Oh-Man.....

So the step into Asia may be a little trickier than first expected. The Socceroos honeymoon period came to a crashing end on sunday night with a truly dreadful display against Oman in their Asia Cup opener. Tim Cahill was again the saviour with a late late equaliser, but the point gained was the only positive from a horror outing for Graham Arnold's men.

The excuses have come thick and fast; it was too hot; it was too wet; they were time wasting. The bottom line is the Socceroos have not given Asian football, or Asia itself, enough credit. For months now all we've heard from the likes of Lucas Neill is "we're going to win this undefeated". They may still do that, but the wake-up call is there. Asian players have ability. Asian teams will not role over or be awestruck by their "Premier League" opponents. It's the Socceroos that need to earn respect in this part of the world.

For a squad of players plying their trade in the comfort zone of Europe, with massive wages, and feted since Germany, Asia seemed like a holiday. Its not. And Graham Arnold needs to grab his players by the balls and remind them what's at stake. Too many seem content to go through the motions in the national colours. Vinnie Grella said this week that many of the players, "had cut short their holidays to play." Well boo-hoo. This is your country wanting you to win a major tournament. If it's too much trouble Vinnie then go back to your middling Serie A club, count your cash and live in your cosy existence. I'd rather see the likes of Valeri or Carle or Milligan given a go; players who value the shirt and the opportunity.

The coach must take his share of the blame. Arnie needs to remember that he's the boss; he's not their mate. Guus Hiddink was not their mate. There are rampaging egos in that dressing room that need to be brought into line, and sadly I don't think Arnie is the man to do that.

On the field, Australia were directionless, clueless, and downright poor. Mark Schwarzer kept his side in the game as Oman attacked the Socceroos ramshackle defence. Arnie's call for "Green Football" pre-match appeared laughable as his side made one poor decision after another. Harry Kewell's much vaunted start "in the hole" was a disaster. Give him the ball on the left and let him play. That's where he's dangerous.

Changes are inevitable for the next group match with Iraq. Aloisi may get a start, and Nicky carle will be pushing hard. Mark Milligan's resolute defensive ability should also be used to fortify the back four. But the big change should be one of attitude. If Arnold can install a sense of desire in the shirt, respect for the opposition and importance of result, then the Socceroos may just live up to their pre-tournament hype. If not, a hasty return after the quarter-finals is on the cards, and a once in a generation chance of silverware will be gone for good.

The countdown begins

The Socceroos are just 24 hours away from kicking off their campaign to lift the Asia Cup. For many in the squad this could be the last hurrah. Skipper Mark Viduka will hang up his international boots at the end of July, but seems set to go out on a high. Viduka was very sharp in saturdays friendly win over Singapore, scoring twice, and looking more like the EPL striker we've seen over the past 6 months. His partnership with Harry Kewell looks to be the key for Australia. The combination between the two looked fabulous, with Viduka converting Kewell's pinpoint cross to seal the 3-0 win.

Viduka is in many ways the ideal "lead-the-line" style striker. The only thing that let him down in Germany was a lack of goals. I'm expecting the Asian defences to be more forgiving.

But while the immediate future up the front looks bright, at the back it's a very different story. Singapore caused a rather makeshift back four plenty of problems, and offered a few clues to the Socceroo's group opponents, on how to make life uncomfortable. The primary area of concern is the left side of defence, and Luke Wilkshire's role. Without the steadying presence of Scott Chipperfield, coach Arnold has few options, and while Wilkshire is a versatile player, he is no natural full back.

Add to that a below par display from the normally impeccable Lucas Neill, and the expected selection of the inexperienced Paddy Kisnorbo, then you can see that Graham Arnold may have a few headaches to come.

It may have been hit and miss on the pitch, but off it the Socceroos have been making all the right moves, from integrating with their hosts in Singapore and Thailand, to making confident predictions of tournament success.

In 24 hours we'll know exactly how confident those predictions are.

Asian Cup Excitement?

The Socceroos first foray into Asia is just 6 days away, but it's hard to see the country being swept up by "Asia Cup Fever". The 2006 World Cup finally put the sport on the map in a country obsessed with the oval ball, but 12 months on, signs are not good for advocates of the round ball.

The governing bodies decision to sign an exclusive deal with pay tv giant Fox has swollen the coffers at FFA HQ, but left many fans alienated. The national team are no longer availabe on free-to-air, and in a country where just 20% of the public can access pay-tv, this is a problem. The "traditional" home of football on free-to-air, SBS, have been inundated by angry viewers wondering where the football is.

In the wake of Germany 06, the FFA could have written their own cheque to any broadcaster; football was big business. But they had signed with fox months before, leaving every match of the national team, and the domestic A-League, exclusive to the few, and isolated from the masses.

And with a major tournament around the corner, and in a favourable time zone, people simply don't know how they can watch the national team. Fox aren't to blame for the situation. They paid the price wanted and have brought some much needed professionalism to the coverage; years of neglect by the heavyweights of Australian TV, left government funded SBS the home of the game, but they simply did not have the financial muscle to compete with the Pay giant.

Instead, the finger of blame must be pointed at the governing body. Their shortsighted view in taking the money, has robbed the general public of seeing the national team in action, and possibly lifting their first major trophy.

And with a handcuffed deal well into the next decade, the FFA may have cooked the goose, before it's had chance to lay it's golden egg.