Australian midfielder Vince Grella has launched a scathing
attack on the teams opponents at the Asian Cup and the Asian
Football Confederation.
The new Torino star was sent off in Australias quarter-final
defeat against Japan for using his arm against striker Naohiro
Takahara but that wasnt his only complaint about an Asian Cup that
was a disappointment for the Socceroos.
He went down screaming as if hed been shot or something and that
intimidated the referee who to my surprise gave me a straight red,
Grella told Australian broadcasters SBS.
He made such a fuss, it was like hed broken his leg or something
but I barely touched him. It was an aerial challenge Ive made a
thousand times before without there being any reaction from a
referee.
Grella also had words for the four teams that Australia faced in
south-east Asia.
They all had a bad attitude towards us," he said. "Ive written
the names of Oman, Iraq, Thailand and Japan down and Ill be tying
that note to my little finger, so it will be payback time when we
meet again.
I dont know what they all had against Australia but it was a
joke. When Iraq scored against us, they were jumping around like
Kangaroos, thats taking the piss. Oman scored a goal, then they go
and celebrate in front of the Green and Gold army, thats taking
the piss.
When Japan called us a bunch of wrestlers before the game. They
were winding us up and, as an honourable nation, their people
should be ashamed of the conduct of the national team. It was
totally unacceptable and disgraceful. What have we ever done to
them? Except beat them at the World Cup."
They drove me insane with their remarks, Id want to kill them before the game
even starts.The way the acted wasnt in the spirit of
football. We have players in the best leagues in the world and I
dont even know the names of half their team.But I wouldnt have
come out and said they were a bunch of nobodies.
"Thailand were unsporting, even harassing our players after we
deliberately kicked the ball out of play while in a good attacking
position because they had a player injured.There were guys rolling
around all over the place every time we played and all our
opponents went out of their way to goad us. But the referees let it
all go.
"We need to remember
these things and give these teams a hiding when they come to
Australia in the future but were too nice."
Off the pitch Grella was also none too impressed.
"Our governing body needs to make sure they get the respect they
show others because the AFC treated us like s**t and thats not
good enough.
