a little more open, which is, you know, probably better for us in the media, but, uh, Again, he knows he has to make those big decisions.

And goodness me, they were big calls last night.

And it could have so easily gone wrong.

And he's got to balance that against the likely probability or not of getting a good result.

What sort of effect that potentially has on a team when something like that takes place?

are you able to say why you left or if you'll ever come back? I know your dad's over there, he's elderly, right?

Yeah, my mum and my dad, they're both still alive.

So that was part of the reason why I went back.

They're both in their 90s.

So I wanted to be a little bit closer.

Yeah, I just felt it was time, to be honest, Tony.

I'd done 22 years and sometimes you need a bit of a change.

than we will

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I knew

that was going to come.

I'm excited by the team, to be honest.

I think you look at the core of the side and it's a good blend of experience that, you know, the likes of Matty Ryan in particular and one or two others, but it's the younger players that I think... give Australia a real good core going forward.

Jordy Boss, who I think is going to end up in the Premier League sooner rather than later, fantastic at left-back or in a more advanced role.

You look at Nestor Irumcunda, who has not hit his ceiling, not anywhere near hit his ceiling yet.

And we know, you know, what a talent he is.

You saw some amazing things there, but how have you found getting your feet back on the ground over there?

But interested in your thoughts, 'cause you're obviously busy over there calling European football, um, but outside, literally outside looking in on Australia and about to be heavily involved in it, what, what do you make of what has become of this Socceroos team under Tony Popovic? And throw in your thoughts at the end here about Christian Volpato getting a run out of nowhere.

[laughs] I knew that was gonna come.

Um, I'm excited by the team, to be honest.

I, I think you look at the core of the side, and it's a good blend of, uh, experience that, you know, the likes of, of Matty Ryan in particular, um, a- and one or two others.

But it's the younger players that I think, uh, give Australia a, a real good core going forward.

Jordy Bos, who I think is gonna end up in the Premier League sooner rather than later, fantastic at, at left back or in a more advanced role.

Uh, you look at Nestory Irunkunda, who has not hit his ceiling, not anywhere near hit his ceiling yet, and we know, you know, what a talent he is.

You, you saw some amazing things there, but how have you found getting your feet back on the ground over there?

Um, but outside, literally outside looking in on Australia and about to be heavily involved in it, what, what do you make of what has become of this Socceroos team under Tony Popovic? And throw in your thoughts at the end here about Christian Volpato getting a run out of nowhere.

[laughs] I knew that was gonna come.

Um, I'm excited by the team, to be honest.

I, I think you look at the core Of the side, and it's a good blend of, uh, experience that, you know, the likes of, of Matty Ryan in particular, um, a- and one or two others.

But it's the younger players that I think, uh, give Australia a, a real good core going forward.

Jordy Bos, who I think is gonna end up in the Premier League sooner rather than later, fantastic at, at left back or in a more advanced role.

Uh, you look at Nestory Irunkunda, who has not hit his ceiling, not anywhere near hit his ceiling yet, and we know, you know, what a talent he is.

But how have you found getting your feet back on the ground over there?

With the sides that got relegated, West Ham, Burnley and Wolves, what's the biggest story there, Simon?

Well, West Ham.

I mean, you know, whoever went down yesterday, it was going to be West Ham or Spurs.

And that was going to be the big story because they're both big football clubs.

It's only a couple of seasons since West Ham were winning the Conference League in Europe under David Moyes.

And now they're back in the championship, which is going to cost them an awful lot of money to start off with.

The fans are unhappy with the club ownership, particularly with chairman David Sullivan, who's been there a long, long time.

So a decisive title win.

With the sides that got relegated, West Ham, Burnley and Wolves, what's the biggest story there, Simon?

Well, West Ham.

I mean, you know, whoever went down yesterday, it was going to be West Ham or Spurs.

And that was going to be the big story because they're both big football clubs.

It's only a couple of seasons since West Ham were winning the Conference League in Europe under David Moyes.

And now they're back in the championship, which is going to cost them an awful lot of money to start off with.

The fans are unhappy with the club ownership, particularly with chairman David Sullivan, who's been there a long, long time.

So a decisive title win.

Not really because although he finished off his stint with Sydney FC and

quite a disappointing manner.

The seasons before that, of course, he won back-to-back championships.

So, you know, he's a good coach and people tend to forget those years of success when things go a bit wrong.

But, you know, he's always been able to put together a very competitive side.

I think the criticism, certainly in the latter days of Sydney FC, maybe even before that, was that they weren't always that easy on the eye, but they were always very effective.

And, you know, key to it all is he gets his foreigners right more often than not.

You don't actually have to have a star-studded roster, do you?