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World Cup SPECIAL Summit Meeting WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN WHEN THE PLANET COMES TO PLAY Mark Schwarzer UNDERDOG SOCCEROOS CAN SURPRISE Russian Riddle A HOST WRAPPED IN AN ENIGMA

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UR STORY this month with Rod Laver is one In the Australian context, football has long been we’ve been looking forward to running ever chided as the sport of the future – one that’s O since Linda Pearce, an ace of the tennis beat, always about to happen, just not yet. But as Optus EDITOR Jeff Centenera pitched it when the Rocket was in the country Sport’s Richard Bayliss notes in our cover story, jcentenera@insidesport .com.au earlier this year for the Australian Open. Quite the issue is the limits of our imagination – we just simply, Laver is our greatest living sportsman, a don’t see the Socceroos as legitimate contenders ART DIRECTOR Allan Bender true heir in the legend stakes to Bradman. The at a World Cup. Too many better, deeper football [email protected] opportunity to speak with the California-based nations have tried, and failed, before us. Laver, who turns 80 this year, is a precious one. But if it ever were to happen, whether that’s a ASSISTANT EDITOR James Smith The hook for our feature is the 50th anniversary decade down the line or half a century, it starts [email protected] of the first Wimbledon of the Open era, in which with holding open the possibility. There are no the professional Laver was allowed guarantees, of course, but nothing is CONTRIBUTING WRITERS to return to the All England for the immutable in sport. We used to Robert Drane, Curtis Figon, Brooke Longfield, first time in six years. He won – how BEST QUOTE IN produce the best tennis players Andrew Marmont, Kieran Pender, else was the story meant to go? – THE MAG THIS in the world; now, a place like ConStamacostas,KathyStone MONTH: and it set him on the path the Switzerland can. following season to his second GROUP EDITOR Kevin Airs Grand Slam. Laver’s reflections “Oftenitis F YOU WANT to talk about people [email protected] on that transitional era in tennis with an appreciation for historic Inside Sport on the web are a veritable time capsule of the wood I change, go no further than the www.insidesport.com.au anachronisms, particularly about Russians. The hosts of the 2018 notions of sportspeople actually that World Cup come into focus at an EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES: getting paid. awkward political moment, and one [email protected], (02) 9901 6100 However, the other big takeaway throws that obscures their own relationship is to think about how things have a spanner to football. Our resident Russophile, changed in tennis, and more Kieran Pender, explores the issues ADVERTISING specifically, the place of Australian in the in his terrific piece on p.58, as well players in it. A half century ago, it as recalling his own brush with Adam Jackson Head of Sport would have been fanciful to suggest Russian propaganda. Tel: (02) 9901 6109 Mob: 0431 212 504 works.” [email protected] that Harry Hopman’s nation would Another mark of change: it was – Timbersports' someday be competitively irrelevant once unthinkable that someone Ryan Coombs Advertising Sales Manager at many of the world’s biggest Mitch Argent, from outside of Europe would make Tel: (02) 9901 6379 Mob: 0449 671 738 tournaments. And yet, here we are. p.88 an impression on the Tour de France, [email protected] The nature of immutability is but it’s now routine with the likes of QLD: Damian Martin Queensland Ad Manager something of a theme this month, as Aussie Michael Matthews. Pender Mob: 0417 168 663 we head to another historic marker of sporting has pulled double-duty in profiling him this month. [email protected] time, the football World Cup. The contest for Jules And as far as not changing for change’s sake, Rimet’s trophy is an argument for how things don’t we present the case of the AFL and its activist change in sport – almost 90 years and 21 editions administration. We’ve been waiting for a while to in, the tournament stubbornly remains the hear again from suburban footy legend Belter Associate Publisher Hamish Bayliss property of the elite circle of Brazil, Germany, et al, Brogan, and his good mate Bob Drane lined him up Production & Digital Services Jonathan Bishop who seemingly win on the basis of their deep to get his inimitable take. Production Manager Peter Ryman football heritage. And you’ll find few observers Jeff Centenera Circulation Director Carole Jones predicting this will change in Russia. Editor SUBSCRIPTIONS www.mymagazines.com.au Toll free 1300 361 146 or +61 2 9901 6111 Locked Bag 3355, St Leonards NSW 1590

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46 WhenTheWorld ComesToPlay Why the biggest prize of the world game remains thepropertyofanelitecircleofnations. Plus: the top players from across the globe. BY JEFF CENTENERA

58 ToRussia.WithLove? Thehostofthe2018WorldCupwantstoproject an image. But Russia is a football country, too. BY KIERAN PENDER

64 IsTheAFLDoingItsJob? Meaning:whatshouldafootyleaguedo,anyway? BelterBroganreturnstooﬀerhiscritique. BY ROBERT DRANE

70 FlashingTheGreen Michael Mathews, king of the sprints at last year’s Tour de France, is fast company. BY KIERAN PENDER

78 RodLaver’sEra Fityyearsago,tennis’sbestplayerreturnedto Wimbledon and helped change the game forever. A chat with our greatest living sportsman. BY LINDA PEARCE

8 THE BREAKDOWN 28 THE NUMBERS 52 YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ... 10 20 THINGS YOU MISSED 30 PUB DEBATE 56 ONE ON ONE: JACKSON IRVINE 12 FREEZE FRAME 32 FOUR THINGS YOU MUST NOT MISS 76 ANATOMY OF A CHAMP 20 INSIDE AFL 34 THE CLUBBIES 87 INSIDER 22 INSIDE RUGBY 36 HOT SHOT #1 94 HOT SHOT #2 24 INSIDE TENNIS 38 PUNTER’S CHANCE 96 SUBSCRIBE, SAVE & WIN 26 10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 40 IN HINDSIGHT: MARK SCHWARZER 98 MY FINEST MOMENT

6 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 STADIUM SOUND FROM YOUR COUCH

Love NRL, AFL, Football, Motorsports, All Sports or high energy Movies? Want to feel like part of the action? JBLs new range of Soundbars deliver thumping bass performance and superior HD sound. jbl.com.au. Available at Harvey Norman and JB HI FI. THE BREAKDOWN The Drought Is Over A PAINFUL 722-DAY SUPER RUGBY LOSING STRETCH FOR AUSTRALIAN TEAMS AGAINST NEW ZEALAND-BASED OUTFITS ENDS WITH A RELIEVING 41-12 WIN BY THE NEW SOUTH WALES WARATAHS OVER THE HIGHLANDERS.

Waratahs skipper Michael Hooper runs his team out onto Allianz Stadium seeking to achieve what no Australian side had been able to do in the last 40 trans-Tasman Super Rugby clashes ... win.

Down 8-0, the Highlanders’ disappointing start to the match continues when Tevita Nabura is red-carded for a ﬂ ying kick to the face of young NSW back Cameron Clark.

Up by 15, the Waratahs move it to the let early in the second half to ﬁ nd Izzy Folau, who crashes over for the ﬁ rst of his two tries for the night.

Further ﬁ ve-pointers out wide to Lalakai Foketi (pictured) and Curtis Rona help seal the deal for NSW. Tom Robertson celebrates with the Tahs’ fans ... A horrible drought is over. Getty Images Getty

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8 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018

things you might’ve missed

For those of us who can never However bad your day is, just remind yourself that it’s still A university student 7 forget that morning in Trent 1 probably beter than what Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius 6 in Boston sets a new Bridge in 2015 when Stuart suffered through in the UEFA Champions League final ... record by running a Broad rolled the Aussies in 111 balls, mile in 4:43.2 – while juggling we know the English quick has a three balls. Zach Prescot knack for put ing it together at the broke the record, which had right time. Further evidence: in the stood for 32 years, although second-last week of the Premier he needed a second atempt League season, Broad’s fantasy – a litle over a kilometre in football side hauled in 180 points, the first time around, he which was the top score of the near dropped a ball. six million players in the EPL’s fantasy comp.

India says no to a day-night Test in Adelaide this summer. So that 2 setles it. The Indians have yet to play in a pink-ball match, and while it was interpreted as the BCCI ﬂexing its muscle, some observers noted it might give Virat Kohli’s team a beter chance of an elusive series win in Australia.

A new “fame tax” Snooker’s new world champion 4 proposal in the 3 keeps his promise, atends winning federal budget press conference naked. Mark would hit athletes in their Williams, at 43, became the sport’s oldest hip pocket. The change in world champ since 1978, and his victory at the law would prevent the Crucible came 15 years ater his last athletes from licensing world title. Ater failing to qualify for the their name and image to Hathor Bjornsson, or “The Mountain” of Game Of Thrones event last year, he thought he was done, another entity for tax fame, wins the World’s Strongest Man competition in the prompting his naked promise. “To be 8 purposes. Instead, that Philippines. He had finished in the top three of the event every honest, if I win this next year, I’ll do this income would be taxed yearsince2012untilthisfirst-timebreakthrough.Andthankfully, again,”Williams told the radio audience. at the relevant personal single combat was not one of the categories. “I’ll cartwheel round here naked.” rate, rather than the 30 percent corporate rate. While the proposal was meant to target the likes of the social media influencers, representative group Athletes Alliance said it could really affect athletes with low salaries but high-level marketability – Olympians, or the new class of female team sport athletes.

FIFA boss Gianni 5 Infantino proposes a radical shake-up of international football, with an expanded Club World Cup and Curtis Scot becomes the first one-punch send-off in the NRL new nations league to replace 9 since 2015. The Melbourne Strom tyro later received two weeks World Cup qualifying, as well for decking Manly’s Dylan Walker, breaking his eye socket. as the expanded World Cup The rules might have changed in rugby league, but the atitude fi nals. What makes this grand about fisticuffs remain – veteran Luke Lewis noted that Walker plan no idle daydream is the had deserved it. backing – reportedly, Infantino’s project has a mind-spinning $25b behind it, Our long national nightmare is over – the losing streak against Super from Japan’s richest man, 10 Rugby’s NZ sides fi nally came to an end! Now, if rugby can only fi gure Masayoshi Son of Sot Bank. out how to stop the cocaine abuse and Israel Folau’s social commentary, the sport might do average.

10 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 The domestic baseball league, the ABL, will add a seventh expansion 11 team – from Korea. The all-Korean side, who will play in the competition during their winter, is likely to be based in Geelong.

One of the great intrigues at the NBA’s get-together for 12 potential rookies, the Drat Combine, is when the prospects get measured. A particular object of fascination is wingspan – NBA players are true outliers in this measurement, well-exceeding the usual one-to-one relationship between arm length to height. This year, American teen Mohamed Bamba, just shy of 213cm tall, set a new record with a reach of 238cm, ﬁngertip to ﬁngertip.

Serena Williams withdrew from Italian Open, citing she 16 wasn’t “100 percent ready” to return to competing. The tennis champion then went searching for the last bits of extra percentage at the Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan, which Williams was suddenly free to atend.

Just as the ball-tampering AB de Villiers 18 outrage was dying down, cricket 17 retires from oﬃcialdom have a spot-ﬁxing international scandal to deal with. In an undercover cricket. Bowlers all over report from Al Jazeera, an Indian the world breathe a sigh national working for a criminal syndicate of relief. The only shame claimed that a pair of Australian was missing out on seeing batsmen were paid to manipulate the Cameron Smith retires from representative football, says he the South African maestro scoring rate in a Test against India in wants to spend more time with his family (really). But if Craig 13 on Australian soil one Ranchi. Cricket Australia denied that Bellamy actually leaves the Melbourne Storm, we all know who last time – as he missed there was any credible evidence. the next coach should be, right? their Test tour two seasons ago – and the Proteas on Meanwhile, Shane Watson hits their way to an ODI series 19 a ton to power the Chennai later this year. Super Kings to the IPL title. Why doesn’t anyone call for Wato to be brought back to the Australian side?

One of the last historic 20 sporting prizes eluding Docklands, er, Colonial, ah the nation has been AFL forms a 15 Etihad to be renamed ... claimed – Will Power becomes 14 commitee Marvel Stadium. Yep, ater the ﬁrst Aussie to win the Indy – another one – to the Disney property that makes all 500. Power had been a favourite examine the “look of the the money at the cinema. Melbourne’s at the Brickyard in years past, game”. Malcolm Blight is other stadium will reportedly have a but luckless. Even ater the one of the greats serving on Marvel-themed store there, which breakthrough, the 37-year-old it, and previews one of the will mix well with the sporting crowd. still had a bit of fortune go issues sure to be tabled: Immediate rule: any AFL commentator against him – it happened to “You know that 36 players who invokes a comparison between any coincide with Daniel Ricciardo in a quarter of the ground player and Iron Man/Captain America/ winning the Monaco GP and is my pet hate.” Thor will be summarily executed (but stealing some limelight. comparisons to the Hulk are okay).

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 11 Freeze Frame Getty Images Getty photo by 12 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 ◣ The Preakness, the second jewel in American racing’s Triple Crown, promised to stick favourite Justify’s chances in the mud. But the Kentucky Derby winner mucked his way, indeed, to victory.

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 13 14 INSIDE SPORT SPORT INSIDE | JULY 2018 ▼ express himself. he’ll tackle, the in even and Taupau down ... Manly’s Martin get to afew than hard-nosed footy.hard-nosed for made aday on pill, the to Cordy Zaine Bulldog Fogarty beats Darcy Crow ◀ against the Dogs. the against one this lost Eels –the neither maybe Or would. team-mates his maybe Or photo. this of out akick get surely –would one Eel Parramata the ▶

Rainy daze: daze: Rainy

Takes more Takes more David Gower – Gower David

photos by Getty Images ▲ Swan Gary Rohan will long remember how he ran out for his 100th match in the AFL. Daughter Bella will surely learn about it someday ...

◀ Sonny Bill being Sonny Bill: Williams pulls out a trademark oﬄoad for the Blues in their match against the Hurricanes at Eden Park.

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 15 ▶ Puting the art in artistic gymnastics: NZ’s Josephine Chao, on the beam, and Victoria’s Dylan Chapman, paint a picture at the Australian championships in Melbourne.

▼ Who called mine? Atlanta Braves ﬁelders Ozzie Albies and Johan Camargo get caught up under this ﬂyball. Getty Images Getty

photos by 16 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 ▲ What was that in my rearview mirror? Spaniards Daniel Sordo and Carlos Del Barrio of Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT move some earth in the WRC Portugal.

◀ This ain’t opera: the NBL’s 3x3 Sydney Challenge took in the sights at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, with Andrew Steel of Melbourne i-Athletic and Mensud Julevic of Kranj geting a tourist-worthy snap.

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 17 ▶ Poland’s Maciej Sulecki proved a handful, and a ﬁstful, for Daniel Jacobs, but the New Yorker managed a points win in front of his home crowd.

▼ New Zealand’s Danny Lee got the rough going at the Players Championship in Florida. He found enough short grass to ﬁnish seventh.

18 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 ◣ The Swits’ Sam Wallace went above and beyond Magpie defenders Sharni Layton [left] and Matilda Garret, and her Getty Images Getty team won out, too in the Super Netball ﬁxture. photos by INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 19 INSIDE AFL

Game over, but the buzz lives on BY FOX FOOTY’S BOB MURPHY

y last game of footy was about eight characters and the stories. That’s what gives me the library of the Melbourne Cricket Club, we were months ago. That’s enough time and the buzz. I suppose that’s what the heart of my ready to roll. Just as I finished asking my first distance to look back over all of that upcoming television show on Fox Footy, titled Bob, question, one of the MCC staff rolled into the shot M time in the game to try and make is all about. in his wheelchair. We had to halt filming. It was a some sense of it all. The night before we filmed an episode that very Frontline kind of moment. I don’t really miss it, I must say. I think it’s easier featured Rob Sitch, of D-Generation, Frontline As we waited for our friend in the wheelchair to to let the game go when your body just can’t do it and Utopia fame, I sent him a message describing move out of our shot, the crew quickly re-setup. As anymore, but I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t the the feel of the show that I was hoping for. I this was happening, Rob leaned across the table odd twinge here or there. The appetite to compete finished the message by writing “from there, and sotly spoke to me: “You remember that word still lurks under the surface, as does the simple act we can wander wherever we want”. Rob replied we talked about last night? ‘Wander?’ That’s the of chasing a ball. I was a dog ater all. with “‘a wander’ is the perfect thought, I’m going perfect word to start with in your first question. It Twinges aside, what I always loved about the to write it on my wrist!” will set the tone for our conversation.” game and what I can still enjoy now are the By the time we convened the next aternoon at It was good advice. Blind Freddy could tell you that, but it was very kind. Kindness is a good ingredient “I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t the odd twinge here or there … for a conversation. There’s a Twinges aside, what I always loved about the game and what generosity to it. Rob and I sat in the MCC for quite a while I can still enjoy now are the characters and the stories.” shooting the breeze and the conversation took quite a few turns off the well-worn highway. That’s the buzz. We have assembled an eclectic bunch of guests that includes comedians, politicians, athletes, rock stars and writers. But it’s what football does to them that makes it interesting. For some it’s weighted towards tribalism, for others it’s the romance. They are just a couple of the themes covered on the program. The ambition of the show was to explore “the space between the spokes on a wheel” that is the game. I think we succeeded. A friend of mine asked me this week: “What did all of these conversations teach you about yourself?” I had to tell him to piss off: “I only wanted to sit down and shoot the breeze with interesting people. I didn’t sign up for the quest to find the meaning of life!” But if you’re tossing up whether to watch the show or not, we actually distill the meaning of life, too. It tastes like chicken.

Fresh out of retirement, former Bulldog Bob Murphy debuts his new show, Bob. In an eight-part Getty Images Getty series, Murphy will meet and chat with iconic Aussie footy fans, with the help of his best mate, miniature dachshund Arthur. Begins Tuesday, June 19 at 8.30pm on FOX FOOTY channel 504 photo by

20 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 Register now to win the ultimate Great Barrier Reef experience for two! Competition ends December 31, 2018. T&Cs and full details available gbrmg.com.au

COME AND COMPETE ON THE REEF! INSIDE RUGBY

As Super finals approach, a conference call BY FOX SPORTS’ LOUISE RANSOME

he 2018 Super Rugby fi nals are just around season that has happened. Australia and New Zealand road trip undefeated, the corner, and it’s the fi rst fi nals series of The Crusaders and Hurricanes have been the notching four straight wins for the fi rst time since the revamped 15-team competition. Not only form teams, and it is no surprise. The Crusaders their introduction to the competition in 2016. A lot Twere Australia’s Western Force cut last year, are the most successful franchise in the of the credit goes to their head coach, and former but also two franchises from South Africa, the competition’s history, and are the current Wallabies forwards coach Mario Ledesma. Cheetahs and Southern Kings. The Sunwolves defending champions. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes from Japan have made progress in their new home are lit ered with All Blacks, and claimed the title Overall, ladder position is important – only twice in the Australian conference, while the men from back in 2016. It would be no surprise if it passed in 22 deciders has the winner of the comp fi nished Argentina, the Jaguares, have also come on in between them again. lower than second at the end of the regular season. leaps and bounds in the South African conference. For whoever makes it to the fi nals, playing at home As for the serious title contenders, they’ve been South African conference is crucial. Home teams have a winning record of 76 clear for most of the season. This conference has been a lit le tighter. The percent in fi nals, and 73 percent in grand fi nals. In Lions have been the frontrunners for the majority fact, the Crusaders are the only team to win the Australian conference of the campaign. But it is the Jaguares who have title in a foreign country – they have done it twice It has been a bat le between two teams for top been the real improvers in season 2018. – in 2000 against the Brumbies, and again in 2017 spot. The Melbourne Rebels were a real unknown, The Argentinian side went through their against the Lions. with the former Western Force coach Dave Wessels and a large chunk of Only twice in 22 deciders has the winner of the comp finished his team making the move to the Victorian capital. It started well, lower than second at the end of the regular season. winning their fi rst three games and it seemed Dave Wessels had done a superb job bringing the squad together. Will Genia has been a shining light all season, but injuries have curbed his contribution. When Genia hasn’t been there, the Rebels have struggled. The Waratahs would call their season inconsistent, lit ered with missed opportunities. And while they are quick to deny it, you have to wonder whether the drama and controversy surrounding their superstar back Israel Folau has provided a serious distraction. No mat er what happens, they can celebrate the fact they ended the 40-game losing streak against New Zealand sides, beating the Highlanders in round 14.

New Zealand conference Our friends from across the ditch have dominated this Super Rugby season, once again. They have had four of their ﬁ ve teams in the top eight for most of campaign. If all four teams qualify for the ﬁ nals, it will be the third consecutive

FOX SPORTS will show every game of the Super Rugby finals LIVE, with no ad-breaks during play, while Getty Images Getty foxsports.com.au will keep fans up to date with exclusive stories and behind-the-scenes content photo by

22 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 AT INTERSPORT.COM.AU INSIDE TENNIS

For next gen, tennis a little too timeless BY FOX SPORTS’ ADAM PEACOCK

omeone once said nothing lasts forever, just a fancy bit of guesswork. have all been surprised multiple times by their so obviously they knew lit le of this era of Nick Kyrgios, Dominic Thiem and Alex “Sascha” inability to take command of matches against men’s tennis. Seriously, no, I mean, really, Zverev head the majority of lists for next most players they’ve been expected to command. So Swhen is someone not named Roger or likely. There are varying reasons for why they’re we wait, intrigued, to see if they can overcome Rafa going to get a good crack at becoming a on such a list. Kyrgios for his outrageous natural those inhibitions. regular guest of the court on the fi nal weekend talent, Thiem for his ridiculous work rate and Back in the early 2000s, Roger Federer was seen of grand slam tennis? Zverev for his imposing frame and game to match. as talented as any, but a lit le on the brit le side in The greatness of these two has once more Mix them all together and you have a player the big moment. Lleyton Hewit , Andy Roddick, become so regular, we are accustomed to it, which who would dominate the game for a decade. Marat Safi n, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Tommy Haas in itself is the true measure of greatness. Roger It is what each can’t quite overcome – all of which were regarded as superior prospects. When Federer is nearly 37. Rafael Nadal is 32. lies between the ears – that is stopping the next Federer won Wimbledon in 2003, it was a Their more youthful days – in appearance only, big step. transfusion of belief into bloodstream. everything else remains as it was – was a period in Herein lies the beauty of sport. Strengths of an Now, we don’t know much apart from the fact which almost no one was given a chance, as they athlete lead us toward surety, weaknesses open up the era of Roger and Rafa continues and the rest combined to win a ludicrously improbable 24 of 28 the element of doubt, which in turn open up the are let to wait. It would be considered so damn grand slam trophies. element of surprise. Kyrgios, Thiem and Zverev unfair if it wasn’t so damn enjoyable to watch. Their powers waned fractionally, so Novak Djokovic came along and won fi ve of eight, leaving Andy Murray and “Mix them all together and you have a player who would dominate Stan Wawrinka to ever-so-briefl y bask in the sunshine. Now we’re the game for a decade. It is what each can’t quite overcome … coming to the realisation that that is stopping the next big step.” sunshine was pure northern winter, so briefl y did it last, as the eff orts of wringing every possible drip of ability from their beings took a toll. As their bodies failed, Roger and Rafa have re-emerged for glorious second acts, winning – at the time of writing – the last fi ve majors (and six if you presume what everyone presumes Nadal will do at the French). For the rest of the men’s game, a false dawn on the horizon is actually just refl ected light from a false dawn on the horizon behind it. Again the days blend into weeks and into months with the same recurring theme, but eventually that “nothing lasts forever” saying will prove right; Roger and Rafa will grind to a halt. Before or at er they require Zimmer frames to walk to and from the court remains to be seen. Eventually, a massive opportunity will arise. Working out who is good enough to take the opportunity is akin to playing stockbroker – convincing ourselves of the ability to predict the future when really, it’s Getty Images Getty FOX SPORTS will deliver LIVE and HD coverage of Wimbledon photo by

24 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018

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ALL POLICIES UNDERWRITTEN BY CERTAIN UNDERWRITERS AT LLOYD’S. THE WORD SPORTSCOVER AND THE SPORTSCOVER LOGO ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF SPORTSCOVER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD. ABN 43 006 637 903. AFS LICENCE NO. 230914 things you need to know

WorldLacrosseChampionship

The 2018 FIL Men’s Lacrosse World Champion- who collectively boast 35 clubs. However, the the ball. Wearing a helmet and very litle padding, ship is a men’s field lacrosse event organised by sport also exists in pockets of New South Wales, lacrosse goalies are, um ... insane. Their role is akin 1 the Federation of International Lacrosse and Queensland and Tasmania. to standing in front of a fast bowler – but halfway staged every four years. This year’s championship down the pitch – and geting in the way of the ball. will be held in Netanya, in Israel’s central north, Australia doesn’t go too bad on the lacrosse from 12-21 July. A whopping 51 countries will take international stage, according to our national Australia has some bright stars on the part, making it the largest such event of all-time. 4 team coach Glenn Meredith. “It’s geting international scene. There’s Chris Robertson, All teams will compete in six-eight matches across harder, I won’t lie, as more countries come into the 9 who is looking to get drated into Major the ten-day tournament. sport. When I played, there were five countries League Lacrosse. Of Australian descent, he’s competing at the worlds, now there’s 51. We have currently plying his trade in Canada. Then there’s The sport is a long-time cultural tradition finished second twice, which is an amazing effort Callum Robinson. Hailing from the Wembley of the Iroquois Indians, or Haudenosaunee for a country of amateur lacrosse players. We’ve Lacrosse Club in Perth, Robinson is already playing 2 people, who called it the Creator’s Game. finished third a fair few times, too.” professionally in America for the Atlanta Blaze. Hundreds of years ago they played it on fields that were kilometres long, in games between tribes The Aussie team is looking good leading into The Australian Lacrosse Association is which lasted weeks. Rumours have it that they Israel. “We had a prety bad year in 2017, with serious about increasing player numbers. used to use skulls as balls. The Iroquois still 5 a lot of guys geting six-month sort-of 10 It recently introduced the ASC Sporting compete at the highest level of the sport, and still injuries,” says Meredith. “But we’ve managed to get Schools Quick Stix initiative. This Primary School honour the Creator every time they play. them all back prety healthy. If you have a healthy program has already atracted the participation of list, you can actually go out and be successful ... if 30,000 kids Australia wide, with 100,000 expected Yes, we play lacrosse here in Australia, and your top ten players are injury-free.” by the end of 2018. The sport’s governing body isn’t yes, we’ll be once again fielding a team at the out to become a powerhouse like the AFL or NRL, 3 World Championship. Roughly 7000 people The United States has won the men’s but is determined to raise player numbers from its play the sport across the country, predominantly in lacrosse World Championship nine times and current 7K, to something around the 20,000 mark. Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, 6 Canada the other three. Lacrosse has been – James Smith the fastest-growing sport in North America for a number of years now, with anywhere from a million to a million and a half people playing the game across the region. It is also Canada’s national summer sport, with America’s NCAA league boasting around 500 male Canadian players.

There are ten on-field players on a lacrosse team. Four must stay on the defensive half of 7 the field, three must stay on the offensive half, and three can roam anywhere they like. The game starts with a face-off between players from each team. The ball sits on the ground between the Australian Lacrosse Association two players and the referee blows the whistle.

Only the goalie can touch the ball with their hands. All other players must use their 8 lacrosse stick to carry, pass, shoot, or catch photos courtesy

26 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 WOMEN IN SPORT Melbourne Cricket Ground SUMMIT 21 - 23 August

The Women in Sport Summit brings together General Managers, Marketers, Commercial Managers, Participation Managers and athletes interrogating how sports organisations can drive participation, equality, and grow their businesses with increased female engagement across the board.

KEY BENEFITS OF ATTENDING: • Realising equality in professional sport • Driving growth by commercialising women’s sport • Cultivating grassroots participation and engagement • Growing audiences with strategic marketing • Boosting the female athletic talent pool • Developing a successful women’s competition and events

Visit: konnectlearning.com.au/women-sport to learn more and secure your seat to this seminal event THE NUMBERS

WHAT REALLY COUNTS IS PASSION AND PRIDE IN THE JERSEY. IN ANY CASE, WE PRESENT THE ORIGIN Most ofOrigin STORY SO FAR: BY THE NUMBERS. MOST GAME 1, 1980 DEETS PLAYED Queensland20(KerryBoustead,ChrisClosetries;Mal Meninga7goals)beatNewSouthWales10(GregBrentnall, QLD:CameronSmith TommyRaudonikistries;MickCronin2goals) 8July,1980atLangPark,Brisbane 42 Referee:BillyThompson.Crowd:33,210 NSW: Brad Fittler Crowd, THE SCORE Game 2, 31 91K MCG, 2015 Fullseriesplayed: 36 Queensland 21 New South Wales YOUTH AND EXPERIENCE 13 OLDESTPLAYER Petero Civoniceva (36 years Series drawn and 73 days – Game 3, 2012) YOUNGEST PLAYER 2 Ben Ikin (18 years and 83 days – Game 1, 1995)

28 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 4.19 MILLION 10 MOSTGOALS IN A MATCH HighestOriginnationalaverageTVaudience:Game3,2013 RyanGirdler(Game 3, 2000)

MOST GAMES 21 REFFED BillHarrigan

MOSTFIELD GOALSINA MATCH 3 BenElias(Game3,1994) 2 MOSTTRIESIN A MATCH Chris Anderson (Game 3, 1983) Kerry Boustead (Game 1, 1984) MOST Ryan Girdler (Game 3, 2000) Lote Tuqiri (Game 2, 2002) COACHED Matt Sing (Game 3, 2003) NSW: Phil Gould 24 Matt King (Game 3, 2005) Dane Gagai (Game 2, 2016) QLD: Mal Meninga 30 Valentine Holmes (Game 3, 2017)

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 29 PUB DEBATE Tangledinvideotape ARE THE VIDEO-REVIEW-INSPIRED “BUNKER” SYSTEMS USED BY OUR FOOTY CODES HELPING THINGS AS FAR AS GETTING DECISIONS RIGHT, OR ARE THEY ONLY ADDING TO THE UNCERTAINTY?

after 1 beer after 2 beers after 3 beers after 4 beers

REASONED ARGUMENTS DIVERSIONARY TANGENTS RAISED VOICES IMPROBABLEHYPOTHETICALS

IF YOU THINK THE IF YOU’RE A CONSPIRACY IF YOU’RE A FOOTY ROMANTIC IF YOU STILL THINK THERE’S TECHNOLOGY IS VITAL THEORIST “Gone are the days of the great NO ROOM FOR VIDEO “With so much at stake in the “Have you seen the NRL ‘bunker’ refs who well and truly controlled the “It’s just ruining the fl ow of the present-day era of sports system? They’ll go to it as ot en as game: Mick Stone, Greg McCallum game. We have to stop every three professionalism, technology which they can because it’s a great space and Bill Harrigan. Even ‘Grasshopper’ minutes to look at 400 replays of allows offi cials to review pieces of for advertising. I’ve been trying to Barry Gomersall ... he was dodgy and two blokes in the air and decide who play is very much needed. Players’ work out why I’m get ing so fat. It’s all always helped Queensland along, but touched it before the try. And they and coaches’ livelihoods depend those KFC mentions put ing weird at least he was brave enough to make get it wrong half the time. They could on wins and losses. The more messages into my brain every time a call in a pressure moment. These ask a bloke with four beers under his decisions we get wrong, the greater the refs go to the bunker.” days they make a silly ‘T’ sign and call belt sit ing at a pub; he’d do a bet er chance we stand of put ing someone out ‘I have try’. What’s that about?” job than these blokes.” out of a job. Get ing rid of the IF YOU’RE A REALIST ‘bunker’ would be like using a “You’re a loony. Look, there’s just IF YOU CAN SEE PAST NOSTALGIA IF YOU’VE HAD A GUTFUL typewriter instead of a computer; no denying that reviewing goals, tries “I thought we were arguing about OF THIS ARGUMENT it would mean going backwards.” or knock-ons, or whatever, gives our the video ref and the tech ... Those “I reckon you should throw your hat offi cials a bet er chance of get ing blokes were good refs but they all in, mate. I think you’re right. You’d be IF YOU THINK WE SHOULD as many calls as they can correct. still made mistakes. We needed to great. Foxtel could set up a special GET RID OF THE TECHNOLOGY The naked, human eye can’t pick move on from the good ole days that but on on your remote and let the “Ah ha! Fantastic analogy ... which everything up. To expect that to you’re always talking about, where fans decide. If it’s wrong, we could I’m going to use against you, mate. happen is being unrealistic. That’s everything was apparently bet er. It get on Twit er and talk about how the When was the last time a typewriter where I think all the critics are wasn’t. Every sport has bunkers now. fans are ruining the game. You know, crashed and lost all of your hard coming from. It’s unfair.” They’re here to stay.” #fansfault ... ” work? Technology isn’t always the ideal solution. What we had before were refs actually making decisions, and we all got over their calls, however dodgy. Now, we have the ability to scrutinise all of their calls.”

IF YOU HAVE A BETTER IDEA “I would love to see a game played where there are no refs, no bunkers ... just leave it to the players to decide the rules. That would go down really well ... ”

“Technology isn’t always the ideal solution. What we had before were refs actually making decisions.” Getty Images Getty

photo by

30 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 Australia’s No. 1 Golf Magazine

VISIT WWW.MYMAGAZINES.COM.AU things you must not miss

Best by par

Golf’s major season is back on the tee with the US Open (June 15-18), returning to a classic American course, Shinnecock Hills. Of course, the last time the championship visited the Long Island layout in 2004, the organisers almost drove the course set-up into mini-golf-like absurdity in trying to live up to the US Open’s reputation as the toughest tournament around. Expect the US Golf Association to dial it back this year – might even let a few of the players break par! Phil Mickelson, he of the six US Open runner-ups, indeed claimed one of his seconds here 14 years ago, so he’ll be a story in the lead-up. But one to keep an eye on is a back-in-form Jason Day, who also has a very good US Open record without a win in it. Day one

Australian cricket returns to action on the fi eld, get ing back to the larger task of rebuilding its respectability. First check-in: the old country, for a one-day international tour of England (from Jun 13). The newly installed leadership team of captain Tim Paine and coach Justin Langer takes charge of a 50-over XI that now faces more questions on the way to a World Cup only 12 months from now, as notable absences and new names create fl ux in the line-up. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins will miss this trip, but Nathan Lyon is in, and big-hit ing D’Arcy Short made the squad. The series heads to Cardiff (June 16), Trent Bridge (June 19) and Durham (June 21) before wrapping Keep on drivin’ up at Old Traff ord (June 24). Chosen few

Have to hand it to Fernando Alonso – like the great As Ben Simmons and the 76ers validated this racers of old, the Spanish star is proving his season, winning in the NBA begins on drat day virtuosity behind every wheel. Last year, it was the (depending on how long you’re willing to wait ...) Indy 500; this month, he fulfi ls another high-speed Philly will be prominent again in this year’s NBA aspiration as he lines up in the 24 Hours of Le Dra (Jun 21), having banked up to six selections Mans (Jun 16-17). In his day job in Formula One, from previous trades. This year’s drat crop is Alonso has been trapped by the limitations of his intriguing if your team is seeking a big man, with McLaren. His side gig in endurance racing must the likes of DeAndre Ayton, Marvin Bagley, Jaren have come as a breath of fresh air, as he and his Jackson and Mo Bamba all projecting as frontcourt team-mates at Toyota claimed victory in the fi rst cornerstones. But as the vogue for multi-position- round of the World Endurance Championship at ality and the ability to play in space has taken Getty Images Getty Spa (above), Alonso’s fi rst race win since the over, the top prospect comes from an unusual Spanish GP of 2013. Another familiar F1 name who direction. Luka Doncic, a 203cm-tall playmaking will be driving deep into the French night: Jenson savant from Slovenia, is regarded as the best teen

But on, Alonso’s former team-mate at McLaren. hoopster ever to emerge from Europe. photos by

32 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018

THE

Presenting the winners

HE BIGGEST and best Clubbies Awards yet and passionate club based on the Gold Coast, “The 2018 Sportscover Clubbies Awards have Tculminated with an inaugural presentation who claimed the top gong. highlighted so many wonderful stories of luncheon at the historic Sydney Cricket Secretary of the Best Club winner, Fiona Evans, commitment, passion and dedication,” Allatson Ground in May. told www.qrl.com.au: “For our commit ee that has said. Excited winners from around Australia joined been there since the beginning, to win this is a bit of “The annual Clubbies Awards are a great ﬁ t with the heavy hit ers of Australia’s peak sporting recognition that we have been doing a great job.” for Sportscover, providing the opportunity for bodies to honour the nation’s grassroots heroes. Among the guests soaking up the atmosphere at us to recognise the clubs, administrators, Some 1200 nominations were whit led down to the presentation were reps from Sportscover, the volunteers, coaches and oﬃ cials who are the seven winners, representing the sports of rugby Confederation of Australian Sport, Intersport, backbone of sport. league, triathlon, basketball, Australian rules Inside Sport and Next Media. “Congratulations to the winners and the football, hockey and gymnastics. Sportscover Australia chief executive Simon applicants. You are an inspiration to all of us In just their sixth season, it was the Coomera Allatson shared some thoughts with the gathering involved in Australian sport. We look forward Cut ers Junior Rugby League Club, a hardworking of sports lovers. to you joining us again in 2019.”

BEST CLUB Coomera Cutters Junior Rugby League Club, QLD Club secretary Fiona Evans told www.qrl.com.au: “[In] our ﬁ rst year it was pop up tents and a couple of porta toilets. We’ve gone from nothing, to really quite big really quickly.”

BEST COACH Hayley Stevenson Wilston Grange Triathlon Club, QLD Says Stevenson: “I love seeing the people themselves realise what they can do. It’s the best environment I’ve ever been a participant in because everyone’s very supportive of each other.”

BEST STALWART Jef rey Waldron Coleraine Football Netball Club, VIC Club president Ashley Lambert says: “[Jeﬀ rey’s] just a livewire. If half the club did as many things as he does, it would run pret y smoothly.”

34 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 BEST ADMINISTRATOR Perry Johnstone Alexandria Rovers Rugby League Football Club/Sydney Indigenous Rugby League Club Secretary, Johnstone, says he wanted to emulate the previous generation: “They looked ater us, they took us on trips away to the country and never charged us nothing. I said this is our time.”

BEST MASTERS Ken Baird Australian Myths & Legends Basketball, VIC Baird won basketball gold at the 2018 Australian Masters Games in Tasmania and at 90 is a true inspiration. Myths & Legends president Ian Farr: “He’s a nice guy and always very determined. He played tennis until a couple of years ago.”

BEST FACILITY Eastside Activity Centre, TAS BEST ASSOCIATION Upper Great Southern Hockey In just six years the centre has gone from “the litle building next Association, WA door” to a sprawling sports facility. Co-owner Felicity Harvey The proactive association is responsible for 15 clubs and about 700 members. “We’re says: “We’re trying to get all the kids motivated into sport so we bringing in a thing this year called walking hockey and opening it up to people with just keep adding things we think the community would like ... disabilities and senior players,” says development oﬃcer Rodney Johnson. we’ve just added rhythmic gymnastics.”

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 35 HOT SHOT

A view inside Moscow’s Spartak Stadium during the Confederations Cup match last year between Russia and Portugal. Spartak Stadium is one of 12 venues that will host matches during Alex Livesey / Getty Images

the 2018 World Cup, spanning a stretch of some 2400km. photo by

36 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 37 PUNTER’S CHANCE

N RUSSIA, the tournament plays you. Or something. Anyhow, landmass is, from Kaliningrad to Yekaterinburg to the ﬁ nal in the football World Cup will be back to its old tricks this month, Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium (pictured). But the narratives entering the Itantalising some nations, disappointing England, and generally 2018 tournament have a familiar ring: a proud, yet wounded power crowning a champion that has already won it before. The host nation is seeking vindication, emerging countries out to prove themselves, and a bit of new ground for FIFA’s quadrennial jamboree, and the viewing a generation of star players looking at its last chance of leaving its audience will surely become well-acquainted with how big the Russian mark on what remains the biggest sporting stage of all.

Brazil $5 with this quintessential football nation, the talent is there to be lit ing the Rimet Trophy for At er the semi-fi nal four years ago in the a sixth time come July 16 in Moscow. Brazil has Mineirao, you might think Brazilian football so much quality, there’s a case to be made that would have curled into a ball and given up. Such they could do it without Neymar, who is trying was the psychological shock of the 7-1 defeat at to get back up to speed from a broken foot. the feet of Germany, the questions will continue Without the PSG star, the scoring and styling right into the 2018 campaign. But there’s (this is Brazil, at er all) will come from the likes another way to look at it – as history has shown, of Philippe Coutinho, Gabriel Jesus (below) and maybe it’s too much for Brazil to win a World Willian. Casemiro bolts down the midfi eld, while Cup at home. And get ing out of that hothouse Real Madrid team-mate Marcelo does his thing will set the Selecao back on track. bombing down the let . Under manager Tite, Brazil remains the World Cup’s true road Brazil has dispensed with the drama, while also warrior, claiming victory on four diff erent get ing back to playing with some traditional continents. The only previous time in E ation could consign the 7-1 to was back in 1958 in Sweden, but as alw ussia this month. Germany $5.80 There hasn’t been a repeat winner of the World Cup in more than half a century. But who is going to tell the reigning champs they can’t do it? The German system is the envy of the football world, a conveyor belt of talent that has laid to rest perceptions of die mannscha as stylistically dour. The dilemma facing sage coach Joachim Low: stick with the heroes of 2014, or turn to the young stars who have emerged since? It might be hard to deny the likes of forward Timo Werner, defender Joshua Kimmich and midfi elder Leon Goretzka (pictured together), even when you have Ozil, Muller, Kroos, Khedira and Hummmels still gracing the squad. Another of the household names, all-world goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, is bat ling back from injury. But if he’s not good to go, that just means Barcelona’s Marc Andre ter Stegen slots into his place Getty Images Getty – and that kind of depth explains Germany in a nutshell. If you put any stock in video games, a simulation run through the EA Sports FIFA game has Germany returning

to the ﬁ nal, although losing to France on penalties. photos by

38 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP ODDS

Brazil $5 Serbia $101 Germany $5.80 Sweden $101 Spain $7 Switzerland $101 France $8 Egypt $151 Argentina $10 Peru $151 Belgium $12 Senegal $151 England $18 Iceland $201 Portugal $23 Nigeria $201 rgentina $10 / Portugal $23 England $18 Croatia $31 Japan $301 ey are two proud nations with incredible The English are ahead of their usual state of mind otball heritage, but in this moment, they’re pre-tournament – they’ve zipped right ahead to Russia $33 Morocco $301 ore or less vehicles for the great debate over acceptance, writing off 2018 and looking to the e greatest: Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? day that their youth world champions pull on the Uruguay $34 Australia ey’re still preeminent among players entering man-sized Three Lions shirt. There have been $401 s World Cup, but with both on the other side calls to blood the likes of Liverpool teen Trent Colombia 30, the passage of time is beginning to tell. Alexander-Arnold, which might not be a bad idea. $41 Costa Rica $451 Messi seemingly had his best shot in the fi nal But there’s some undue haste in writing off this Poland $71 ur years ago, and even he was admit ing that campaign, particularly because a frisky England Iran $451 gentina had ceded ground to the favoured could be fun: Harry Kane at the head of the at ack, Denmark $101 tions. Ronaldo got one over his rival when Dele Alli and Raheem Sterling (above) proving Tunisia $451 rtugal sprung a surprise at the Euros, and their world-class bona fi des. There are questions Mexico $101 ould dearly love to do it again. Realistically about the defence and in goal. But if nothing else, South Korea $601 ough, what was once a standard expectation for the football gods hopefully won’t punish England ery true football great – to win the World Cup with an exit on penalties – it might be too much might be the only thing that Messi and Ronaldo for coach Gareth Southgate, who already suff ers not win in their careers. from that ignominy as a player, to bear.

Belgium $12 Uruguay $34 Russia $33 The FIFA simulation also has Belgium in the last four, There’s not much joy to be had wagering down the The real riddle of Russia – why isn’t this nation which makes sense – if it’s just about the bundling of board in the World Cup (although we would like to bet er at football? The Soviet Union had a pret y player ratings, the Belgians should be there. But it was see a prop bet on “countries that start with ‘s’” ... ) good record back in the day, and one that would true four years ago in Brazil and two years ago in the But in accordance with the logic of looking to read a lot bet er if it hadn’t been cordoned off Euros, which both ended in quarter-fi nal exits. previous winners, go with Uruguay. from the game’s mainstream. Despite Russia’s Such underachievement usually means one thing Once writ en off for having won their World success in a range of sports (and not just the kind – it’s the manager’s fault, which is why the most Cups back in antiquity (1930, 1950), the Uruguay- dependent on pharmacology), its football is at a intriguing fi gure in the team is a non-Belgian, Spaniard ans have had a great decade, save the odd low ebb right at the time it gets to host a World Roberto Martinez. The former Everton, Wigan and atrocity from Luis Suarez. He’s still there, and Cup. If you can name a Russian player, you’re more Swansea boss is highly regarded as a football with fellow striker Edinson Cavani and defensive than a casual fan. At one point, it was the lowest progressive; as his time in the EPL proved, his teams stalwart Diego Godin, there’s plenty of star nation in the fi eld in the FIFA rankings, even if that impressed without ever breaking through, which is not power. But to reach the last four, like they did in is a side-eff ect of not having to play qualifi ers. quite what Belgium would want to hear. Breaking into 2010, Oscar Tabarez’s team will need a breakout So why the optimism from the bet ors? As the World Cup elite would be a career-defi ner for showing from promising midfi elders Francisco Michel Platini confi rmed for all of us, talking Martinez, and it’s not beyond a team that can roll out Valverde and Rodrigo Bentancur. Drawn about France in 1998, hosts always get a Kevin de Bruyne (above), Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku favourably in Group A, La Celeste could surprise favourable draw. South Korea made a semi in and a host of other big-club stars that you were sure again (its top-three price of $10 is enticing), if the 2002, remember. And if you’re conspiracy-mind- were Dutch, French or German. Bonus point: they have whole South American-team-in-Europe thing ed, we’ve seen the lengths Putin and company go a path that will allow them to ease their way in. doesn’t tilt the odds against them. to when they host a major sporting event ...

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 39 IN HINDSIGHT Mark arzer

E HAD a professional career that spanned saved the fi rst and fourth penalties, set ing H more than two decades and took him to up John Aloisi’s eternal highlight. the heights of club football. But Mark Schwarzer backstopped the Socceroos’ Schwarzer will forever be associated with the campaign four years later, and became Socceroos fi nally ending its luckless run in something of a totemic veteran presence in qualifying for the World Cup. In 2005, his last playing years at Chelsea and in the play-off between the Leicester. He now lends his football Oceania champion and South savvy to Optus Sport, where he’ll American fi t h-placer, Schwarzer serve as host for the network’s and his team-mates stared down comprehensive, every-game Uruguay in a penalty shoot-out, coverage of the World Cup in a trip to Germany on the line. Russia this month. He spoke to The then Middlesbrough and Inside Sport about his World Cup later Fulham goalkeeper days, and what’s in store.

Schwarzer keeps out Marcelo Zalayeta’s attempt in that penalty shoot-out of 2005. above right With Sutton United manager Paul Doswell before an FA Cup match in 2017. below right “Guess what? We’re going to the World Cup!”

We spoke to you just before Brazil four years ago, just as your playing days were winding down. You noted that you were going to enjoy the World Cup as a spectator. Covering the event this time around for Optus Sport, how have you found the transition to the media? I think the biggest challenge has always been, particularly when you’re a player and you do the odd appearance on commentary, you tend to be very neutral and you didn’t want to oﬀ end anyone. You wanted to basically brush over things, particularly when they were diﬃ cult questions. Whereas now, because it is your job ... I still want to be very fair, I still want to be honest, but I also want to give hopefully a bit more of an insight as to why I would be critical of somebody. Rather than just the standard throwaway question comments, like “he should have done bet er” or “that was rubbish”.

During your long career, did you ever make it to Russia? I played once, a Europa League game for Fulham against a team called Amkar Perm; the most easterly European city – during the Second World War it wasn’t even on the map because it was apparently where they produced a lot of the ammunition for the Russians. So it was an interesting place. It’s based on a lot of chemicals that they produce there, pesticides. We played at Amkar Perm on an artiﬁ cial pitch, because the weather there can be very extreme. And it was literally a place that popped up out of the middle of nowhere. It was a smaller club, so it wasn’t a huge atmosphere, wasn’t a packed stadium. But it was kind of that Eastern European feel, they have a particular number of hardcore

40 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 “It’s funny, you look at 2006 and 2010 and the parallels are almost identical: the results were the same in terms of how many points we got, but obviously we lost one game 4-0 to Germany. That was the difference.”

supporters, fanatical, I suppose. And that was very really kind of get to know your other much the case. We turned up the airport, there team-mates so much because you’ve were guys all dressed as the Grim Reaper. got your own lit le community within that group of players. You were a part of dressing-rooms that had blokes from everywhere. Do players of diff erent With so much big-time football these nationalities relate to each other diff erently days, does the World Cup still mat er want to have nations continuously trying to these days? as much to players? push themselves to get bet er year at er year, It’s defi nitely diff erent now compared to I still think it does. It’s still regarded as the campaign at er campaign to make the next one, 15-20 years ago because there weren't as many tournament ... The World Cup, it’s every nation on if they miss out on the previous one. Or if they’ve foreign players, of course. When I fi rst came to the planet that participates, 200 nations or whatever made it, to realise how good it was, like we did Middlesbrough, we only had four or fi ve foreigners. it is on the planet competing for that one trophy. with Australia ... But I was never really classed as a foreigner. They’d I think the danger is in the future – and there’s a talk about the foreigners, and I was like, “Hang on a lot of sound coming out and noise coming out of What are your memories of qualifying in 2005? sec, I’m a foreigner.” And they’re like, “No you’re not, FIFA – that they want to expand the groups, more Was it relief, joy or were you just locked into you’re an Aussie.” numbers. I think that’s the danger, actually, of the process? So it was very diff erent. Back then, there taking a bit of gloss off it. Particularly the early It was all of the above because of the journey wouldn’t be a huge number of players from one stages of the tournament – it no longer becomes we’d taken. And I’m not talking about just that country, necessarily. You may have another team- this tournament that is such an incredible qualifi cation part, I’m talking about how many mate from the same country, all the rest, generally accomplishment to just to get there, let alone to failed campaigns, nearly campaigns, we’d been a from all parts of the globe. So the interaction with win it. We’re in danger of increasing the numbers part of. The elation of qualifi cation, fi nally, at er 32

Getty Images players was far greater back then. Now it’s a lit le and losing that mystique of get ing to a World Cup. years, to fi nally break the so-called hoodoo. To bit less because you tend to have bigger groups of I don’t think it should be necessarily just a have done it in the most diffi cult way, through foreign players. It’s not that players don’t interact, tournament for numbers – it needs to be a Oceania and the play-off , where the level of photos by it’s that there doesn’t seem to be that urgency to tournament of a certain level of class. You competition all of a sudden goes to the likes of `

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 41 IN HINDSIGHT

the fi t h-best team in South America. And Uruguay who had experience, knew he was up against it is one of the big names of world football. with a team that had never qualifi ed out of the There’s so many diff erent emotions, so many group stages, but had potential. So the pressure diff erent feelings that you go through qualifying for that was put on us was enormous, purely by that particular World Cup. I don’t think – you can virtue of the fact of being at the World Cup. never say never – but it’s going to be incredibly But also the environment that you’re in: the diffi cult for any Socceroos team to replicate that, competition for places, the manager put ing unless we go through a period of time where we pressure on players to perform. That is really don’t qualify, then there’s that, you know ... that tough to explain, one of those situations that I period of having missed out for so many times, for don’t think anyone will really fathom unless so many years, and then you wake up and fi nally it's they're in that position themselves. your turn. Then there's that sort of adrenaline, that sort of experience, again. But it's unlikely. You’ve made the point before about how similar the Socceroos’ 2006 and ’10 World How was the experience of a World Cup Cups felt, even if the outcomes were not. campaign? One thing we o en fail to appreciate It’s funny, you look at 2006 and 2010 and the is how quickly it can pass, three matches at parallels are almost identical: the results were its shortest ... the same in terms of how many points we got, There aren’t a lot of games, and the pressure but obviously we lost one game 2-0 to Brazil that’s on each individual game is enormous. The and 4-0 to Germany. That was the diff erence. longer you go on into the tournament, whereby That was why we got knocked out. you start to see how many points you need, That was our problem (in 2010), the worst what results you need, the pressure grows result we’ve ever had was in the fi rst game. It even more. was a rude awakening for us. We all know that Germany was an incredible World Cup for so was the game that cost us. You can lose 2-0 many reasons. And one of the reasons being to Germany, there’s no shame in that. But because of where it was: the accessibility, the 4-0, and the way we did it – player sent off , atmosphere in the stadiums, our fi rst World Cup in then we continued to try and press and get 32 years, the type of players in the squad, and that back in the game – it was ultimately going pressurised situation where you had a manager to cost us.

A farewell lap with Brett Emerton and Jason Culina in 2014. above With Petr Cech at Chelsea training in 2013. above right Schwarzer on high alert against Germany’s Sami Khedira at the 2010 World Cup. Below right Tim Cahill, Lucas Neill and Schwarzer celebrate against Japan in ’06.

42 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 If you look at our next two performances, we were equally as good as we were in 2006. Against Ghana, we were incredibly unfortunate to have had a player sent oﬀ early in the game. But we dominated the game, even still should have won the game with ten men. And then we beat Serbia, and it wasn’t a dead rubber. We needed enough goals to knock out Ghana, and vice-versa, Serbia could have qualiﬁ ed if they’d beaten us. At er the Germany game, we lit ed and we played as well as in 2006 ... But people don’t judge it on that.

And to see what the Germans became at that World Cup, and four years later ... When you talk about 2010, for a lot of people, it’s kind of those tournaments that people want to write oﬀ and put it down to being a bit of a disaster, when it actually wasn’t. I thought the manager (Pim Verbeek) was unfairly criticised for a large proportion of the tournament, and the players. When you analyse the games, it was as plain as that – it was one result, and unfortunately for us, it was the ﬁ rst game. If we had four points going into our last game against Germany and lost 4-0, I don’t think the negative connotation would be as extreme.

You had a fantastic vantage point to one of the great underdog tales in recent sport, Leicester City in 2015-16. How did that happen? Inside Leicester, gosh, I don’t think any of it was rocket science. It was a combination of incredible team spirit, hard work ethic, a culmination of everybody reaching their peak at the same time and doing it for pret y much the course of 38 games throughout the season. "We're probably perceived as being one of the weakest And the further it went on, the greater the self- belief became. teams in our group. I don’t have a problem with that. There was very lit le expectation from anyone, even in the change rooms. Even until the last I like it when people underestimate us." couple of games, really. It was a case of, right, let’s just go out and play and continue along this incredible journey and see where it takes us. No pressure, because week-in, week-out everybody kept writing them oﬀ .

Could an underdog tale – and we’re certainly talking Socceroos – happen in Russia? Defi nitely, even more so at a World Cup. With a knockout series, you get out of the group, then it becomes knockout. And I think anyone can beat anyone in 90 minutes or 120 minutes ... The Aussies, starting off in their group – of course, you can’t look beyond that – they are the underdogs. We're probably perceived as being one of the weakest teams in that group from the outside world. I don’t have a problem with that. I like it when people write us off , when people underestimate us. But the guys need to do the work; there’s no doubt that the guys are going to work incredibly hard, going to be as fi t as they possibly can be going into a major tournament. The manager will have them tactically as best-prepared as he can in the period of time that he’s got. With the Australian sort of at itude and the way they qualifi ed, that will

Getty Images Getty actually put them in a great position because that conﬁ dence, that experience, that high-pressure situation, it’s gonna be fun.

photos by – Jeﬀ Centenera

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YES1120 (05/18) WORLD CUP 2018 WHEN THE WORLD COMES TO PLAY

The shape of global football has changed over time, yet the World Cup has remained defiantly the prize of a select handful of nations. As star players from across the world assemble in Russia next month, we’ll be reminded why it is so hard to win – and how it remains the grandest sporting prize on the planet. By JEFF CENTENERA

mid the epochal feeling around FIFA’s technical report on the tournament, Sydney’s 2000 Olympics, it was in typical report-speak, noted the “lucky possible to envisage a new world spectators … saw a match most would of football. The final of the qualify as unforgettable”. Cameroon rallied A men’s tournament, then as now from 2-0 down to level the scores, contested by the under-23-year- then win old set, pitted Cameroon against Spain. on penalties. The United States finished in the top- For the second four, while Brazil had been eliminated Olympics in a row, early. Australia, still starved of top-flight an African nation had football after the shock defeat to Iran claimed victory, after Nigeria’s during qualifying for the 1998 World Cup, win in 1996. Pele once famously predicted went winless. that the continent would produce a World It didn’t stop the host nation, though, Cup winner by 2000. In the outlines of from packing out Olympic Stadium for those Olympic tournaments, the idea of a the gold-medal game, a record attendance champion from Africa didn’t seem so of 104,098. The wonderfully named far-fetched. It wasn’t just the Africans – at Indomitable Lions, a fan favourite since the World Cup two years later, another pair their memorable display at the 1990 World of insurgent football nations, South Korea Cup in Italy, once again won over the crowd. and Turkey, made the last four. `

46 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS The big nations may rule on football’s biggest stage, but world- class talent comes from all over the map. Here are 11 standout figures from countries that haven’t won the World Cup.

MOHAMED SALAH (Egypt) The breakout star of this past season hails from Nagrig, a farming village in the Nile Delta. The 26-year-old became a certified phenomenon leading Liverpool to the UEFA Champions League final, breaking the Premier League’s single-season goal-scoring record and tallying 44 in 52 matches across the season. Already iconic in Egypt – literally, as the use of his image sparked various political and commercial controversies – an entire nation will be hanging on his return from a shoulder injury suffered in the Champs League final.

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 47 VINCENT KOMPANY WORLD (Belgium) CUP The Belgians are known 2018 for their glut of talent, with big names such as Kevin de Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku. But their undisputed leader is Kompany, who has been a fixture in the middle of Manchester City’s defence for a decade. Kompany saw his club realise its long-foreseen potential in a record- setting Premier League campaign – can his nation be next?

ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI (Poland) Lewandowski (above left) has been a prolific scorer for Bayern Munich since arriving at the German giant four years ago, but has lately become a scapegoat for the club’s failings at Europe’s top level. No such ill feeling for Poland, however, as Lewandowski is certainly not one of those club stars that doesn’t produce for his country – he scored 16 goals in ten matches during qualifying.

Alas, Pele’s predictions are notable sport told at its signature event is not one nations that can put a star or five on their within football for being famously bad. of the earth flattening or geopolitical jersey to honour their triumphs at the Cameroon went on to be a solid presence fault-lines moving. Instead, the game’s World Cup. There’s all-time leader Brazil, at the international heights, qualifying traditional powers have reasserted their defending champs Germany and their for World Cups in ’02, ’10 and ’14, but dominance, and in many ways buttressed antagonists both in Argentina. Spain and not this year. Meanwhile, their Spanish by the force of global new money that France were the new members of the club opponents in the final – a line-up that was meant to upend it. The notion of an from the old European core, while England featured the likes of Xavi and Carles Puyol African nation lifting the Rimet trophy always has 1966. Italy is the VIP guest left – inaugurated a full-blown flourishing seems further away than it did 20 years without a table this time around, after a for the country’s football. Spain crashed ago; the likes of the US and Turkey, like slip-up in qualifying. And even Uruguay, the ranks of World Cup winners in Cameroon, didn’t make it to Russia. long the joker in the World Cup’s winning 2010, shedding their tag as historic Australia, finally rid of its World Cup pack, has enjoyed a revival in its football, underachievers and doing so with a style of hoodoo, qualified for a fourth straight although Luis Suarez’s exploits keep them football that earned kudos from Brazil as finals, but even this accomplishment seems firmly on the unfashionable side. the new source of the beautiful game. freighted with complacency. It might be the world game, but the World The future of football is yet to arrive at In many respects, there’s a G8 of sorts Cup remains the province of where football the World Cup. The recent history of the atop world football, the elite circle of has long ruled. Try to find a prediction that

"MORE THAN EVER, I FEEL LIKE IT’S HARD TO JUSTIFY PICKING NATIONS OUTSIDE THAT ACCEPTED ELITE … AT THIS LEVEL, YOU HAVE TO ALMOST HAVE GOT THE RUNS ON THE BOARD. EVERYONE DREAMS OF HOLDING THE TROPHY ALOFT BUT I DON’T FEEL AS THOUGH, UNTIL IT HAPPENS, ANYONE REALLY THINKS IT’S POSSIBLE.”

48 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN (Denmark) The one to fear among the Socceroos’ group opponents (well, apart from the many scary Frenchmen). The Tottenham star is the archetypal elite attacking midfielder, a creator who is especially deadly over a free kick. He is recognised as the best Danish player since the glory days of the Laudrups – and Eriksen doesn’t have a brother to lean on.

doesn’t have one of the elite eight wining in It’s one of the quirks of the World Cup don’t quite carry around these geopolitical 2018. “More than ever, I feel like it’s hard to that it’s been brutal on the world’s considerations with them, particularly justify picking nations outside that underdogs. Where a near-equivalent once a ball is kicked. But as noted football accepted elite,” says Optus Sport execuitve tournament such as the Euros has pundit and Fox Sports commentator Simon producer and presenter Richard Bayliss, produced surprise winners over time such Hill observes, the World Cup is hardly just who will be in Russia covering the event. as Greece, Denmark and Czechoslovakia, another bunch of games, even for these “Whether the gap is increasing between the the World Cup has consistently defied the players. “You very much have the feeling haves and the have-nots, I’m not so sure. unpredictable. The pattern has held: only that this is the most important sporting But I don’t feel like there are too many sides wealthy or heavily populated nations – in event on the planet, which it is,” Hill says. outside those eight that are peaking at the football terms – need apply. Smaller-scale “I was having a conversation with right time. nations haven’t managed to break through, Thomas Sorensen and he’s played at a “Belgium is one, for me, that is no matter how outstanding: the World Cup for Denmark. He was telling me fascinating because their starting XI is Netherlands of the 1970s, most famously; that when you’re lining up in the tunnel fantastic. When they play against England, Hungary’s team was regarded as the best in before you your opening game, you do sort there’ll be essentially 20 Premier League world in the ’50s, before star Ferenc Puskas of feel, ‘Wow, this is the culmination of my players on the pitch and we know how good retired to Melbourne; Austria similarly in lifetime dream.’ I think it’s a mental thing the Premier League is. Yet people are only the 1930s while the World Cup was still a for players as well.” considering Belgium as an outside chance. thrown-together affair, and it was robbed And a lot of that comes from the fact that at of a shot in 1938 after Hitler folded the ne of the novelties of Russia this level, you have to almost have got the country into Germany in the Anschluss. 2018 was previewed at the Euros runs on the board. Everyone dreams of As a level playing field for the planet, two years ago: Iceland, which Getty Images Getty holding the trophy aloft, but I don’t feel as the football pitch should present more becomes the smallest nation ever though, until it happens, anyone really opportunity than in other realms of O to compete at a World Cup. It’s an

photos by thinks it’s possible.” national prestige-mongering. Footballers irresistible underdog tale: an `

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 49 KEYLOR NAVAS (Costa Rica) WORLD In the harsh spotlight of Real Madrid’s goal, Navas’s job security always CUP seems in question. But that’s part of the story for the humble, devout 2018 31-year-old, who was continually overcoming obstacles as he rose from his central American nation to the biggest club in world football. Navas led Los Ticos back to the World Cup after a sparkling display in 2014, where he was a finalist for the tournament’s top keeper award.

island nation that gets sunlight a quarter of Stefan Szymanski elaborated a view of how was the importance of knowledge transfer. the year, with a population less than that of international football success relates to This is the most decisive factor to shape the Canberra, still in recovery from one of the sources of national power. Working with a game into the future: as the world becomes definitive flameouts of the global financial database of match results over time, they more networked, the transmission of know- crisis. The national team manager is a arrived at some key insights, viewed how is what determines a nation’s football dentist, the goalie made the music video through the lens of development fates. How connected a country is becomes for Iceland’s Eurovision entry. economics. Population size and wealth key – the book points to Spain, which went Iceland stands as the poster child for the mattered, but perhaps not as much as the from the isolated basket case of the Franco World Cup’s all-encompassing reach. With amount of football experience the nation era to an integrated member of the fellow debutant Panama, the pair become had, or whether it was simply playing at European Union, and with a dash of Dutch the 78th and 79th nations to participate home. But contrary to the romantic notions influence via Johan Cruyff, became the in the tournament (give or take FIFA’s of the kid on the streets who uses football dominant nation everyone thought it could accounting method), and Qatar is already to escape from poverty, there was a become in 2010. locked in as the 80th in four years. correlation between wealth and overall Because of proximity, these knowledge Iceland’s rise, however, is a sidebar to the success – as the authors noted, their transfers have been most effective close main story of football’s power flows in the rankings bore a strong resemblance to to the source of top expertise in Europe. 21st century. In their influential book the UN’s human development index. Indeed, if you staged a World Cup without Soccernomics, authors Simon Kuper and TheotherbigtakeawayofSoccernomics regard to region, using FIFA’s rankings to

“IF THIS BUNCH OF ENGLISH KIDS WERE, FOR EXAMPLE, BELGIAN OR FINNISH OR NORWEGIAN, THEY’D GET MUCH MORE OF AN OPPORTUNITY. MAYBE THAT COULD DEVELOP AS A GROUP INTO A REAL GENUINE CHANCE OF WINNING A WORLD CUP.”

50 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 SADIO MANE (Senegal) Mo Salah’s running mate at Liverpool will be key to another African nation. Senegal makes its second World Cup appearance, and we all remember the first – in 2002, a team of some of the most memorable names in sport upset defending champs France and made the last eight. If we get a few of Mane’s famed goal celebrations in Russia, there’s a chance that the Lions of Teranga could go well out of the evenly poised Group H.

JAMES RODRIGUEZ (Colombia) James emerged as a global star four years ago in Brazil, nabbing the Golden Boot and joining up with Real Madrid’s cast of stars immediately after. The Colombian never quite found his place there, prompting a loan to Bayern, where he’s since rediscovered his world-beating form. Still young – he’ll turn 27 just before the final – his resurgence has been perfectly timed for Colombia, a trendy dark horse for 2018.

take the top 32 nations, you’d have 21 Reboot”, after a book of the same name to open an academy. The hard work was in European teams, six South Americans, by football writer Raphael Honigstein. convincing club sides to see past the cost – three from the other American and two This already wealthy football nation according to Das Reboot, since 2001, the African. The primacy of knowledge in reinvested in itself, massively. The national clubs had collectively spent more than €1b modern football – analytics, training federation set up a comprehensive training on youth development. techniques, organisational structure – scheme for boys from eight years old To watch the Germans hang seven on is another reason why the traditional through their teens that has grown to more Brazil in the semi four years ago is to powers have reasserted themselves. than 300 locations. To do that, they needed believe they got what they paid for. Die As a story that says something about to fund more coaches – actual qualified mannschaft is swollen with depth, to the football at this moment, the recent ones, rather than volunteer dads. It was degree that Mario Gotze and Andre experience of Germany has become a widely reported in the aftermath of the Schurrle, two of the heroes of 2014, didn’t parable. If there was a natural football 2014 World Cup that Germany had more make the squad this time around. With power, Germany would be it: rich, populous, than 28,000 holders of the UEFA “B” so much young talent in their pipeline, pedigreed; to parse the famed Gary coaching licence, the level below the Bundesliga clubs have the luxury of fielding Lineker quote, football by definition is a requirement for working a professional line-ups full of Germans. game that Germans win at. But after a club, or one for roughly every 3000 people. “The national team had become staid, group-stage exit at the 1998 World Cup England, by comparison, had one for every predictable and almost very Teutonic in the and a winless disaster at the 2000 Euros, 28,000 (Iceland, which also has a well- way it played its football,” says Simon Hill. as well as the prospect of saving face as resourced system, has one for every 400, “It was very staccato. It’s impressive what hosts of the ’06 World Cup, there was which shows smallness can be a virtue). they’ve done, not only with Das Reboot, but Getty Images Getty

public pressure for a bottom-to-top At the other end of the pathway, every also in embracing and understanding the overhaul of the structure of the sport. club in the top two divisions of the modern nature of multiculturalism. It

photos by The project earned the moniker “Das Bundesliga, some 36 teams, was required exists to a huge degree in Germany, and `

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 51 WORLD CUP 2018

YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO... Who won’t be at the World Cup NOT EVERYBODY GETS TO GO TO RUSSIA. HERE ARE A FEW NOTABLE ABSENTEES.

HOW THE TOURNAMENT SIGNIFICANCE REASON FOR ABSENCE MISSES OUT POTENTIAL STOPGAPS SEE YOU IN QATAR IN ’22?

Four-time champs; Unlucky to draw Spain Need a classy team Surely. Knowing This will be the ﬁ rst football’s high in qualifying, but with a persecution the Italians, they’ll ITALY WC without the Azzurri exemplars of couldn’t beat Sweden complex? That’s what probably return since 1958! headstrong. in a play-oﬀ . we have Argentina for. and win it.

Striker and captain Serving a ban at er Tough loss for Veteran Rafa Marquez Guerrero is 34, and PAOLO of Peru, a group testing positive for underdog Peru, which made Mexico’s squad Peru has a tough GUERRERO opponent of cocaine. Claimed it was is back at the WC for despite alleged links path in South America. Australia. from bad tea. ﬁ rst time since ’82. to a cartel. So, no.

Maybe you like the Originators of Total Dutch not quite what Well, we still have the Maybe. The Oranje are colour orange ... THE Football, the best they used to be – Belgians, so close going in for a Total Thanks to us, at least NETHERLANDS nation never to lit they missed ’16 Euros enough (don’t tell the Overhaul, which will Bert van Marwijk is the World Cup. as well. Dutch that, though). take time. still involved.

Plenty of young talent One of the most He has to play for the Imagine all the jokes Almost certainly. FIFA still on hand in Russia CHRISTIAN talented young United States, which about Russia and will expand the WC – France’s Kylian PULISIC players in the game. somehow couldn’t beat Trump that will now to ensure the Mbappe is the best And he’s American! Trinidad and Tobago. go unmade. Americans get in. of them.

Historic rulers of It’s Harry and Meghan’s Diplomatic protest, Event is light on If England’s youth nation that world right now, isn’t THE BRITISH at er the poisoning of celebrity star power. champions kick on, formalised the it? And what if ROYAL FAMILY a Russian spy on Former Miss Russia the Royals will have sport. Kind of rugby- England, you know, British soil. isn’t quite cut ing it. to show up. leaning, though. does well?

Ibrahimovic quit Larger-than-life Said the man himself Luis Suarez is still playing for Sweden Knowing Zlatan, he’ll character living large in 2014: “A World Cup around. But he insists ZLATAN! in ’16, and they were be playing FOR Qatar since moving to MLS without me is nothing he has “to try to show happy to go forward in 2022 ... and Los Angeles. to watch.” a good image”. without him.

52 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 they’ve put an umbrella over all those migrant communities; cherry-picked the best, really. “Look at Mesut Ozil, who is a Turkish immigrant. Fantastic player, totally un-German, but he’s got that German discipline through coaching. You’ve still got your archetypal German players like Thomas Muller, a workhorse, technically very good, but disciplined. Where Ozil gives them something that little bit different.” The change in culture extends beyond ethnic background. The system embraced a new approach to the way players should think. Unlike in other football hothouses, German academy prospects spend a lot of hours in school. As one German official explained to Honigstein, the demands of modern football professionalism required the self-discipline found in other lines of work. The proportio f youth players who have complete university-level requirements ha inverted, from 15 percent to 85 percent. “German football has, it seems, become thoroughly middle class,” he wrote. The contrast with England, for example, couldn’t be more pronounced. Hill, a keen observer of the English condition, notes that everyone brings up the burden of history that weighs upon the founder of the sport. But it’s less to do with 1966 and more about Brexit. “It’s about what England has done, or rather hasn’t done, over the last 20 years in terms of its development and its rather insular and parochial nature in terms of its football. The fact that none of our players play overseas, so they’re not well-rounded as footballers, or not as well-rounded as other nationalities. Or as human beings, so they’re not flexible enough on the world stage.” The familiar stages of grief that England goes through at a major tournaments have been put in the blender this time around. Some elements are already advocating writing 2018 off, and waiting for the next wave – England is currently world champions of the under- 17 and under-20 level – to arrive. “But as we know, that doesn’t necessarily translate to senior level,” Hill says. “It depends whether they get their opportunities with their Premier League clubs and that’s a big problem. “If this bunch of English kids were, forexample,BelgianorFinnishor Norwegian,they’dgetmuchmore IVAN RAKITIC (Croatia) of an opportunity. Maybe that could AlongwithLukaModric(right),Croatiawillleanonthestar developasagroupintoarealgenuine qualityofitsveteranmidfield.Rakitic,astalwartforBarcelona chance of winning a World Cup, forthelastfouryears,hasbeenthesubjectoftransfertalk–and Getty Images Getty

butbecausetheyplayinacountry what better way to boost your value than a good World Cup? The captain of Croatia actually is a product of Switzerland, where where the national league is so massive, it Rakitic was born and raised after his parents emigrated there.

photos by mightnotworkoutthatway.” `

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 53 EMIL FORSBERG (Sweden) From a small Swedish town that’s further north than Stockholm, Helsinki or Oslo, Forsberg is a third-generation football pro. When his career took him to Germany’s second division and little- known RB Leipzig, the folks back home had questions. Instead, the 26-year- old midfielder’s profile rose with the upstart team, and Forsberg is now the target of clubs such as Arsenal.

mid all this, whither Australia? considerably less stable since then and ability of the team as much as the As the glow of the Golden there are factors that contribute to creating underlying strength of the system. Generation era begins to ebb, another golden generation that aren’t there The Soccernomics pair was notably the challenge of competing at the moment.” bullish on Australia’s prospects in the A in the football world has It’s an optimisation problem – a healthy sport, identifying it with a group of future come in for some harsh light. domestic league is important, but not one powers: the US, Japan, even Iraq, a notable Regularly qualifying for the World Cup that discourages players from chasing overachiever for its resources. With the was the low-hanging fruit, as it turned out. higher levels of the game. In this regard, the 13th-largest national economy in the world, The hard part of genuinely contending in A-League is not alone. After the United an openness to ideas and an already vibrant them remains. States’ failure to advance to Russia, there sporting culture, the fundamentals were in As Richard Bayliss puts it, an important were American observers blaming the rise place for a genuine football power. The book facet is the narrative each football nation of the Major League Soccer for eroding the couldn’t resist a bit of trolling: “A century tells itself. “I think if you look at Australia, strength of the national team. from now, Aussie Rules might exist only at it’s not in our footballing DNA to consider These leagues are still young, and the subsidised folklore festivals.” winning the World Cup. But it should be. dividend from them in broadening the base Potential change in the Australian Why isn’t it? We should be aiming to win of the player pyramid is way down the line. sporting landscape might be outpaced, the World Cup, whether that’s in four, eight, Exciting as it is to wait upon a wave of however, by change to the World Cup itself. 12 or 50 years’ time. talent coming through, the record of Under the new leadership of Gianni “England want to win the World Cup golden generations – first attached to the Infantino, FIFA is seizing the moment to because they know that it’s possible. We Portuguese sides of Luis Figo and Rui shake things up. It is increasingly likely want a team that can beat anyone in the Costa that never did anything at the World that the tournament will go to a 48-team world because we know it’s possible. We’ve Cup – isn’t altogether lustrous. Think of format that was once thought fanciful. This seen it happen before. how many German and Italian sides is not the only shake-up to the international “However, I think the ground beneath considered secondary that won the trophy. calendar – Infantino has hatched plans for Australian football has become World Cup success is often less about the a nations league that would replace the

54 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 WORLD HIRVING CUP LOZANO 2018 (Mexico) Lozano is also known as “Chucky” owing to his resemblance with the killer doll of the Child’s Play movies, as well as his love of prank- scaring his team- mates. The 22-year- old winger is one SON HEUNG- of the best bets to MIN (South emerge at the World Korea) Cup after a superb Another player in season at PSV. The form after a terrific Dutch club was the season with Spurs, launch pad for the where Son scored likes of Romario and 18 goals across Ronaldo, and Lozano all competitions has similarly been and finished in the linked to moves to top-ten in goals in a bigger team this the EPL. The 25-year- offseason. old’s duty to Korea will last beyond the World Cup to the Asian Games this August – if Son can help his country to a gold medal in that competition, he will be exempt from mandatory military service.

SOCCERNOMICS WAS NOTABLY BULLISH ON AUSTRALIA’S PROSPECTS IN THE SPORT, IDENTIFYING IT WITH A GROUP OF FUTURE POWERS: THE US, JAPAN, EVEN IRAQ. THE BOOK COULDN’T RESIST A BIT OF TROLLING: “A CENTURY FROM NOW, AUSSIE RULES MIGHT EXIST ONLY AT SUBSIDISED FOLKLORE FESTIVALS.”

WorldCupqualificationregime.Along but48teams?It’sgettingtounwieldy tobetheway.Orco-hostbetweentwo, with an expanded competition for clubs, proportions, and 48 sets of fan groups three, four different countries. FIFAwillhavearevisedsuiteof coming, for example, to Qatar. If you have “Idon’tthinkthat’sideal.WorldCup international matches that has already everbeentoQatar,it’sasandduneatthe hosting should be special to that country. attracted backing of $25b. endofSaudiArabia.Andyou’relookingat It would probably, almost definitely, rule The implications are seismic. “They’re having half the world there for six weeks.” out Australia, to be honest. Which is a lookingtoincreaserevenuesbecauseFIFA Hillseesthewritingonthewallforthe shame,becauseitwouldhavebeengreatfor isunderpressure,they’velostalotof super-sizedWorldCup,almostcertainto our game here.” sponsorsbecauseofwhat’sgoneonoverthe goin2026toajointNorthAmerican It’snostretchtoenvisagethelarger last few years,” says Simon Hill. “People bidencompassingtheUS,Canadaand WorldCupasatrueCup-typecompetition, havelostfaithinthemandInfantino, Mexico.“TheotherthingisthatFIFA withfewermatches,moreknockoutaction, probablysmartly,knowsthatthewayback desperately want the World Cup to go to andthepotentialtodrawinanevengreater to people’s hearts is through their wallets, Chinain2030,"hesays."Almostguarantee proportion of the globe. Whatever its future certainly the national associations, so thatwillhappen,eventhoughit’snotbeen shape,historysaysitwillstillbehardto they’retryingtoexpandtheirtournaments. announced. Now, China could host 48 win,asitwillbethismonth.Asany Getty Images Getty

“Personally,Ithinka48-teamWorldCup teamsquiteeasily,socouldAmerica.So armchair strategist will tell you, plotting isutterlyridiculous.Iknowyoushould you’re looking basically at massive-nation worlddominationbygoingthroughRussia ■ photos by neverrejectchangebecauseit’schange, WorldCupsfromnowonin,ifthisisgoing takes a whole lot of ambition.

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 55 ONE ON ONE WITH... JACKSONIRVINE IN ONLY 17 GAMES, THE STALWART FOR HULL IN ENGLAND’S CHAMPIONSHIP HAS PROVEN HIS WORTH TO THE SOCCEROOS WITH HIS VERSATILITY AS A DEFENSIVE LINCHPIN OR ATTACKING THREAT IN THE MIDFIELD. AFTER MISSING OUT ON THE 2014 BRAZIL WORLD CUP, EXPECT THE 25-YEAR-OLD TO MAKE HIS MARK IN RUSSIA.

What does the World Cup mean to you? Norway what were your initial thoughts? It means everything. It’s what you dream of as a My first ever call-up was away in France in 2013 kid when you are running around the backyard ... under Holger Osieck, and with our first World Cup pretending to play in a World Cup. I was fortunate game being against France, it’s very strange and enough to be there as a fan in Germany 2006 very exciting. and the prospect of being able to be there as a You’re playing against the nations that are all in player a few years later is unbelievably exciting. the top-15 in the world, who have been performing And – fingers crossed – I do enough to make sure so well in their confederations, so it’s incredibly I play in Russia. exciting. International football now is such a good standard. Every country has individuals who are How do you look back on the season you had capable of hurting you and you just have to be with Hull on a personal level? prepared for those individuals and deal with your It’s been great. Obviously it’s definitely the highest own structures and how you can cause problems to level I’ve played at, as a senior professional, and I’ve the opposition. made myself a mainstay in the team. I’ve played 37 games How do you see yourself over the course of the season, It’s been a learning fitting into coach Bert van which has been awesome. It’s Marwijk’s plans? been a learning experience experience I see myself as pretty versatile playing amongst international in that midfield area and standard players on a playing amongst hopefully that is something he domestic level for the first sees as appealing – that I can time and I feel like that’s international play in either of those improved my all-round game. positions. I’m sure he will have There are a number of players on a kept tabs on me domestically players from every squad in and he would’ve seen that, at the Championship who will be domestic level. times, I have been playing going to the World Cup this further forward or deeper this year. It shows you just how competitive it is and season. He’ll make a decision on what my role will obviously it holds a lot of us in good stead going be in his structure that will most benefit the team. into the tournament. Do you feel you can play regularly at the World How do you look back on the Socceroos’ Cup and be involved in some moments for the qualification process? Socceroos in Russia? They are the best moments of my Socceroos' career That why we want to be there. Obviously, everyone so far. I’ve had a few substitute appearances here wants to be in the 23-man squad, but ultimately you and there, but the United Arab Emirates game, want to be there and play. You want to be there out where I scored my first international goal in only on the pitch representing your country and family my second start, is the highlight of my 17 games for and playing at the highest level. That’s where you the Socceroos. want to be, and you have to believe in yourself that I had some tough games, especially the one away you can go out there and contribute something and in Japan. Playing over there was unbelievably try to create a special moment. That’s the dream diicult. There was also the first leg in Honduras and that’s what we’ll be there trying to achieve. and it was great being involved in that atmosphere and bringing home that positive result to get us What are your feelings about Australia getting over the line. I’ve been fortunate enough to play a past the group stage? significant role over the last two years. It’s been It would rank up there with one of the greatest amazing and now I get the opportunity to try and achievements in Australian football; you’ve got to put all that work into a tournament process at the believe we are capable. We’ve got individuals of World Cup. such high quality that there is no reason we can’t hurt the teams we are up against and pull of When you heard that Australia’s World Cup something special to get us out of the group. group opponents were France, Peru and – Con Stamocostas

56 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 57 WORLD CUP 2018 TO

WITH LOVE?

The World Cup arrives at an interesting moment for the host nation, the latest set of headlines to follow in the news stream of Ukraine, election-hacking, Syria and Skripal. Is the tournament another part of Putin’s Machiavellian master plan? Or do Russians – some of whom still remember the Soviet Union’s glory days on the football pitch – just really love the world game? By KIERAN PENDER

am Maria from RT. We would love to Cup warm-up event. Russians – from television invite you for a live interview.” producers to cafe staff to Uber drivers – were all “I It was the day before the final of the 2017 anxious to hear what foreigners thought of their FIFA Confederations Cup when Maria’s country and the job they were doing as hosts. At unexpected text message arrived. RT, formerly countless Confederations Cup press conferences, Russia Today, is an infamous English-language a local journalist would ask the coach or players Russian satellite television channel, variously for their impressions of Russia. Then-Socceroos described as the Kremlin’s “propaganda channel” boss Ange Postecoglou grew tired of playing along and a “mouthpiece” for President Vladimir Putin. at one point and snapped: “I didn’t come here to What interest did they have in interviewing an sight-see.” Russia has an image problem – and Australian sports journalist? Russians know it. Plenty, it seemed. As I later discovered, my The World Cup, then, is an exercise in brand reporting from the tournament had been on improvement. No expense is being spared in RT’s radar after I published a feature about the preparing the 11 host cities for an influx of positive experiences of Socceroos fans. My story international visitors: English-language signage had been referenced on RT’s website, boasting is being installed and thousands of red-shirted that “Australian fans visiting Russia for the 2017 volunteers are being trained to assist bewildered Confederations Cup have been impressed by foreigners. This determination to present a the hospitality and efficient organisation that positive picture to the world manifested last has greeted them”. Now they wanted me to sing year when a visiting reporter, scammed of Russia’s praises on live television. $1000 by a taxi driver, had the money returned This experience was the starkest example to him and an offer of free travel after the police of a recurring theme during last year’s World intervened. As one local told me: “What might `

58 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 59 WORLD CUP 2018

be a non-event at a tournament in France RUSSIA FOR SOME TIME NOW HAS HAD A PRIORITY OF is a major international news story when it happens in Russia.” Anxiety about negative REMAKING ITS IMAGE WORLDWIDE … ONE PART OF THAT perceptions is high. STRATEGY IS HOSTING BIG MEGA SPORTING EVENTS. “Russia for some time now has had a IT IS PART OF ITS SOFT POWER PROJECTION. priority of remaking its image worldwide,” says Rachel Denber, deputy director for Europe and Central Asia at Human of football. While leaders of the new Soviet which will host five matches at this World Rights Watch and who formerly lived in Union appreciated the physical benefits of Cup. Dynamo, meanwhile, has not won a Moscow. Her organisation has been closely sport for the masses, they were wary of its league title since the 1970s; its fans bemoan monitoring the lead-up to the World Cup, capitalist undertones. The Bolsheviks even the “Beria curse”. including numerous labour-rights abuses boycotted early Olympics on the grounds The Soviet national team played its on stadium construction. “One part of that they “deflect workers from the class first international tournament at the that strategy is hosting big mega-sporting struggle and train them for imperialist Helsinki Olympics, and claimed its first events: the Sochi Olympics and now the wars”. Aside from a handful of friendlies, major triumph four years later at the 1956 World Cup. To show off Russia, to say that the Soviets would not play a recognised Games in Melbourne. It took them 28 days Russia is back – this is the new Russia. It is international until 1952. to return home – 20 by boat to Vladivostok part of its soft-power projection.” This isolation did not prevent domestic and then eight by train to Moscow – so it football from flourishing, and the Soviet was fortunate the team had a gold medal t was the English who first took Top League was established in 1936 to celebrate. The USSR made its World football to Russia. As Britain expanded for the USSR’s major clubs to play each Cup debut two years later, progressing to I its trading interests across the Russian other. But politics was never far from the the knockout round, before unexpectedly Empire in the 1890s, immigrant workers surface, and the rivalry between Dynamo winning the inaugural European proselytised the round-ball game to locals. Moscow, the team of the secret police, Championships in 1960. Coached by Englishmen were well-represented in the and Spartak Moscow, the workers’ team, Gavriil Kachalin, this team was widely first official match in Russia, in Saint became legendary. Spartak founder Nikolai hailed as the pinnacle of Soviet football. Petersburg in March 1898. The sport took Starostin was sent to a gulag for ten years More success came over the following hold and before long, a Russian newspaper due to a football-related grudge held by decade, including fourth at the 1966 World was chastising the English opponents of a honorary Dynamo president – and Stalin Cup and second at the 1972 Euros, before Russian trade union team. “The British henchman – Lavrentiy Beria. the Soviet team experienced a bleak toilers have had no chance to learn this Starostin eventually returned to build period. The USSR was disqualified from game,” the paper reported after a thumping Spartak into Russia’s most successful club, the 1974 World Cup for refusing to play victory. “We must teach them.” and a statue honouring him and his three Chile – the socialist Chilean government The First World War and subsequent brothers, all of whom played for Spartak, had been overthrown in an American- Russian Revolution complicated the spread now sits pitch-side at Otkrytiye Arena, backed coup the year before – and failed

60 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 to qualify for three consecutive European The spectre of racism, homophobia and contributed to lower-than-expected Championships. While legendary manager hooliganism also looms large. In April, international ticket sales, particularly Valeriy Lobanovskyi led the Soviet Union FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings among English fans following the violence Getty Images Getty

to second at the 1988 Euros, the team against the Russian football association between them and Russian supporters at was dispersed as the USSR disintegrated after chants of “monkey” were directed at the 2016 European Championships.

photos by between 1990 and 1991. several French players during a friendly; Elsewhere, the Egyptian FA’s unexpected Throughout the Soviet era, football this was not an isolated incident. In 2013, decision to base their team in Grozny, maintained an important social function. Russia introduced a law criminalising capital of Chechnya, has provoked “People seemed to separate it from all “homosexual propaganda”, which was international ire. A region that fought two that was going on around them,” Spartak blasted by the European Court of Human bloody wars with Russia in the 1990s and founder Starostin wrote in his book. “It Rights for encouraging homophobia. today enjoys de facto autonomy, Chechnya was like the utterly unreasoned worship by Travelling LGBTQI fans have been warned has had an abysmal human rights record sinners desperate to seek oblivion in their against public displays of affection by under ruler Ramzan Kadyrov. When blind appeal to divinity.” FARE, an advocacy group. The threat of Egypt’s choice of host city was announced, Within the rigidity of a communist state, crowd troubles – fuelled by what English FIFA faced immediate calls to change the football offered a universally available newspaper The Guardian describes location, but has so far refused to intervene. outlet for freedom and choice. As American as “neo-Nazi football hooligans” – has “Chechnya is the most repressive part ` academic Robert Edelman explained in his history of sport in Russia, the one thing authorities couldn’t dictate was fan loyalty: “Football was one field of human activity in which a purportedly powerful Soviet state exercised little control.”

he Olympic Park in Sochi is a surreal place. A garish purple T rollercoaster, castle-themed turreted hotel and the sleek Fisht Stadium are all glaring evidence of the roubles spent by the Russian government on construction ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics. With the jagged peaks of the Caucasus in the background and the calm Black Sea in the foreground, this idyllic setting takes on an eerie ghost-town edge when – as for most of the year – the Olympic Park sits unused. Fisht Stadium will host six matches, including a quarter-final during the World Cup, and is a visible reminder that the 2018 tournament is not Moscow’s first attempt at using sport for political ends. Russia reportedly sunk more than $60 billion into the Winter Olympics. But the Games were widely criticised internationally, from

media tweets about unfinished bathrooms Fun-loving Aussies are very welcome. to concerns about the staggering far left Russian President Vladimir amount of corruption involved. Russia’s Putin was eager to get his hands on the FIFA World Cup Trophy, and FIFA annexation of Crimea a month later swiftly President Gianni Infantino in Moscow. overshadowed any remaining glow from above The very Russian-looking official poster for the 2018 World Cup. the public relations halo of Sochi 2014. Controversies are again threatening to provide an uneasy backdrop to Russia’s main event in June. Putin was recently re-elected for his fourth presidential term, which will see him become the longest leader in the Kremlin since Stalin. Freedom House describes Russia’s political system as “authoritarian”, with the ruling party able to “manipulate elections and inhibit genuine opposition”. The only legitimate rival candidate to Putin, Alexei Navalny, was jailed for a month in 2017 and prohibited from contesting this year’s presidential election. In May, Navalny was one of 1600 anti-Putin protesters detained across the country, and further protests may occur during the World Cup.

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 61 of Russia,” says Human Rights Watch’s body’s efforts to ensure satisfactory labour visiting fans and ensure no stone is left Denber. “Kadyrov can be counted on to standards at the 2018 World Cup. unturned in delivering a successful use the fact that he is hosting the Egyptian Concerns about rampant corruption on tournament, there is one variable even the national team to burnish his image. This tournament projects have arisen regularly, Kremlin cannot control: the home team’s is an opportunity for him to distract from while the cost of the World Cup – estimated performance on the pitch. the horrid information coming out of around $16 billion – has become an obvious Fans long for the glory days of Lev Chechnya about torture, the squashing burden on the stagnant Russian economy. Yashin’s 1960s team, Kanchelskis and of dissent, rounding up of gay people, Yet despite Russia’s fiscal woes, which company in the 1990s or even the European public humiliations. Now that Chechnya included a recession in 2015 and 2016, St Championships semi-finalists of 2008. is hosting the Egyptian national team, it Petersburg students Anastasia and Andrey Instead, the current Russian national team is a way of gaining legitimacy.” laughed off the exorbitant price for hosting sits 66th on the FIFA rankings, the second Qatar’s use of migrant labour on 64 football matches ($250 million each). lowest of all World Cup participants (only construction projects for the 2022 World “If not for the tournament, the money Saudi Arabia fares worse). Russia managed Cup, which the New York Times equated would just be spent on something else,” just one win at the Confederations Cup to “indentured servitude”, has attracted said the cheerful couple. “Better to put it – against New Zealand – with Sbornaya plenty of attention. But Russia has to good use!” unceremoniously exiting from the group been accused of using what amounts to stage. Drawn against the Saudis, Egypt and slave labour from North Korea on Saint n the summer of 2018,” writes Uruguay, Russia will be fortunate to make Petersburg’s World Cup stadium. At least 17 former Manchester United and it to the round of 16 this time around. workers are known to have died in Russia “I Soviet star Andrei Kanchelskis in Eliot Rothwell, a Moscow-based on projects relating to the tournament, his recent autobiography, “Russia journalist who has spent recent months and Human Rights Watch has alleged will once more feel like the centre of the travelling to each World Cup host city for that workers at one site were required to world.” This, of course, is exactly why ESPN, says Russians aren’t expecting too work outdoors in minus-30 degrees with Putin’s Russia wanted to host what is much from their team. “Recent friendlies insufficient breaks. Even FIFA’s own arguably the biggest sporting event on have seen poor performances, the main Human Rights Advisory Board identified the planet. While the local organising centre-back pairing is injured and the shortcomings in the global governing committee will roll out the red carpet for veteran back-up pairing don’t want to

Despite after Yashin (pictured right). Still the he scored an extra-time winner in the OF the USSR’s only custodian to ever win the prestigious final. Forced to retire for health reasons in international Ballon d’Or, Yashin was a key figure in the the mid-1960s, Ponedelnik is still fondly THE football USSR’s triumphs at the ’56 Olympics and remembered for that goal – a life-sized successes, ’60 Euros. Nicknamed “the Black Spider” statute commemorates him outside FC BEST the political due to his choice of on-field attire, Yashin Rostov’s stadium. climate and also had a stint in goals with Dynamo limits on transfers beyond the country Moscow’s ice hockey team, winning the Rinat Dasaev meant that many of its players were denied Soviet Cup in 1953. He was named in FIFA’s Living in the shadow of Yashin is not easy, the fame their abilities deserved. We look World Cup All-Time Team in 1994. but Dasaev has a strong claim to being the back at five icons of communist football. second-best goalkeeper in Soviet history. Viktor Ponedelnik Born in Astrakhan near the Caspian Sea, Lev Yashin Born in Rostov-on-Don, a host city for Dasaev was a keen swimmer before an arm It is telling that FIFA’s Golden Glove the 2018 World Cup, striker Ponedelnik operation forced a switch to football. He trophy, awarded to the best goalkeeper at had a brief but brilliant tenure. Uncapped recorded more than 300 caps for Spartak the World Cup, was for many years named until two weeks before the 1960 Euros, Moscow, and helped the USSR to second

62 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 WORLD CUP 2018

Construction workers enjoy a game outside the Samara Arena. left images The main issue for Russian officials is that the Russian team, well ... isn't very good.

IS IT OKAY TO ENJOY A TOURNAMENT IN A COUNTRY WRACKED BY HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE, WHERE DEMOCRACY IS A FAÇADE AND THE EVENT IS BEING STAGED FOR POINTED POLITICAL PURPOSES? … WHILE FIFA HAS ADOPTED A HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY AND PLEDGED TO STRENGTHEN ITS FOCUS ON THESE ISSUES, SUCH PLATITUDES JUXTAPOSE AWKWARDLY WITH TOURNAMENTS IN RUSSIA AND QATAR.

playforfearthattheirreputationswillbe –the2022WorldCupwillagainprompt At the risk of understatement, the tarnishedbyappearingforthisabsolutely ethical introspection. While FIFA has 2018 World Cup will be an interesting terrible team on home soil,” he says. “It is adoptedahumanrightspolicyandpledged tournament. Political intrigue will swirl, notlookingtoopromising.” to strengthen its focus on these issues, “onlyinRussia…”tweetswillgoviraland Forvisitingfans,thisWorldCup such platitudes juxtapose awkwardly with mishapsareinevitable.Butasexperienced raises difficult moral issues. Is it okay tournamentsinRussiaandQatar. visitors to Russia would understand, the toattendandenjoyatournamentina Thereisnoeasyanswer.“Ultimately, travelling fans will probably enjoy their countrywrackedbyhumanrightsabuse, Ijustwanttowatchthefootball,” time in one of the most intriguing countries wheredemocracyisafacadeandthe oneAustralianfantoldmeatthe on Earth. As one veteran Moscow-based eventisbeingstagedforpointedpolitical Confederations Cup. Should it be the foreigncorrespondentdrylyobserved:“If

Getty Images Getty purposes?“Putinisgoingtouseitin responsibility of supporters to act as youignoreallthecorruptionandhuman

thewayHitlerusedthe1936Olympics,” theworldgame’smoralcompass? rightsstuff,IamsureRussiawillpulloffa British politician Ian Austin quipped in With FIFA seemingly abdicating its pretty great tournament.” ■

photos by March. Such concerns are not going away responsibility,ifnotus,who?

atthe1988Euros,beforemakingahigh- afterhisreleaseandwastwicenamed profileswitchtoSevilla.InSpain,Dasaev Soviet Footballer of the Year. earned an amusingly political nickname: theIronCurtain. Albert Shesternyov A great defender with an even better Eduard Streltsov nickname – “Ivan the Terrible” – DubbedtheRussianPele,Streltsovis Shesternyovwasanimposingliberowho remembered as one of the Soviet Union’s collected90capsfortheSovietsbefore most exciting outfield players. Yet his retiringin1972.Buthistenurewassoured sparkling career was overshadowed by a by one great misfortune, at the 1968 Euro rape conviction just before the 1958 World semi-final between the Soviets and Italy. Cup,andmanybelievehewasframedby Deadlockedafterextratime,theresultwas Communist Party officials. Streltsov pled determinedbyacointoss(thiswastheera guilty–bysomeaccounts,hewasmisled beforepenaltyshoot-outs).Shesternyov into doing so – and spent seven years in a called wrongly, and Italy went on to win the gulag.Remarkably,hereturnedtofootball tournament on home soil.

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 63 IS THE

DOING ITS JOB?

We met Belter Brogan in 2012 when he delivered the Inaugural Mad Dog Muir Oration on the State of the Game. The tribunal legend remains a consulting ideas man for the AFL, despite restraining orders. The Sanatorium for the Confounded has since become a high-security twilight home, but Belter was able to deliver his second oration from the Sportsman’s Wing on his special heavily padded, rivet-secured computer via skype. As told to ROBERT DRANE Getty Images photos by

64 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 Pfft ... in my day you shook off your broken ribs, got straight back up and kept playin'.

Years ago I was Take it from me, the world outside this introducing the spherical Sherrin. But it’ll G’day. honoured to deliver the wide brown land is lousy with foreigners! happen. I bet there are high-security Inaugural Mad Dog Muir Oration. Anyone Most of these unenlightened souls want warehouses full of the bloody things in here recollect it? Me neither. A transcript wogball as the World Game. I’m here to warn outback Australia, near Pine Gap, just would’ve been bloody handy, as I was asked you. Australian rules football, a last bastion waiting for the day. Goggle it! not to give a repeat performance. Not that against this nefarious New World Order, is Mate, no one micturates in my moccasins repetition’s my style – unless it’s under threat! and tells me it’s raining! A recent Nic involuntary. I take a pill before meals. Every four years, this “world game” Naitanui incident saw the Hegelian dialectic Today, I address a serious subject. To confers its biggest prize, called a “world in action! Goes like this: you want a certain paraphrase JFK, we are faced with a cup”. Now, the game itself is harmless – its solution – say, “turn Australian rules into monstrous conspiracy. The very word players are such lightweights they could soccer”. You create a problem: Naitanui, “soccer” is repugnant in a free and open tap-dance on a pavlova – but its propaganda big man, lays a hard but fair tackle on a society. No matter how advanced we machine targets over-protective mums decidedly diminutive bloke. Doesn’t pin become as a species, a bloke should be obviously ignorant of its complete lack of his arms or sling him or anything, but the allowed freedom of speech, choice of meaningful violence. midget goes over and drives his nut into the torture techniques when he can’t pay for Every four years the paranoid AFL does its turf like a nail. No malice aforethought. utilities, and the right to refuse sitting best to disguise itself as a look-mummy-no- Gone are the days when you’d have a few through soccer games! hands game of chasey and stops just short of seconds to line up a bloke before you `

SOCCER ITSELF IS HARMLESS – ITS PLAYERS ARE SUCH LIGHTWEIGHTS THEY COULD TAPDANCE ON A PAVLOVA.

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 65 bumped him into next week, and enough told him at training to walk the chalk is because the rest of the globe is full of time to ask him to bring back next boundary till he found where it ended non-Aussies. And we pander to them, which Saturday’s Tattslotto numbers. (we waited till dark before calling him in is like selling the car for a jerry can of petrol. The dwarf in question, Karl Amon, gets for a beer. To this day he swears he was I mean, stone the crows and stiffen the delayed concussion. With delayed panic getting warm!). maggots! Every four years we pay homage to they’re judging the bump’s intent by its Anyway, there follows the reaction to the their little show. Isn’t that little cultural effect, contradicting the notion of malicious manufactured problem, a cacophony of PC cringe sufficient? Do we also turn our game forethought. Gives ’em carte blanche to squeals: “This is really dangerous. Big men into poofball to show we’ve progressed? impose any old sentence on a bloke just for have to look after little men.” How did that Haven’t we ticked enough cultural boxes? doing what he’s trained to do! Just as well suddenly become an issue? Enter Duty of We’ve got levels of road rage, public Amon pulled up sweet. bloody Care! That Trojan Horse for the drunkenness, under-age drug-taking and In the split second it takes a journo to nanny state, or soccer. random violence to rival the world’s most swallow his morning Krispy Kreme, a Someone’s even proposed separate broadminded cultures. We’ve got a world- player’s supposed to do the work of a flamin’ competitions based on size! Brilliant class education system that confers calculator, crystal ball, Newton metre, not to opportunity for a midget sideshow! I UN-endorsed certificates on unruly imps mention Kung Fu Sifu, and apply exactly thought we’d progressed since dwarf-tossing just for turning up! We’re well-and-truly on the appropriate force with supernatural was a family attraction, but no. So why don’t track in the cosmopolitan stakes. Do we foresight – or else! – while review panels we just make the oval a Star Wars set, stick have to stoop to bloody soccer as well? Spare and pudgy journos judge it with their usual onesies on them and call them Ewoks? Or me! How’d it come to this? supernatural hindsight! So with all the time institute a buddy system, maybe have the big A lot of it has to do with the “concussion in the world and slo-mo replays, Match blokes carry ’em around under one arm and issue”, I reckon. Hoax! Neurological damage Review Officer Michael Christian reckons give ’em the same number. You can have no.5 is all in the mind. Here in the sportsman’s Naitanui also had all the time in the world to and Mini-Me no.5. Might play havoc with wing, most of us acquired our befuddlement go in easy. “High contact, medium impact” game structure but hey, fans will crawl over on footy fields, although I have to say, some comes the poetic pronouncement. Paid broken glass to witness Duty of Care in all of us got off to a flying start the day they Monday morning quarterbacks (that’s a its glory! clamped the old umbilicus a few seconds reference to an obscure game that gets See the end game here? In Aussie rules, too long while it was still plugged in – oops! stopped more often than a Latino driver you pick the ball up! Blokes go hard at it. There goes 30 IQ points! in South Dakota. Not worth looking up). Solution: leave it on the ground and make it We’re getting a lot of ex-players claiming What follows are silly, circular discussions round. Then kick it. Now lower the goals, get brain damage, but how lucky are they? Know with no resolution coz it’s like trying to rid of points, stick an onion bag at the back why you don’t get blokes my vintage making agree on whether the bloke who comes and a crossbar on top. Presto! Aussie rules is the same claims? Most of them wouldn’t second in a two-man contest to decide the the World Game! Now, let’s call it soccer! know the bloody difference! world’s biggest loser is, in fact, the winner. It’s time Aussies woke up! Most of the The brain is a complex and delicate organ. The mooncalves in AFL House are more world is downright un-Australian and the A super computer can’t even emulate muddled than Masher was when the coach only reason soccer’s played all over the globe the brain function of a mollusc – something

You want a world game? How's Aussie rules in Shanghai sound?

66 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 Nic Naitanui will one day get suspended for what he's been trained to do!

they have in common with my fellow residents, and AFL House. Now I hear neurophysiologists have set up a “brain bank” in Sydney to deal with the grey matter. Dunno what they keep in a brain bank, but a few blokes in my immediate environment might be lining up for a low-doc loan! My old team-mate and co-tenant Masher is right in front of me as I speak, drawing ducks on the wall and feeding them. I admit that sort of behaviour makes people suspect something’s amiss. A few rugby league types here played a game I couldn’t help but admire! You judge a sport by the Biffs ‘n’ Brawls highlight reels it generates, and the ol’ mobile grappling would easily pump out three two-hour vids a season, no worries! But they shouldn’t feel superior in the brain cell department! Back in the day a certain no-neck who dragged his hairy knuckles through two rugby codes, Rex Mossop, reckoned “aerial ping-pong” players were a bunch of quiche munchers. Must’ve said it. Couldn’t have written it. There’s no way that Cro-Magnon could have actually spelt quiche! But me? No issue with the tissue here. I’ve been keeping the brain free of as many grey areas as possible – and believe me, the old “eternal persistence of consciousness” isn’t always easy to maintain around here, particularly on Bingo and singalong nights. Activity’s the key. I take full advantage of our library so I can continue to effectively carry out duties as voluntary consultant to the AFL. As a footy futurist, I’m required to be eloquent, logical and visionary, with a vocabulary that won’t be exhausted ordering fags, a pie, coffee and People at the 7-11. The matron here calls me Thesaurus Rex! I tend to bypass your popular other countries who’ve never been here and lunatics and whingers. Blokes, distraught at contemporary publications like Plank Your have no intention of coming with the game the death of their favourite Celtic death- Way To Mental Health and go straight for via some Biffs ‘n’ Brawls highlight reels. But punk-Afro-funk-electronica DJ, will pull practical exercises like Sudoku. Being old no! AFL House can’t even organise one out of games. It’s not impossible to imagine sportsmen, we all used to enjoy a bit of full- Atrocious Accent Trophy game between some highly paid imposter so distressed at contact Tai Chi in the mornings, much to two countries in the little ol’ southern the passing of his gerbil, he’ll miss a final, the disgust of our instructor, Master Wen. hemisphere that speak something his team will lose by a point and no one will Nothing funnier than a sage old monk doing approximating English, only without the dare complain. his rag! One day, he wanted to fight the lot humour. I’m talking of course about Noo Which brings me to Zinedine Zidane. of us! Eighty years of self-denial down the Zulland and Seth Efrica. Sorry … I laugh every time I think of the dunny in one moment of madness! Last I Want irony? Officials don’t get Bozo and his little nod in the direction of an heard the old bloke had loosened up, manhandled in Aussie rules like they do in opponent who said something about his broadened his horizons and now waits every soccer! Look at the recent circus concerning mother, which actually lost his team a World morning at the door of the local Thirsty unequal punishments for touching umpires. Cup final – something harder to get into Camel. Good on ‘im! Tom Hawkins touches one – week’s holiday. than the front door at Goldman Sachs! Anyway, back to my point. I understand Simultaneously, one of his team-mates Apparently it was an honourable act. How Aussie rules is not a “world game”. But brushes him from behind and the intent’s European! If that melodrama is capable of whose fault’s that? I blame lack of vision, different, apparently. But what if that bloke producing heroes at all, the recipient of that bad administration and powerful elites. I’m slips and accidentally lays a Ninja death- headbutt is one for sure! talking the pedo and necro level of elite! touch on the white maggot? Hang on. Just A key opposition player who takes the bait Knights of the Realm types. Don’t believe scribbling a memo to myself: “Workshop at every reference to his mother or sister or me? When was the last AFL champion you death-touch idea”. whoever it was is gold mate! Solid gold! I’d saw on the Queen’s Birthday Honours list? “Duty of Care” is as relevant to contact be trawling Goggle for every “your mama is ’Bout as much chance of that as I have of sport as “food safety” to a Sardinian maggot- so stupid/ugly/fat/dumb/easy” gag I could Getty Images getting an OBE for services to dentistry. eating contest. Now it seems the game will find, especially if there was a world bloody We’ve had our chances. We could have either become soccer, or a world leader in cup involved! Imagine him playing real acquainted ignorant New Australians in humane politics and equality for sexual footy. You’d probably only get a “Ta mere” ` photos by

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 67 Might as well go the biff, because these days you’re a potential criminal no matter what you do. Questioning a bloke’s sexuality? You’d have to bloody guess it first! Once, you’d line up on a bloke and you might open with, “what are ya? A sheila?” Today, with the amount of genders the sentient being you’re playing on – who’s decided to bravely shun social norms and preconceptions – has to choose from, you’d be sucking the quarter-time orange by the time you finished asking! Look, I know we only go along these days These days footy is all about caring and to cheer those superheroes of the game sharing and Nat Fyfe man-buns. below Richmond apparently went too far with like Tolerance, Equality, Opportunity, their granny celebrations ... WTF? Affirmative Action, OH&S, Duty of Care – but honestly, can we really fit in any more HR practices and remain a mere game? Soon, everyone will be allowed to bring their bloody “comfort animals” onto the field. The precedent was set when some sheila tried unsuccessfully to bring her comfort peacock onto a United Airlines flight. They apologised and reviewed their policy. Lucky it wasn’t a comfort bloody rhinoceros! Mind you, that might dovetail neatly into this great idea I once had of allowing at least one non-human on every team. But it won’t stop there! Once headgear’s compulsory, players will demand safety accessories that express their current identity, and add more! Every hipster with 20/20 vision will be wearing his clear- lensed, non-prescription unbreakable black- rimmed retro glasses onto the field and having his club pay the life-coaching bill for his inner conflict between the necessity to be competitive on one hand, and remain ironic about winning on the other. Oh, the out before his spud head’s tapped your obviously too “mainstream” for him – either bloody angst! onion, ump’s blown the whistle, Sherrin’s that or he’s enfeebled by veganism – asked The “isms” these petals throw about! If sailing through the posts, and he’s good for me what my “spirit animal” was! Spirit they were punches, every game would rival five weeks on the sideline! Beauty! No red animal! Since when was that a thing? the Windy Hill Brawl. Not a bad thing! We cards, so you get a chance to even up! Anyway my response – “roast chicken” – must have landed ourselves a generation of I reckon we’ve caught some European went over like a wrought-iron kite. How was real bigots with so many blokes being histrionics. Where else have all these bloody I to know spirit animals are supposed to be accused of racism. Social Justice Warriors come from? At my alive, or at least served raw? Ah well, he Back in my day, we’d never heard of old suburban club, I recently saw a donation went silent for two weeks. Bonus! Probably racism! We had a multicultural little bloke box on the bar for some cause involving sex cost his club a fortnight’s worth of Shamanic on our team in the early ’80s. Agamemnon tours to Asia. Once, to their eternal healing, the touchy-feely freeloader. Ng. Great little fella for a souvlaki-sucking discredit, my team-mates might have One thing I never hurt was a bloke’s rice-burner, we all agreed. Lousy player, but mistaken it at first glance for a contribution feelings – not unintentionally, anyway! tactically crucial. You see, we’d bend to box toward the end-of-season trip! Nowadays players have to worry about it no opponent who maligned Agga, and it Now, I understand empathy and all the time. What about that Carlton happened our response to that abuse compassion. I keep ’em somewhere. I’m no midfielder who went running to an umpire was perfectly in keeping with our game Mother Teresa – though I was conferred whingeing about persistent homophobic plan. “Render them edentate”, our legendary that nickname after ignoring a drunken slurs, disablist abuse, body shaming and philosopher coach, “Delicate” Des beggar in Adelaide. Look, I was between pub threats of violence? The fact that it came Foster would say. We had to look it up appointments, already a bit Schindlers, and from his team-mates made it that more – there was no Goggle in those days – but didn’t want to see my hard-earned wasted upsetting, I suppose. But still … when we discovered that it entailed an on mood-altering substances. Fair enough, No one likes to see anyone hurt in any opponent requiring a proctologist just to don’t you reckon? way on the field, unless the team needs it, locate his choppers, we got his drift. No But these days it’s all about caring and or he deserves it. Or it’s a low-life on the worries about that! sharing and Nat Fyfe man-buns. I got on a opposing side. Generally, once a bloke puts The all-in that would inevitably follow fan forum recently and one current player on an opposition jumper you know he’s such unacceptable vilification gave me a who’s so hipster that playing in the firsts is asking for it. chance to “tag” one or two elusive mouthy

68 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 SOCCER AIN’T FOOTBALL! TURNS OUT THIS TAKEOVER CONSPIRACY’S BEEN ON THE CARDS FOR DECADES. little smartarses who’d had more comebacks of women – failed to break free of a headfirst into the mud. No one saw him after than Johnny Farnham and had been giving celebratory embrace for the official team that, until he bobbed up in the club rooms us scoreboard grief. And engage the photograph the morning after the 1975 for a beer in a neck brace. His atrocious occasional crowd member in a bit of good- Granny. The poor old Western Bulldogs’ decision was largely forgiven, but he natured badinage. Once, I light-heartedly grand final festivities of 2016 were still nevertheless sat by himself, in the spiflicated a smartarse who’d got out of being discussed a year later – mind you, they committee room, with the door locked, until his car and invaded the sacred turf to were still in progress at that stage. he saw his chance and hurried off, a forlorn remonstrate about me belting a smartarse They tried hard to nail Richmond as figure, empty can bouncing off his bonce on junior. Eighteen weeks all-up, plus an well, getting mileage out of some topless the way out. assault charge, a night’s accommodation opportunist who posted on Instagram or What does all this have to do with soccer? courtesy of the local constabulary and a something. Big deal. I remember our ’77 Nothing! And that’s my point. Soccer $1700 fine. That hurt. Seventeen hunge grand final celebration. The dressing room ain’t football! Turns out this takeover would have bought you a Honda Civic in was a bloody riot! Party girls, party pies, conspiracy’s been on the cards for decades. 1981. Ol’ Ngy owes me, I reckon! streams of Carrington Blush flying through Don’t worry, I’ve noticed sneaky little We knew how to resolve things like adults the joint like tickertape, congratulatory popular culture references preparing in the ’burbs. We had the practice of strip-a-gram, four cartons of VB consumed us for it! See ’em everywhere! I draw your cordially inviting the opposition into the in the first five minutes, all the boys lighting attention to an obscure 1982 Neighbours club rooms after a game, win or lose, for a up, lightbulbs flashing, ice-bucket tipped episode they showed here the other night, few cleansing ales. Maybe they’d stay for the over the coach. What’s wrong with letting go full of occult symbols linking FIFA and the pie-and-porn night, and perhaps we’d end it, after a long, arduous season? Looking back, AFL, in which an actor named McLachlan cleansed to the gills, with a friendly mass we might have got a bit ahead of ourselves, (That’s right! As in Gillon!) mentions melee in the carpark sometime after 2am. If as it was only half-time – but we led by 12 donating his organs, which of course include mediation was required, there were bloody goals! the bladder – a veiled reference to the generally off-duty or uniformed wallopers We came out for the second half innards of a Sherrin. Note, too, how enjoying a quiet one in the rooms – unless inexplicably flat. Asleep on the job. In some “bladder” sounds like “Blatter”. they were rat-arse themselves and heavily cases, literally. No excuses though. Bastards Coincidence? I think not! Hidden in plain involved in the action. All good fun. ended up beating us with a rushed behind, sight – but I gotta go! My mate Masher’s The old-style scallywag is now as common after the siren. In the ensuing fracas, finished feeding those ducks, and I think as a Thirsty Camel in Saudi Arabia. Even sparked after I gave the over-celebrating he’s about to start shooting them! Thanks premiership celebrations have come under opposing captain a congratulatory pop on for listening. scrutiny ever since Sam Kekovich–alousy the snout, someone accidentally picked up Mash! Where’d you get that? Put that leader of men but an accomplished follower the offending umpire and drove him down, Mash! Nurse! Call Security … ■

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 69 One year on from his remarkable sprinter’s jersey triumph at the Tour de France, Michael Matthews is returning to the iconic race for another attempt at Grand Tour glory. From a rebellious Canberra teen to one of the best cyclists in the world, it has been quite a ride for the 27-year-old. By KIERAN PENDER

70 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 Rolling into Paris in green in 2017 ... the highlight of Michael Matthews' career so far.

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 71 ichael Matthews’ WhatsApp points gap, Matthews’ triumph was in many win the jersey. “The Tour de France is a Mprofile photo is proof of the ways the most impressive of Australia’s rollercoaster,” he muses. “You never get a adage that one picture is worth green jersey wins. clear run for the whole way – everyone a thousand words. Taken towards the It was on stage 10 that Matthews thought has a problem or two during the Tour. It end of the 2017 Tour de France, it shows his sprint classification campaign was over. is up to you to nullify those problems and the Australian cyclist in bed wearing After the expulsion of world champion Peter make them as small as you can. I had a good the hallowed green jersey. Matthews is Sagan in the first week blew open the points talk with [Team Sunweb sports director] visibly exhausted – the exertions of three contest, Marcel Kittel had established Luke Roberts and my wife Kat, and they weeks at the most famous bike race in the a sizeable lead with several stage wins. both kept me motivated; they told me they world have taken their toll. His sunglass Matthews desperately needed to hit back. had done the calculations and thought it tan from day after day riding through the Yet on a beautiful day in the Dordogne was still possible. French summer is noticeable. But the region of south-west France, the Team “From that point it was all or nothing,” beaming smile suggests the hardship had Sunweb rider was substantially off the pace Matthews continues. “I was suddenly a all been worthwhile. After fighting as hard and finished in 13th place. long way behind, so I needed to dig deep as Matthews did for the most-coveted Outside the team bus, Matthews was and try some things. I had nothing to lose. sprinter’s prize in professional cycling, it is spotted bent over his bike, tears in his eyes. That’s when I won two stages and a lot of the unsurprising he wanted to wear it to bed. He took more than ten minutes to compose intermediate sprints, which got me back up Matthews is not the first Australian to win himself before speaking to the media. His there in the points tally.” the Tour de France’s sprint classification. green jersey ambitions – which he later As the battle for green headed towards Robbie McEwen claimed green three times admitted Team Sunweb had been plotting a thrilling denouement, Matthews sensed last decade, while Baden Cooke won in 2003. since the start of the year – were in tatters. weakness in Kittel. “I could tell Marcel was Stuart O’Grady famously finished second on “After that stage, I really thought it was starting to suffer,” he says. “That was our four occasions, having never broke through done,” he tells Inside Sport. plan – we had to make it as hard as possible for a victory. But for the sheer grit he showed He was not. Despite Kittel’s gaping lead, for him to get to the finish each day. It is in chasing down a seemingly unassailable Matthews could still mathematically not just about winning the flat sprints, you have to get through the mountain stages, “I COULD TELL MARCEL WAS STARTING TO SUFFER. too. And the mountain stages at the Tour THAT WAS OUR PLAN – WE HAD TO MAKE IT AS HARD AS de France are some of the hardest climbing POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO GET TO THE FINISH EACH DAY … I HAD stages of the whole year. We just tried to MIXED FEELINGS WHEN I HEARD OVER THE TEAM RADIO break him down each day. That’s racing.” THAT MARCEL HAD WITHDRAWN. AT FIRST I THOUGHT Eventually, Kittel cracked. Midway MY SPORTS DIRECTOR WAS JOKING!” through stage 17, with the gap down to

HOME, CONTENTS & BICYCLES COVERED UNDER ONE POLICY just nine points, the German sprinter abandoned. “I had mixed feelings when I heard over the team radio that Marcel had withdrawn,” Matthews told reporters at the time. “At first I thought my sports director was joking!” The Australian rode the four remaining stages calmly to add his name to an illustrious honour roll. “Waking up on the final morning and seeing my green bike, my green kit,” says Matthews, struggling for words. “And my team-mate Warren Barguil [winner of the climbing classification] with his polka-dot bike and jersey. As a team, to collect two jerseys and four stage wins was special. The Tour did not start that well for us, but once we started winning, we just kept On the podium after winning the green points winning. Rolling into Paris in green was jersey of Le Tour, but he couldn't avoid Peter Sagan at the road Worlds definitely the highlight of my career so far.”

hat Michael Matthews has Tdetermination in spades will not surprise anyone familiar with his rise through the ranks of professional cycling. A troublesome teenager, the Canberran dabbled in motocross and found himself “ending up in bad crowds”. Matthews knew that he was heading in the wrong direction, but says it “was easier to hang around with those guys than to take life more seriously”. If not for a schoolyard intervention, Matthews’ attitude might never have changed. “My sports teacher, Des Proctor, saw an ad in the newspaper for a talent identification program,” he explains. Matthews took some persuading, but eventually agreed to go along to the leafy Bruce campus of the Australian Institute of Sport. “I was doing all sorts of tests: running, jumping etc. At the end, they told me I would be best at rowing or cycling.” Matthews took to the latter sport immediately, although he would not ride `

DECISIVE POINTS Kittel remains in green by 99 points. Stage 15: Matthews joins a breakaway to Matthews’ sprint classification success in ensure intermediate sprint points, and looks France last year demonstrated perseverance well-placed for back-to-back stage success and tactical nous. Here’s how the Australian before an untimely toilet break ends those beat some of the world’s best sprinters on hopes. He sits 76 points behind Kittel. the road to Paris. Stage 16: Matthews wins another sprint Stage 2: Marcel Kittel wins the opening finish after a day of tricky conditions on the road stage to move into the points road to Romans-sur-Isere, narrowing the gap classification lead. Stage 10: Kittel is dominant on the sprint to 29 points. into Bergerac to take the stage, while Stage 4: Green jersey favourite Peter Stage 17: Kittel withdraws mid-stage, Matthews falters. Sagan is disqualified after blocking an elevating Matthews into the green jersey. opponent’s move during a sprint finish. Stage 11: Kittel wins another stage, his fifth Stage 21: Resplendent in the maillot vert of the race, extending his lead to 133 points. Stage 7: Kittel wins consecutive stages to and riding a green bike frame, Matthews move him back into the green jersey, after it Stage 14: Team Sunweb perfectly positions soaks up the atmosphere on the final stage had briefly been held by Arnaud Demare. Matthews for line honours in Rodez, although along the Champs-Elysees.

For a Quote visit www.insurancehouse.com.au/cyclesafe to or from school for fear of what classmates stuff outside of cycling – I was not focusing GreenEDGE (now Mitchelton-Scott) that might think. His talent quickly became clear on recovery or nutrition. But from that his career began to blossom. and within six months he was on the start- moment, it clicked in my head. I realised I “I look back fondly on my time with line of the under-17s road championships. was quite good at this.” GreenEDGE,” he reflects. “I was able to grow His coach told him pre-race to attack solo Australian cycling legend John Trevorrow as a rider and as a man. I could do that more with two laps remaining. He did, powering designed the course for the 2010 Worlds and easily being around other Australians – I away to earn the junior title on a brand new recalls tipping Matthews to win that race. could just focus on cycling. At Rabobank, I road bike. “I remember [then-Victorian Institute of struggled a little bit with the culture shock. “Bikes are not cheap,” Matthews recalls. Sport coach] Dave Sanders saying at the Then I moved to GreenEDGE and started “I had some support with travel once I got time that Michael was the most gifted getting the results I thought I deserved.” into the ACT Academy of Sport, but we still youngster he had come across. That is a big Matthews won two stages during the 2013 had to buy our own equipment. My parents statement, given Davo has been involved in Vuelta a Espana, his first Grand Tour. In had to re-mortgage their house. I was very the careers of nearly every Aussie to make 2014, he won two Giro d’Italia stages and grateful for that. At the under-17s national, it on the world scene in recent decades, held the race leader’s pink jersey for several I showed my family that it was worth it.” including Cadel Evans.” days, before wearing the leader’s red jersey Matthews’ upward trajectory continued at at the Vuelta later that year. More Grand pace. In 2009, he won two Oceania titles and atthews began his tenure Tour stage success followed in 2015, and started to impress at overseas races. But it Mat cycling’s highest level, the Matthews’ one-day results were beginning was his victory in the under-23s road race at World Tour, with Dutch outfit to improve: second at Brabantse Pijl, third at the world championships in 2010 in Geelong Rabobank. While he achieved several Milan San-Remo. that really shifted the dial. results during his two years with the team, But it was around this time that tensions “Before that, it was just fun,” Matthews the cultural adjustment took its toll. “I started to simmer between Matthews says. “I enjoyed riding my bike and getting am a little different to the ordinary Dutch and GreenEDGE stalwart Simon Gerrans. into nature and feeling free; I never had any person,” he says diplomatically. It was when The situation came to a head at the 2015 pressure. I was training, but doing other Matthews moved to Australian team Orica- world championships, when Matthews – who won the silver medal – told the “THERE IS STILL SOMETHING IN THE AIR THAT NEEDS TO media that fellow Australian Gerrans was BE CLEARED,” MATTHEWS ADMITS ABOUT GERRANS. “IT sprinting against him. While Matthews had IS NOT BAD BLOOD – BUT THE SITUATION WE WERE PUT IN, a strong 2016 season with GreenEDGE, FIGHTING FOR THE SAME POSITION AT THE SAME RACES including his first Tour de France stage W win, the rift with Gerrans and the team’s

Victory in the Men's Under 23s Road Race at the UCI Road World Championships in 2010 in Geelong.

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It would prove a fortuitous trip to the velodrome in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands. Matthews, then 20 and newly based in Europe as a professional cyclist, thought he should head along to the 2011 track world championships to cheer on house-mate and fellow Australian Rohan Dennis. What was intended as a show of support would ultimately change Matthews’ life, because at the velodrome he met Ater growing pains Katarína Hajzerová. at GreenEDGE, “Kat”, as Matthews calls his now-wife Matthews made the move to Sunweb (they married in 2015), has been a [below]. constant ever since. A Slovakian with a background in marketing, she has put her career on hold to help Matthews achieve his cycling ambitions. “Kat is growing general classification ambitions March. “It was not the way I planned to start the one that gets me out of bed in the meant an amicable exit late that year left few my season,” he jokes. “But sometimes you morning and on the bike,” he explains. observers surprised. just have to accept these things and move “Kat has devoted herself to getting me “There is still something in the air that forward. The true champions are the ones where I am now – she quit her job and needs to be cleared,” Matthews admits who can get up and make the best out of a works towards making sure I have the about Gerrans. “It is not bad blood – but shit situation.” best possible preparation for every the situation we were put in, fighting for If it was solely up to Matthews, he would race. I really have to give her a lot of the same position at the same races within not be racing the Tour de France this year. credit for my success.” the same team, made it difficult. Especially “I would like to try and win the sprint jerseys The couple lives in Monaco with GiGi, with me being the younger rider – maybe at the Giro and Vuelta, to get one in each a dachshund Matthews has previously in his head, he thought I should wait for my Grand Tour.” But Team Sunweb have other dedicated a stage win to. While the city- opportunity, and I thought I was ready. It ideas. “The team is focused on the general state principality wedged between might not have been handled as best it could classification this year at both. I have to France and the Mediterranean has its by the team, but hopefully in the future we respect the team’s decision, so I will focus on practical benefits, Matthews admits can move on. It is just cycling in the end – it’s the Tour again.” he misses home. not everything.” Even at the Tour, Matthews’ role within the “Everyone has their own interpretation Whatever the exact motivation for German-registered team remains unclear. of Monaco,” he says. “For me it is Matthews’ move to Team Sunweb at the “We will see how the preparation goes and somewhere to live. It has no taxes, start of 2017, it proved to be an inspired whether we will attempt the green jersey which is great, and the training is decision. In addition h T T lso want to target amazing – there are so many options. de France green jers have high hopes But the lifestyle is too over-the-top for me: too crazy, too fake. I really finished third in the year [when colleague miss Canberra and the relaxed lifestyle. championships road won the Giro d’Italia] You don’t meet too many normal people and had several stron be at the Tour in Monaco.” Classics finishes. Bu g whoever is going One benefit of living in Monaco is the after that stellar past neral classification.” community of Australian cyclists based season, for which er he will be battling there, including Richie Porte, Caleb he was awarded rld champion Sagan Ewan and Tiffany Cromwell. Matthews the highest honour print classification, says the Australians regularly ride in Australian or stage wins or together when they are not away racing. cycling – the Sir am-mates tussle for “Richie Porte is always good value – he Hubert ‘Oppy’ w jersey, Matthews is makes me laugh,” Matthews adds. Opperman Medal – ited and a little wary Matthews has a hard her edition of the act to follow in 2018 three-week tour. “It is His latest campaig tely a special race,” he did not begin well. udes. “You can never Matthews fractured re yourself. It is such his shoulder in a cra ssful three weeks – at his first race of the row a few grey hairs. season, Omloop Het ke no other race. Nieuwsblad, and eels like a circus.” ■ then suffered from illness throughout

For a Quote visit www.insurancehouse.com.au/cyclesafe 76 ANATOMY OF A CHAMP INSIDE SPORT SPORT INSIDE |

JULY 2018 KalynPonga

Professional rugby league Occupation player for the Newcastle KnightsintheNRL Origin Port Headland, WA Born March 30, 1998 Height 184cm Weight 92kg Represented Australia in touch football at the 2015 Youth Trans Tasman series, but these days Status isroutinelyreferredtoasthe most exciting young prospect to emerge in rugby league for generations.

I. HEAD In the absence of Mitchell Pearce through injury, his maturity and skills have been relied upon in more desperate fashion in 2018 than Newcastle would have originally hoped. A ﬁ rst-year signing from the Cowboys, Ponga already boasts the game-smarts and general awareness of what’s happening around him of players far more experienced. At er growing up watching players like Benji Marshall and Greg Inglis, he was mentored at the Cowboys by none other than the great Johnathan Thurston, who taught him how to look up and really take in what was in front of him before acting next, and all about how to maintain a game’s tempo.

photo by Getty Images II. ARMS Ponga doesn’t want to be known just as an atacking force in rugby league. Despite his youth, he’s already aware that the fullback legends who have come before him, in particular Billy Slater, have also proven III. FRAME lethal in defence. Ahead of the 2018 season, this was a key area of his game which he Ponga’s strength in the collision for such a wanted to work on. Sure enough, time and young man is simply outstanding, and has him again he’s proven his strength and commit- placed among the league’s leaders when it ment in defence in desperate situations, comes to tackle busts ... he could well be siting clamping ball-carriers around the waist as out in front on his own – and by quite a margin they’re heading towards the tryline. – by the end of the season. He collected 12 busts against the Gold Coast Titans alone recently. The home side grabbed the chocolates that day, but they had no idea of how to stop Ponga; he was simply too strong with the ball.

IV. HEART As a youngster, Ponga’s family moved around the country like a baseball team in the big show. Born in Port Headland in Western Australia, he grew up in Palmerston North in New Zealand, but had also lived in Mt Isa, Townsville and Brisbane due to his father’s work commitments. Despite all that distance covered, he’s sure of who he wants to play for when his international representative days commence. He’ll be a Maroon in Origin and a Kangaroo in the Test footy arena. Decision made. INSIDE SPORT SPORT INSIDE V. LEGS A speedster with cunning footwork, Ponga’s ability to beat defenders is one of his stronger atributes. His recent 95m try against the Titans in that game on the Gold Coast was a showcase of his blinding speed, but

| also his breathtaking footwork. Cuting straight through the Titans JULY 2018 2018 JULY defence following a GC kick downﬁeld, Ponga raced away to score virtually untouched. We knew he was strong, fast and skilful, but that run well and truly made the rugby league world sit up and realise we’re actually watching a football genius in the early years of what should be a brilliant career. 77

“I WON THE TOURNAMENT A 10POUND VOUCHER SO, I MEAN, WE’VE

78 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 IN ’61 AND ’62, AND GOT AND A FIRM HANDSHAKE. COME A LONG WAY.” –ROD LAVER

Fifty years ago, the All England opened its gates and let every player into the venerable Championships for the first time. It heralded the arrival of tennis’s Open era – and welcomed back the game’s best player to Wimbledon, a return to top-flight tennis that would culminate in what remains the last grand slam won by a man. In a conversation with Inside Sport, the greatest living Australian sportsperson reflects upon what he won, the years he lost and what Wimbledon means to him. By LINDA PEARCE

he tale is in the tie. Partly, at In the European spring of 1968, least. Wimbledon’s distinctive starting rather inauspiciously at the T purple-and-green-striped British Hard Court Championships in neckwear helps to tell the story of Rod Bournemouth, then continuing onto Laver’s remarkable history at the All continental clay, and eventually at England Club, where the world’s most Wimbledon and beyond, Open tennis prestigious tournament prepares this was born. year to celebrate the 50th anniversary Laver, by then 29 years old, had of the first in which it invited received his first Wimbledon winner’s professionals to join the so-called tie as the 1961 champion, and become amateurs at the cathedral of the sport. an honorary member of what the `

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 79 fortunate few on the inside refer to, how many more singles slams than simply, as “The Club’’. But, at the end the 11 he won. of 1962, when the great Queenslander Does it matter, when his current announced his defection to promoter favourite, Roger Federer, racked up a Jack Kramer’s pro ranks for the 20th triumph at this year’s Australian following season, he was advised in Open and is seeking a record-extending writing that his members’ privileges ninth at Wimbledon? Not to Laver, who would be revoked. Symbolically, the belongs in any conversation about the precious tie had been yanked from greatest players of all time, however Laver’s throat. hard it is to compare eras, and as It was not until 1968 that what reluctant as the rising-80-year-old was taken away was restored to the is even to rank his own. one-time “outlaw”, whose historic For now, he recalls how thrilled he triumph consummated the open-ended was to return 51 years ago to be part of a marriage of amateur tennis and its post-Championships invitational for a under-the-table payments with the select group of professionals. That event transparent cheque-chasing of the opened the door for the official re-entry renegade pros. the following year (even as Australia The post-script was played out stubbornly held out for another year). 46 years later during the launch of Park centre that since 2000 has borne For the mercurial leftie known as Laver’s autobiography on the terrace of his name in giant letters. This July, the the “Rockhampton Rocket”, Wimbledon Wimbledon’s Millennium Building – California-based Laver will be proud to was a place that, as a prominent member the use of the location apparently a rare walk back through the “pearly gates” as he of Kramer’s gypsy troupe that included privilege in itself. That morning, the calls them, at the place that is described in Lew Hoad, Ken Rosewall, Frank Sedgman chairman of the All England Club, Phillip shorthand terms as SW19. and Pancho Gonzalez, Laver had come to Brook, was a VIP guest bearing a special The long story of Rod Laver needs a book, accept he would never be welcome at again. gift. An AELTC tie. A new one. and his 2013 memoir recaps it very well. But just as he triumphed in 1962 on As Laver jokes in an extended chat with This snapshot is mostly of a particular what he imagined would be his farewell Inside Sport, he’d pretty much worn the time and place; the return to his favourite appearance, en route to becoming the first last one out. But not his welcome. Not tournament of a champion who lost more man to complete the calendar-year Grand there. Not anywhere, for the legend who is than five of his prime years, 21 major Slam since Don Budge, Laver resumed still humbled by the sight of the Melbourne opportunities and no one will ever know successfully in 1968. He then followed up

Laver leapt the tennis divide after victory in 1962 [right]. above Back in Her Majesty's good graces in 1968. Getty Images photos by

80 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 the next season to claim the third leg of going through those [banned] years and what – despite the best efforts of Federer, then being able to go back and play in the Nadal, Djokovic et al, and Sampras, Agassi, first Open Wimbledon in 1968, it was an Borg and McEnroe before that – remains unbelievable feeling. the last. When I turned pro in 1963, I had to There is, of course, an apples-to- accept that I was never going to play oranges element to assessing records Wimbledon again. I’d settled on it, across different eras, because of advances myself, and I thought, “Well, I have a in technology, equipment and sports future in the pro game, so I can earn science, diversity of court surfaces and funds and at the end of my career I will the worldwide spread of the game from have made something financially.” the days when grass dominated and But then to be given this opportunity, countries such as Australia were among it really was a thrill to walk out onto the the traditional ruling class. centre court in the final against Tony Laver, for his part, does not regret his Roche. I was thinking, “I want to try and so-called lost years or the fact that he was win this match, my record is pretty good, never forgiven by legendary coach and I’ve got to the final in past years and here it Davis Cup captain Harry Hopman. He is, I’ve got another chance.” is happy, too, to rewind the clock a half- century to the momentous season that And took it. The score was 6-3, 6-4, forever changed the game. 6-2. How comfortable was it? I always had trouble with left-handers, Can you remember when you and of course Tony Roche was a leftie. But walked into Wimbledon in 1968, you play the best way you can when you knowing you were going to play the come up against someone different. I did official tournament again and possibly get through it, but you’re always happy to win the first Open title – as we know shake hands and be able to walk off. now that you did? What were your It was very special. Just being able to be emotions that day? on that centre court with a full audience I came there for the first time in 1956 and being able to play your best tennis is and walked through the pearly gates, and always thrilling. And being able to repeat it, saw all the history of Wimbledon then. So because I’d been there in ’61-’62, and then `

Celebrating his return to Wimbledon, and victory, with wife Mary Benson and final opponent Tony Roche.

… A CHAMPION WHO LOST MORE THAN FIVE OF HIS PRIME YEARS, 21 MAJOR OPPORTUNITIES AND NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW HOW MANY MORE SINGLES SLAMS THAN THE 11 HE WON.

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 81 six years later I’m out there again trying Then there was the adjustment from been on the agenda, but the world of tennis to win the Championship. playing indoors on covered ice rinks couldn’t pull it off, and then all of a sudden I hadn’t seen Tony in five years. I hadn’t and in converted barns and music halls Wimbledon put it upon themselves to put played against a left-hander in six years, in the Kramer days to outdoors on on a pro tournament for eight of us two and all of a sudden I’m on centre court and grass, with sun and wind to deal with, weeks after the ’67 event and they said, I’ve got a lefty to play. best-of-five sets. How challenging “Hey, if you do well and we fill the stadium, was that? you’re welcome to play next year.” You also had a sore left wrist that It certainly was, because you’re also That was the beginning. It was amazing. you’d injured not long before – a fact remembering all your past matches that I won the tournament in ’61 and ’62, and you were trying to keep secret – and you’ve played at Wimbledon. That was a got a 10-pound voucher and a firm your late wife, Mary, would tape it up big, big change when you’re about to walk handshake. So, I mean, we’ve come a long with the cardboard from a Redheads on for your match and you would always be way. Prior to me there was Sedgman, there match box in a phone box. Is that true? thinking “I remember when we were here was Hoad, Rosewall, all had gone through Yeah, that was one of those things! I’d eight years ago” and knowing how much we the same environment and amateur tennis been playing in the US somewhere and I had missed the years from ’63 to ’68. certainly was a stepping-stone for being landed on my wrist and twisted it, so my We were all thrilled to be accepted back, able to travel, enjoy the world of tennis wrist was pretty tender, and I never wanted and I was proud of being at Wimbledon. I with a racquet. Of course, now we’ve gone anyone to know, because I could strap it up think it’s one of the great things in tennis, another step. pretty tight, then put a wristband over it, and it’s the most important event in the and no one would see. world of tennis. One player you beat in the ’68 If somebody knows you’ve got an injury, tournament, in the semi-finals, was a they’re going to do everything they can do How do you expect to feel when you young American named Arthur Ashe. to make you hit as many tennis balls as return for the 50th anniversary? The pros admitted they were under possible. So that’s when Mary says, “Well, I’ve been going back there a few years pressure to prove they really were let’s go to the phone booth and we’ll strap now and it’s amazing what the All England better than the amateurs, but Ashe had this thing up.” Club has accomplished. Open tennis had a different type of pressure as a black trailblazer and activist. What do you remember of that? Arthur was a great friend and a guy that battled with his game. He got a little better as he went through, and won the US Open in ’68, from memory. Arthur was a great young player, and I knew that he was always helping his race to get better and

Openings: the new era began at the British Hard Court, as Jack Kramer's pros [right] rejoined the circuit. get better amenities, and improve things for them and then of course going to South Africa he did all that work with Mandela. He was a great individual.

The defining rivalry of your career was against Ken Rosewall. The two of you played around 150 times, and you had a slight edge in the head-to-head against a man you’ve described as “the least appreciated player in tennis history”. Would it have been poetic to have played him in the ’68 Wimbledon final, given that “Muscles” had just beaten you in the inaugural French Open decider? And why was it so special between you two? Ken was a great champion forever, it seems like. I played against him and Lew Hoad when I first turned professional, and they beat up on me pretty good. But I always thought that “at least I can return Ken’s serve, I can be in the match”. Of course, I had to do a lot of learning when it came to that.

Side note: Rosewall’s take on the great rivalry is that the pair enjoyed the competition so much that each raised his level accordingly. Their most famous match was the extraordinary WCT Final in Dallas in 1972, which is counted among thebest,andmostsignificant,matches `

Raising the game with rival Ken Rosewall after the '69 French [above] and in the stands at the All England [right].

SIXYEARSLATERI’MOUTTHERE AGAINTRYINGTOWINTHE CHAMPIONSHIP … IHADN’TSEEN TONY[ROCHE]INFIVEYEARS.I HADN’TPLAYEDAGAINSTALEFT HANDER IN SIX YEARS,ANDALLOF A SUDDEN I’M ON CENTRE COURT ANDI’VEGOTALEFTYTOPLAY.

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 83 of all time. It was not just described was something that you don’t know how as “a nerve-wracking, blood-tingling to say, “Yes, that’s what I’m going for.” epic”, but also it helped to crack the You’ve got to play your best tennis for US market, with television network a nine-month circuit, no injuries, no NBC postponing its 6pm news bulletin sickness, so you’ve got to be fortunate and two subsequent programs as a to make that happen. And a lot of guys national audience of 23 million tuned did come close, but sometimes you try in to watch two Australian veterans too hard. over five sets. “We always seem to get the best out The fact that you did it twice, of each other,” Rosewall recalls. “And, though, and no one has managed of course, Rod didn’t like to lose. He it since, is an indication of how wanted to play well every time he went difficult it is, and must be a source on the court, so it didn’t matter where of immense pride? or when you played or on what surface, It is, and it’s going to get more and you knew you were in for a pretty more difficult, because the quality of torrid time, and there a lot of matches play now is amazing. You look at the that I finished up losing that I’d think, tournament draws and the amount of ‘Oh, I was in a winning position.’ young players that are coming up that “But his game improved a lot, and are competing. I think my achievements when Open tennis started he was by – I don’t really put one against the other far the best of the pros and probably the – but ’62 and ’69 were great years. best player in the world. He was great ButbacktoLaver,andwhatherates for the professional game on and off the as his greatest tennis achievement? I’ve asked you this before, but there’s court because every time he played as well as Hmm … Just probably playing in all the an enduring fascination in Australia he could to win, and Roger [Federer] is in the major championships and competing and about whether you ever let yourself same book as Rod with their performance being part of the change in tennis, from imagine how many you might have won and their attitude and their personalities on amateur tennis to pro tennis to Open had you been eligible to play, rather the court, and they’re pretty much the same tennis, and being able to win the grand than missing 21 slams in your prime? off the court.” slam by winning all four titles in one year, No. I don’t. Actually, that, to me, doesn’t

The Legend in his building at the Aussie Open. right With the new gen at the Laver Cup, and enjoying his fave, Federer.

84 INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 come up. It really doesn’t, because when Did you ever go back to the club It’s a huge honour, and I’m very I played Wimbledon in ’62 and did really in the five years you weren’t allowed appreciative that Tennis Australia feel well, I said, “Unfortunately, I’m never going to play? like my record and the way I played was to be here again.” So it blocked out anything There was one time I did, yes [in 1965]. something they were very happy with, so that could have happened. I was happy with Lew Hoad wanted to go down and see they’ve put my name up there. my career, so when you’re given the chance Pat Hughes, who’d been one the top early It’s been a while now, but I remember my to do it again, it is a new lease on life. players in the US, and was working for son and I came to the hotel, we opened up With the pros, when I see the prize money Dunlop. Hughes was out at Wimbledon, and the curtains and all of a sudden there was structure is $20,000 and a Mercedes car, I don’t know how we got tickets, but I think the Rod Laver sign, with the lights all lit up I’m like “hey, I’m going”. And I did. That because we were past champions, we were and he said: “Dad, who are you?” was the Alan King Classic in Las Vegas. I allowed in. won a Mercedes and 20,000 silver dollars At that stage we were not “outlawed”, Actually, in your book, you recall in a wheelbarrow. They had to tell me there but we’d turned pro and it was an amateur being asked by a reporter in 1968 was only about 6000 in the wheelbarrow, tournament, and they weren’t catering to “Who is Rod Laver?” Your answer was: because you couldn’t lift the bloody thing! anybody other than the amateur players. “I have no superstitions, I’m not very We just went in as regular spectators. We religious, I love my wife and I worry Tell us the story about your tie. The didn’t see any matches. We met up with Pat about money.” So, 50 years later, when letter you got in 1963. No privileges for Hughes, and I imagine we had a beer there. I ask the same question, what’s your you. No membership. No wearing the reply? Who is Rod Laver? winners’ tie. And how you felt when Of course you did. Did anyone Unfortunately, I lost my wife about six you put it back on again. recognise you and Lew, two legends years ago. Money? I think it’s finally taken It was strange. They said “if you turn pro, of the game, wandering around the care of itself – I thank my manager for you’ve got to give the tie back”. So I took grounds, having a quiet ale? making good arrangements! I love my place great pride in 1968 in taking it out of my Not too much. There was a little of that, in the game of tennis, and to be able to be suitcase and wearing it back in for the first but not like it is at the moment! at the tournaments, and I’m fortunate that day’s play. I wasn’t the only one. And when today’s players recognise my record. At I released my autobiography, Phillip Brook So Wimbledon is one thing, certainly the Laver Cup I hadn’t met six of the guys brought a tie along for me: “here’s your tie a big thing. But how do you feel when before. They seemed like they were excited back”. I’ve only got one. I think I wore the you walk into Your House, Rod Laver to meet me, but I was excited to meet them, first one out. Arena in Melbourne? because they’re the future. ■

I DON’T KNOW HOW WE GOT TICKETS, BUT I THINK BECAUSE WE WERE PAST CHAMPIONS WE WERE ALLOWED IN … WE JUST WENT IN AS REGULAR SPECTATORS. WE DIDN’T SEE ANY MATCHES. WE MET UP WITH PAT HUGHES, AND I IMAGINE WE HAD A BEER THERE.

INSIDE SPORT | JULY 2018 85 IT’S ALL ABOUT THE SPORT!

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WITH MITCH ARGENT

rom Blackbutt, Queensland to the world F stage in Marseilles, France, Aussie Mitch Argent – 24 years old and the youngest competitor at the event – recently gave his all at the Stihl Timbersports Champions Trophy on his way to third place in front of thousands of fans. Argent reached the pinnacle of the sport to find himself competing against 12 elite athletes from all over the world, who put on a fine showcase of the “original extreme sport”. Probably the most impressive aspect to Argent’s performance at the Champions event came in his playoff for third place. Taking on Martin Komarek from the Czech Republic, Argent showed true Aussie grit to beat Europe’s most dominant competitor of the past ten years. Hot off his fantastic showing in France, his first global championship event, Argent takes Inside Sport through the ins and outs of not only the art of timbersports, but wood-chopping at lightning speeds in the pressure-cooker environment of elite competition ...

COMPETITION FORMAT STRONGEST EVENT GAME PLAN

It depends on the event, but ultimately The Stihl Depending on the competition, sometimes I can My strategy is to start flat-out and get faster! Timbersports Series is a six-discipline competition be competing in all six disciplines, or just the four The game plan on the day is to keep a clear head where the athletes have to prove their competitive I’ve previously mentioned. My best event by far is and focus on the wood. Once the gun goes off, you ability with the axe and saw. Strength, endurance, the Standing Block. Some people used to call me a revert to all the training and go through the technique and handling of the technical equipment one-trick pony! But to be successful competitively motions with as much speed and precision as decide on victory or defeat. in Stihl Timbersports, I’ve had to focus on the other possible. Often it is the wood that throws a The Stihl Timbersports Champions Trophy is the five disciplines. spanner in the works. ultimate endurance format of the sport, where I’m the current Australian record-holder in Stihl The most popular wood used in Australia for athletes have to compete in four of the six Timbersports for the Standing Block; it’s the competitions, and in the Stihl Timbersports disciplines back to back in a one-man relay. The position I take up in the Chopperoos team – so of Australian Series, is a lot harder than the wood four disciplines in order are Stocksaw, Underhand course it is my favourite event in the series. It’s used in Europe. The Single Buck uses hoop pine, as Chop, Single Buck and Standing Block Chop. also the event I’ve had most success in outside of this is less abrasive on the saws – but you still have To win the Champions Trophy you have to Stihl Timbersports. This year I won the Standing to watch for hang ups (the saw getting snagged in complete five gruelling rounds with little rest Block world title at the Sydney Royal Show. the wood), which can really affect your time. between each round. As I was saying, the wood in the Stihl Timbersports photos courtesy STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® format.) $20,000. (NotincludedinChampions Trophy machines. Sawsrange invalue from$10,000- and timingareneededtohandletheseawesome the linewillresultindisqualification.Strength 46cm-wide log.Jumpingthegunorcuttingover centimetres tocutthreecompletediscsfroma or jetski engines.Athleteshave aspaceofonly15 chainsaws powered by “fullrace spec”motorbike are calledintoaction.Hotsawscustom in theChampions Trophy format.) Magnum inlessthantenseconds.(Onedisciscut and oneupward cutwiththeSTIHL MS661C-M mark. Top competitorscancutonedownward cookies, froma40cmdiameterlog,within10cm store. Athletesmustcuttwo discs,called C-M MagnumChainsawavailable atanySTIHL re-sharpened. competitive runsbefore they willneed tobe on thefiller. Sawswilllastapproximately ten cost intheregionof$2000-$4000,depending competition singlebucksawsarehand-filedand rhythm andstrengthisthekey tosuccess.All Champions Trophy format). The perfect mixof complete discfroma46cmlog(40cminthe one-man saw. With this,theathletescutoffa included inChampions Trophy format.) back, inatotaltime of40-60seconds.(Not 10-12 hitsinthefrontandthenfour orlessinthe pockets in4-6hitsandthencutthelogoffwith needed for awin. Top athleteswillaimtocuttheir from bothsides.Strength,speedand agilityare to thetopandcutthrougha27cmdiameter log high. With thehelpofspringboard they climb athletes cuttwo pockets inavertical log2.7m technique toovercome hardrootwood. The of 12-20seconds. front andthentenorlessinthebackatime feet. Top athleteswillaimfor 10-12hitsinthe impacts justcentimetresfromtheathlete’s sides. Nerves ofsteelareneeded,astheaxe format) log. The loghastobeworked from both through a32cm(30cminChampions Trophy on ahorizontal log,theathletescutwithanaxe used tocutafelled treedown tosize. Standing 12-20 seconds. and theneightorlessinthebackatimeof Top athleteswillaimfor 8-10hitsinthefront This disciplinecallsfor bothpower andprecision. Format) hastobecutthroughfrombothsides. of 30centimetres(27cminChampions Trophy an axe issimulated.Avertical logwithadiameter SAW AXE For thisdiscipline,theultimatepower saws HOT SAW In thestocksaw, athletesusethenew MS661 STOCK SAW The singlebuckisamassive two-metre-long, SINGLE BUCK The springboardimitatesanoldlumberjack SPRINGBOARD CHOP In thepast,underhandchoptechniquewas UNDERHAND CHOP For thestandingblock,felling ofatreewith STANDING BLOCK CHOP TIMBERSPORTS TIMBERSPORTS DISCIPLINES THE SIXTHE WORTH A SHOT

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WHITE RIBBON MATCH

Sport is a critical channel for raising awareness of the importance of respectful relationships among codes, clubs, members and fans. Millions of men, women, boys and girls play sport at some point in their lives. It is important that the prevention of men’s violence against women is incorporated into training, games, events and broadcasting, to reach further into the community and highlight a zero tolerance approach. Host a White Ribbon Match this July to show Australia how your club is committed to standing up, speaking out and acting to end violence against women. Register at whiteribbon.org.au/night/footy/. ($68 early bird registration fee plus your sport fee.)

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GLUTEN-FREE PAELLA

Serves: 4 Time to make: 50 mins (Hands-on time: 10 mins, Cooking PER SERVE time: 40 mins) Cost per serve: $4.65 1,945kJ/362cal Protein: 40.2g 2 teaspoons olive oil Total fat: 10.3g Sat fat: 2.7g 250g chicken breast fillet, thinly sliced Carbs: 47.5g 1 medium red onion, sliced Sugars: 6g 75g gluten-free chorizo, thinly sliced Fibre: 8.9g 1 teaspoon sweet paprika Sodium: 514mg 2 garlic cloves, crushed Calcium: 168mg 200g Spanish calasparra (or arborio) rice Iron: 4mg Pinch of saffron strands, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water 1 cup reduced-salt, gluten-free chicken stock 400g can cherry tomatoes • No dairy 1 roasted red capsicum, sliced • Good for 300g broccoli, cut into florets diabetics 1 cup frozen green peas • Gluten free 250g peeled green prawns • High fibre Flat-leaf parsley, to serve • High protein Lemon wedges, to serve

1 Heat half of the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Cook chicken, stirring, for two–three minutes, or until golden. Remove from pan and set aside. 2 Return same pan to medium heat and add remaining oil. Cook onion and chorizo, stirring, for five minutes, or until chorizo is crisp. Add paprika and garlic; cook, stirring, for one minute. Add rice; stir to coat grains in oil. 3 Add the saffron liquid, stock, tomatoes and chicken to pan with 1/2 cup water; stir to combine. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until rice is almost tender, adding a little water if it is becoming too dry. 4 Remove lid and place roasted capsicum, broccoli, peas and prawns on top of rice. Cover and cook for five minutes, or until prawns are cooked through. Garnish paella with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

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Protein, carbs or both? Let your Accredited Practising Dietitian set the record straight. CHICKEN MASSAMAN CURRY

Serves: 4 Time to make: 30 mins PER SERVE Cost per serve: $4.40 2,156kJ/515cal Protein: 30.6g 1 cup brown rice Total fat: 13.8g Olive-oil spray Sat fat: 3g 400g chicken thigh fillets, diced into 1.5cm cubes Carbs: 62.5g 1 large brown onion, chopped Sugars: 15.1g 2 tablespoons gluten-free massaman curry paste Fibre: 8.9g Sodium: 342mg 2 garlic cloves, crushed Calcium: 103mg 1 teaspoon cumin seeds Iron: 3.8mg 300g sweet potato, peeled, diced into 2cm cubes 1 1/2 cups coconut water 1 large head broccoli, cut into small pieces 1/4 large head cauliflower, cut into small pieces • No dairy Coriander leaves, to garnish • Good for diabetics 1 Cook rice according to packet instructions; drain and cover. • Gluten free 2 Meanwhile, spray a saucepan with olive oil and set over • High fibre medium heat. Cook chicken in two batches, stirring, for two– • High protein • Low sodium three minutes, or until golden; remove from pan. 3 Return pan to heat; spray with oil. Cook onion until soft. Add curry paste, garlic and cumin; cook, stirring, for one minute. Add sweet potato and coconut water; bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until potato is tender. 4 Return chicken to saucepan with broccoli and cauliflower; cover and simmer for five more minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. 5 Top rice with curry, garnish with coriander leaves and serve. FISH TACOS

PER SERVE Serves: 1 Time to make: 15 mins 2,115kJ/506cal Total cost: $7.10 Protein: 40.8g Total fat: 14.7g Satfat:3.2g 150g frozen white fish fillets, thawed Carbs: 45g 1/2 teaspoon reduced-salt taco seasoning Sugars: 18.8g 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika Fibre: 14.9g 2 teaspoons plain flour Sodium: 718mg 1 cup store-bought coleslaw mix Calcium: 284mg Iron: 3.5mg 125g can corn kernels, drained 1/2 small red apple, cored, skin on, finely sliced (see tip) handful of fresh mint or coriander leaves •Highcalcium 1 medium wholegrain tortilla (or 2 small) • High fibre 1/4 small avocado, sliced •Highprotein 1 tablespoon reduced-fat plain yoghurt, to serve Lime wedge, to serve

1 Pat fish dry with paper towel. Combine seasoning, paprika and flour in a medium zip-lock bag. Season with cracked black pepper. Add fish, seal bag and gently shake to coat. 2 Spray a medium non-stick frying pan with oil. Cook the fish for one–two minutes each side, or until golden and the flesh flakes off easily with a fork. 3 Meanwhile, combine coleslaw, corn, apple and fresh herbs in a bowl. Toss to mix well. Place the tortilla(s) onto a serving plate. Top with salad, cooked fish, avocado and a dollop of yoghurt. Squeeze over the lime and roll up to eat. Tip: Use a very sharp knife or a mandoline to finely slice up the apple.

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ne of the more reliable players of his generation, Luke Wilkshire wore his heart on his Osleeve for the Socceroos in more than 80 matches. In major tournaments and in gruelling qualiﬁ cation campaigns, Wilkshire made the right edge of the defence his own, and became a key part of the Australian side for almost ten years. At er an illustrious career throughout Europe and a campaign in the A-League, the Wollongong native ﬁ nds himself home – literally, having signed with the NPL’s Wollongong Wolves – at er 20 years away.

The 2006 World Cup ended a 32-year wait for the qualifi ed to get past Uruguay I think bred a lot of from abroad, struggle and receive a bit of grief and Socceroos. Decades of close calls and heartbreak confi dence in the squad. We knew of the previous criticism. Arnie called me and my fi rst reaction was: led to the FFA hiring one of Europe’s leading coaches years we had taken on teams and really given them do I really need this? in Guus Hiddink to steer the nation’s golden a bit of a shock and an upset.” “This was a chance to go out of the front door of generation to the biggest stage of the sport. While Bert Van Marwijk will take the Socceroos Australian football rather than the back door, like it “Guus and his knowledge was phenomenal,” to Russia, the man who will succeed him is was turning out to be. I took up the challenge, which Wilkshire recalls for Inside Sport. “His passion someone Wilkshire knows very well. Graham is something that I’ve always enjoyed. And it all for football and preparation was second to none, Arnold coached Wilkshire in three diff erent happened for a reason because now I’m back here and I learnt a lot off him. Being part of that group capacities throughout his career, and he witnessed in Wollongong.” when I came into the national team setup, with fi rst-hand the growth of Arnold as a manager – he The opportunity for Wilkshire to return home the senior players and how they were regarding was part of his lowest point in the 2007 Asian Cup, was not only appealing, but one with the added their at itude and mentality was something that and part of his dominating tenure at Sydney FC. interest of boosting the sport in Wollongong I really learnt a lot from.” “Naturally, as a coach, he came in a bit young at the – perhaps all the way to the nation’s top level The whole campaign for the World Cup in time when he fi rst got the Socceroos job,” Wilkshire of football. Germany, which started to grip the nation in says. “You can defi nitely see now the experience "I believe the Wolves are able to sustain November 2005, is an era that will be remembered that he’s got. What he’s learned along the way, the themselves in the A-League. Because of their in Australian sporting folklore. way he speaks to people, the way he manages and previous NSL days, there’s history with the club; "We were the underdog going into the World Cup creates that culture within the group. I’m sure that they already have a stadium and a fan base. I’ve and of course the expectation and all the rest of it he’ll be very successful this time around with the been away for 20 years and the amount of people wasn’t like it is nowadays,” Wilkshire says. “In saying national team.” who have come up to me just proves how big of a that we had In mid 2017 Arnold found himself aving to fill an following football still has in the region I'm really for

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