We were shown no respect, it was all a big joke
VINCE Grella has attacked the "disgraceful" antics of Australia's Asian Cup opponents, claiming they had no respect for the Socceroos and didn't act in the spirit of football.
Still seething over his controversial red card during a highly charged penalty shoot-out exit against Japan in a quarter-final eight days ago, the star midfielder also slammed the tournament's referees, who he says were intimidated by the Socceroos' opponents.
Speaking for the first time since an "elbow" on Naohiro Takahara left the Blue Samurai striker on the deck in a screaming heap and Grella on his way to a 76th-minute early shower, he questioned the gamesmanship, simulation and chicanery exhibited by Australia's rivals in a tournament played under the FIFA banner of "fair play".
"We respected all our opponents but they had no respect for us," Grella said from Italy.
"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.
"They all had a bad attitude towards us. I've written the names of Oman, Iraq, Thailand and Japan down and I'll be tying that note to my little finger, so it will be payback time when we meet again.
"I don't know what they all had against Australia but it was a joke.
"When Iraq scored against us [during a shock 3-1 victory] they were jumping around like kangaroos - that's taking the piss.
"Oman scored a goal, then they go and celebrate in front of the green-and-gold army . . . that's taking the piss. Then Japan called us a bunch of wrestlers before the game.
"They were winding us up. As an honourable nation their people should be ashamed of the conduct of their 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 - I [wanted to] kill them before the game even started. The way they acted wasn't in the spirit of football. We have players in the best leagues in the world and I don't even know the names of half their team. But I wouldn't have come out and said they were a bunch of nobodies."
Grella, whom some blamed for leaving Australia undermanned and under pressure against the Japanese, believes he was a victim of bad acting by Takahara and ham-fisted refereeing. "I barely touched him yet he went down screeching as if he'd broken his leg," Grella said. "It was ridiculous. It was a challenge I've made 1000 times and I was surprised, to say the least, it got me a straight red card.
"Of course I feel responsible, because that left nothing else other than to play for penalties.
"But I also feel Takahara intimidated the referee."
Grella saved much of his venom for referees, who he said were inconsistent and appeared to turn a blind eye to gamesmanship, including diving.
"We all wore the fair play badge on the arms of our shirts but there wasn't much of that going around on the pitch," he said. "We were frustrated with the inconsistencies of the decision making.
"Players were getting away with all sorts of stuff. Thailand were unsporting, even harassing our players after we'd deliberately kicked the ball out of play while in a good attacking position because they had a player injured.
"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 we're too nice. That's our mentality.
"The referees should have cracked down on all the diving and rolling around. It's a men's game not always played by men. There were guys who looked like they were dying, and then suddenly they'd jump back up again. That's not the way we play. If we get hit we get back up and play the game.
"The Asians saw us as arrogant. But our organisation is humble and just wants to follow the rules of the sport."
Grella had some advice for the FFA: "Our governing body needs to make sure they get the respect they show others because the AFC treated us like shit and that's not good enough."