Tony Popovic has unwittingly become public enemy number one for USA soccer great Landon Donovan, who labelled the Socceroos coach “smug” and predicted Australia to crash out of the World Cup.<\/p>\n
The Socceroos will play co-hosts the USA, Paraguay and a European play-off qualifier in group D in next year’s finals, after dodging big guns Argentina, Spain, France and England in the draw.<\/p>\n
Speaking immediately after the draw, Popovic said he was “satisfied” with Australia’s group.<\/p>\n
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That comment seemingly drew the ire of former star striker Donovan.<\/p>\n
“I watched the Aussie coach’s interview after the draw and it was really interesting,” Donovan said on Fox Sports.<\/p>\n
“It was unique. Because most coaches say all the same stuff you’re expecting like, ‘Oh, it’s a difficult draw, this is going to be so hard \u2014 and his first comment was: ‘we’re satisfied’.<\/p>\n
“And I was like: ‘Really? Are you?’<\/p>\n
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Landon Donovan is arguably considered America’s greatest ever men’s player and played in three World Cups. (Getty Images: Victor Decolongon)<\/p>\n
“And he just had this smugness about him and I’m like, ‘Alright, I can’t wait. I wish I was on the field \u2014 like, I wanna play these guys.’<\/p>\n
“They’re a solid team, they’re hard to play against, this is not going to be some blowout, whatever, but it’s a team I think we should beat.”<\/p>\n
Donovan then doubled down in the segment, with fellow ex-USA players Cobi Jones and Brad Guzan.<\/p>\n
He predicted the USA to top the group, yet-to-qualify Turkey to come second and Paraguay to finish third \u2014 with Australia fourth.<\/p>\n
“Thanks for coming, Aussies and your smug coach \u2014 you can get back on the Qantas airplane and head back home, pal,” he quipped.<\/p>\n
Donovan isn’t the first US pundit to write off the Australians, or consider the group an easy one for the locals.<\/p>\n
On the day of the draw, former US player Alexi Lalas said: “If you believe in the soccer gods, you should be thanking them.<\/p>\n