The Aussies rule world sport — cricket, rugby (both union and league), swimming, tennis, Rules Football — but there was one area that other countries thought were safe. Now, football too looks to be under threat: recent research shows that soccer has passed cricket to become the most popular team sport among males in the country. And it’s second only to netball among women. The figures provided by Roy Morgan Research (RMR) show that in March 2003, national participation in soccer was 1.21 million people (above 14 years of age), compared to 1.06 million for cricket; the rest follow after some distance. It’s a jump of 200,000 people in one year for soccer, while cricket went down by around 40,000. Indeed, it’s a trend for the future because, RMR’s Anthony Lawrence told The Indian Express, the jump is in the youth category. ‘‘The number of people above 14 playing soccer, both men and women, are increasing at an alarming rate. I think that’s mainly because quite a few Australians have recently achieved a lot of success abroad, especially in England. Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka, for example, have become national heroes, at par with most of the cricket stars. Also, the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea was hugely popular with the television audience here.’’ Discussing the finidngs of the study further, Lawrence says, ‘‘It’s obvious that the increasing population has played a part, that is evident in the fact that 431000 people in the 14-17 age category play soccer, compared to 788000 from 17 upwards. That’s about 35 per cent. I think it’s also because it’s a shorter and faster game, and can be played at any time of the day in any weather.’’ But the sharpest increase, according to the report, has been in the 18-24 age group. ‘‘An increase of 106 per cent in that category added to that in the 14-17 category proves that it is becoming a more popular school sport,’’ Lawrence says. With soccer now moving up the popularity charts, it’s evident that world domination in sport isn’t that far away for the wizards from Oz. Often, especially in team games, the Aussie reserve strength appears strong enough to compete against most first teams. That’s primarily because of the embarassment of riches in Australian sport, which has found tangible expression in the infinite success stories in sport Down Under. Practically all sports disciplines are played in a systematic manner in Australia; add to that the fabled Australian aggro, which makes them play a game with much more in mind that just taking part. The list of aussie sporting greats cuts across time and sport dimensions: Rod Laver, Evonne Goolagong-Cawley, Ken Rosewall, John Newcombe, Margaret Court, Roy Emerson in lawn tennis; rugby legends such as Roger Gould, David Campese, Nick Farr-Jones; Ric Charlesworth in hockey; Dawn Fraser and other swimmers like Kieren Perkins and Shane Gould, and more recently Ian Thorpe; cricketers like Don Bradman, Bill O’Reilly, Ian Chappell, Dennis Lillee, Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Shane Warne and a host of others.. The list is endless. Soccer was away from the national consciousness for all these years, but it’s evidently caught up. The transfer of Harry Kewell to Liverpool was eclipsed only by those of David Beckham and Juan Sebastian Veron, and is likely to add to Australian enthusiasm for football. It’s just a step away, knowing where they come from. Southern Stars HARRY KEWELL (Liverpool) 24-year-old Kewell, who scored arguably the goal of the last Premiership against Arsenal, could be catalyst for Liverpool revival. Picked up by Leeds at 17 from the New South Wales Soccer Academy, stayed there till Anfield move. Assets are pace, skill, an eye for goal and big-match spirit MARK VIDUKA (Leeds United) Extremely fast and skilful player for his size, also specialises in holding off defenders to bring teammates into the game. Picked up by Leeds from Celtic, has since formed successful partnerships with series of star attackers. Scored 22 goals last season and stayed on at Leeds amid exodus JASON CULINA (Ajax Amsterdam) Though yet to play senior football at the Dutch club, Culina is being touted as next Australian great. Transfer to Ajax came after successful stints with Aussie clubs Sydney Olympic and Sydney United. A clever reader of the game and talented gamemaker, Culina is being groomed as midfield general BRETT EMERTON (Blackburn Rovers) One of the most high-profile Aussie presences in Europe, left Feyenoord for Blackburn this season. A gamemaker who prefers the right-wing but also drops back to the right when necessary, Emerton debuted for Aussie seniors at Sydney Olympics in 2000. Named Oceania’s player of the year in 2003 LUCAS NEILL (Blackburn Rovers) Full-back has already played 80 matches for Blackburn since his transfer from Millwall in the second division in 2001. A totally versatile player, prefers to play in defence but has often been used as an attacker. One of the top defenders in the last Premiership season. (SD) Premiership Postscript Weekend 1, in which the Roman Empire finally took the field PREMIERSHIP POSTSCRIPT Weekend 1, in which the Roman Empire finally took the field Cristiano Ronaldo, 18-year-old wunderkind on whom Man United’s famed No. 7 shirt sits snugly. One wouldn’t have remembered David Who? but for the highlights in Little Ron’s blond locks RELIEVED, PART 1: Roman Abramovich, whose 75 million pounds worth of talent showed their worth at Anfield. Only worry: what will they do with Hasselbaink when Adrian Mutu comes off the bench? RELIEVED, PART 2: Ruud Van Nistelrooy, who must have been wondering when he’d be able to convert a penalty. First Arsenal last week, then against Bolton (at home!). But set a club record by scoring in nine consecutive league matches ON A HAT-TRICK: Sol Campbell, who followed up his red card in the Community Shield with one against Everton for pulling down Thomas Gravesen. Arsenal’s red-card tally under Wenger is now 51, but you don’t hear the champagne corks popping POINT PROVED: Juan Sebastian Veron, who did for Chelsea what he’d been threatening to do for Man United: dominate the game. It helped, of course, that the rest of the midfield did the dirty work — the tackles and the defending — leaving Seba to spread the passes around. (Jayaditya Gupta)
