Johnny Warren
Encyclopedia
John Norman Warren, MBE
, OAM
(17 May 1943 – 6 November 2004) was an Australia
n football (soccer) player, coach, administrator, writer and broadcaster. He was known as Captain Socceroo for his passionate work to promote the game in Australia. The award for the best player in the A-League
is named the Johnny Warren Medal
in his honour.
in Sydney and had two elder brothers, Geoff and Ross.
He attended Cleveland St. High School, Botany, later becoming the school vice-captain.
In 1963 Warren transferred to St. George-Budapest. In a 12 year stint at St. George Warren won three NSW State League grand finals, one premiership and two state cups. His final action as a player was to score a match-winning goal for St. George in the 1974 NSW State League Grand Final. Immediately after scoring the goal he substituted himself off.
in Phnom Penh
. He played 42 international matches, including Australia's first World Cup
appearance in 1974
.
In 1967 Warren captained the national team for the first time in a match against New Zealand in Saigon
. He went on to captain Australia in 24 internationals.
As well as helping found Canberra City
, he served as the team's first coach in 1977 and 1978.
and Special Broadcasting Service
television networks. It was at SBS where he made his mark, appearing on a number of football analysis shows including On the Ball
and The World Game
.
Warren wept openly on national television in 1997 when two very late goals by Iran
resulted in a 2-2 draw against the Socceroos in the final World Cup qualifying match
and sent Iran to the 1998 FIFA World Cup
.
(located in present-day Ngunnawal
). The function centre was one of the National Capital's premier function venues.
During the 1980s and early 1990s, numerous international visitors including members of Brazil’s Under 19s soccer team travelled to Gold Creek to get their first taste of Australian country life. Annual soccer camps were also held there under the auspices of the Australian Soccer Federation. Over a period of ten years, upwards of 10,000 teenagers from around the nation completed the two-week training camps.
, claiming that the OFC offered nothing to either the world game nor to the nations that comprised the confederation. Many Australians agreed with Warren believing that Australia was so dominant within the OFC that the Socceroos suffered from a lack of serious competition. The lack of competition in the OFC was exemplified by the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
results that featured 11–0, 22–0 and 31–0 scorelines against OFC opponents. At that time, The OFC did not have a direct qualification route to the World Cup. Instead, the OFC champion had to play another sudden-death series against a single team from either South America or Asia for the final World Cup berth. Warren favoured a merger between the Oceania and Asian
confederations that would allow the OFC nations to play in a regular qualification series, instead of the sudden-death matches playoffs. After the Crawford Report
of which he was a committee member, Australia joined the AFC in 2006.
3-1 in a friendly featuring a full-strength English side (albeit with 11 substitutions made at half-time), and several Confederations Cup wins over France
and Brazil
when Australia took third place at the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup
in a 1-0 playoff win over Brazil.
Warren claimed that these results showed that Australia was a much more powerful football nation than many gave it credit for. At the time, Australia was reigning world champion in the other international codes - Rugby Union
, Rugby League
and Cricket
.
In 2002, Warren published a best selling book, Sheilas, Wogs and Poofters, An Incomplete Biography of Johnny Warren & Soccer In Australia which traced the growth of association football in Australia, especially in the post-WWII years. The title refers to alleged sexist, racist and homophobic attitudes towards football exhibited frequently by many Australians and especially the major city media in Australia through this period.
Nevertheless, Warren predicted that the Australian national team would attain consistent international success. He famously expressed a desire to say 'I told you so' to the team's detractors.
. Several months later FIFA
president Sepp Blatter
presented a frail Warren with the FIFA Centennial Order of Merit
for his services to the game in Australia.
His last public appearance was made during the launch of the rebranded Australian domestic football league, the A-League
, which replaced the previous National Soccer League
.
Weeks before death, Warren was asked what he wanted his sporting legacy to be - his answer "I Told You So", a phrase which has become a catch-cry in Australian football and during the 2006 FIFA World Cup
appeared on the scoreboard in the backdrop of the SBS
World Cup studio.
He died of respiratory complications related to his cancer on 6 November 2004, at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney. He was awarded a full state funeral, the first to be held for a sportsman.
in 2005. The collection includes soccer uniforms, medals, scrapbooks and trophies. The National Museum paid tribute to Warren in 2010 with 'I told you so': Johnny Warren and football in Australia, a display to coincide with the World Cup.
St. George-Budapest
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, OAM
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(17 May 1943 – 6 November 2004) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n football (soccer) player, coach, administrator, writer and broadcaster. He was known as Captain Socceroo for his passionate work to promote the game in Australia. The award for the best player in the A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
is named the Johnny Warren Medal
Johnny Warren Medal
The Johnny Warren Medal is the award for best player in the Australian national football club competition. It was first awarded in the National Soccer League in 1990, and upon the NSL's demise in November 2004, was carried forward into the A-League, the competition in Australia...
in his honour.
Early life
Warren grew up in the suburb of BotanyBotany, New South Wales
Botany is a suburb in south-eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Botany is located 10 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the City of Botany Bay....
in Sydney and had two elder brothers, Geoff and Ross.
He attended Cleveland St. High School, Botany, later becoming the school vice-captain.
Club career
After playing junior football for Botany Methodists and Earlwood Wanderers Warren joined Canterbury-Marrickville as a fifteen year old in 1959. Initially he played in the club's third grade team before being promoted to the first grade later in the year.In 1963 Warren transferred to St. George-Budapest. In a 12 year stint at St. George Warren won three NSW State League grand finals, one premiership and two state cups. His final action as a player was to score a match-winning goal for St. George in the 1974 NSW State League Grand Final. Immediately after scoring the goal he substituted himself off.
International career
Warren made his full international debut for Australia in November 1965 against CambodiaCambodia national football team
The Cambodia national football team is the national team of Cambodia and is controlled by the Football Federation of Cambodia . It was known as the Khmer Republic national football team from 1970 to 1975. It finished fourth in the 1972 Asian Cup, but is currently one of the weakest teams in the...
in Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
. He played 42 international matches, including Australia's first World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
appearance in 1974
1974 FIFA World Cup
The 1974 FIFA World Cup, the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany from 13 June to 7 July. The tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, was awarded...
.
In 1967 Warren captained the national team for the first time in a match against New Zealand in Saigon
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
. He went on to captain Australia in 24 internationals.
Coaching career
In 1974 Warren was a player-coach with St. George-Budapest.As well as helping found Canberra City
Canberra City SC
Canberra City Football Club, also known for some time as the Canberra Arrows, is an Australian football club based in Canberra in the ACT...
, he served as the team's first coach in 1977 and 1978.
Media
Warren worked in television commentating football for the Australian Broadcasting CorporationAustralian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
and Special Broadcasting Service
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
television networks. It was at SBS where he made his mark, appearing on a number of football analysis shows including On the Ball
On The Ball (SBS television show)
On The Ball was an Australian Special Broadcasting Service television talk show show about soccer, which began around 1984 and ended in 2002....
and The World Game
The World Game
The World Game is a Monday night television show on SBS in Australia dedicated to association football. It is currently hosted by David Basheer, former Socceroo Craig Foster, and Les Murray, the show analytically reviews and previews soccer and soccer issues from around the globe, albeit with an...
.
Warren wept openly on national television in 1997 when two very late goals by Iran
Iran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
resulted in a 2-2 draw against the Socceroos in the final World Cup qualifying match
1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (play-off AFC-OFC)
The 1998 FIFA World Cup AFC – OFC qualification play-off was a two-legged home-and-away tie between the winners of the Oceania qualifying tournament, Australia, and the losing team in the AFC play-off from the Asian qualifying tournament, Iran. The games were played on November 22 and November 29...
and sent Iran to the 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
.
Gold Creek
While in Canberra, John and his business partners acquired control of the Gold Creek Function and Entertainment Centre based around the historic Gold Creek HomesteadGold Creek Homestead
Gold Creek Homestead is a 140-year old stone and brick building located off Gungahlin Drive in Ngunnawal a north-western suburb of Canberra, the Australian Capital Territory, Australia....
(located in present-day Ngunnawal
Ngunnawal, Australian Capital Territory
Ngunnawal is a suburb in the district of Gungahlin in Canberra, Australia. The suburb is named in tribute to the Ngunnawal people, the original inhabitants of the area. The suburb was gazetted on 18 October 1991. Ngunnawal is adjacent to the suburbs of Nicholls, Casey and Amaroo and Taylor...
). The function centre was one of the National Capital's premier function venues.
During the 1980s and early 1990s, numerous international visitors including members of Brazil’s Under 19s soccer team travelled to Gold Creek to get their first taste of Australian country life. Annual soccer camps were also held there under the auspices of the Australian Soccer Federation. Over a period of ten years, upwards of 10,000 teenagers from around the nation completed the two-week training camps.
Opposition to the OFC
Warren frequently argued for abolition of the Oceania Football ConfederationOceania Football Confederation
The Oceania Football Confederation is one of the six continental confederations of international association football, consisting of Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and island nations such as Tonga, Fiji and other Pacific Island countries...
, claiming that the OFC offered nothing to either the world game nor to the nations that comprised the confederation. Many Australians agreed with Warren believing that Australia was so dominant within the OFC that the Socceroos suffered from a lack of serious competition. The lack of competition in the OFC was exemplified by the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)
Listed below are the dates and results for the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the Oceanian zone . For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification....
results that featured 11–0, 22–0 and 31–0 scorelines against OFC opponents. At that time, The OFC did not have a direct qualification route to the World Cup. Instead, the OFC champion had to play another sudden-death series against a single team from either South America or Asia for the final World Cup berth. Warren favoured a merger between the Oceania and Asian
Asian Football Confederation
The Asian Football Confederation is the governing body of association football in Asia. It has 46 member countries, mostly located on the Asian continent. However, due to the disputed boundary of Europe and Asia, nations such as Russia and Turkey which are located mostly in geographic Asia are...
confederations that would allow the OFC nations to play in a regular qualification series, instead of the sudden-death matches playoffs. After the Crawford Report
2003 Report of the Independent Soccer Review Committee
The Independent Soccer Review Committee published a report in 2003 on the governance of Association Football in Australia popularly called the Crawford Report. The committee was announced by the then Minister for Sport Rod Kemp and the Australian Parliament after extensive media publicity...
of which he was a committee member, Australia joined the AFC in 2006.
Struggle for National Success
Warren's publicly held belief was that if Australia's strong sporting tradition was focused on the sport then Australia could be a world power in the game. One of his famous quotes on the matter was "I'm sick of us saying, 'When are we going to qualify for the World Cup'? When are we going to win the World Cup? ... Call me a dreamer." His comments came shortly after Australia had defeated EnglandEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
3-1 in a friendly featuring a full-strength English side (albeit with 11 substitutions made at half-time), and several Confederations Cup wins over France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
and Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
when Australia took third place at the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup
2001 FIFA Confederations Cup
-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Awards:-Top scorers:2 goals Shaun Murphy Éric Carrière Robert Pirès Patrick Vieira Sylvain Wiltord Takayuki Suzuki Hwang Sun-Hong...
in a 1-0 playoff win over Brazil.
Warren claimed that these results showed that Australia was a much more powerful football nation than many gave it credit for. At the time, Australia was reigning world champion in the other international codes - Rugby Union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, Rugby League
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
and Cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
.
In 2002, Warren published a best selling book, Sheilas, Wogs and Poofters, An Incomplete Biography of Johnny Warren & Soccer In Australia which traced the growth of association football in Australia, especially in the post-WWII years. The title refers to alleged sexist, racist and homophobic attitudes towards football exhibited frequently by many Australians and especially the major city media in Australia through this period.
Nevertheless, Warren predicted that the Australian national team would attain consistent international success. He famously expressed a desire to say 'I told you so' to the team's detractors.
Death
After smoking heavily for most of his life, in 2003 Warren publicly announced that he had been diagnosed with lung cancerLung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
. Several months later FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
president Sepp Blatter
Sepp Blatter
Joseph S. Blatter , commonly known as Sepp Blatter, is a Swiss football administrator, who serves as the 8th and current President of FIFA . He was elected on 8 June 1998, succeeding João Havelange. He was re-elected as President in 2002, 2007, and 2011...
presented a frail Warren with the FIFA Centennial Order of Merit
FIFA Order of Merit
The FIFA Order of Merit is the highest honour awarded by FIFA. The award is presented at the annual FIFA congress. It is normally awarded to people who are considered to have made a significant contribution to :association football....
for his services to the game in Australia.
His last public appearance was made during the launch of the rebranded Australian domestic football league, the A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
, which replaced the previous National Soccer League
National Soccer League
The National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...
.
Weeks before death, Warren was asked what he wanted his sporting legacy to be - his answer "I Told You So", a phrase which has become a catch-cry in Australian football and during the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
appeared on the scoreboard in the backdrop of the SBS
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
World Cup studio.
He died of respiratory complications related to his cancer on 6 November 2004, at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney. He was awarded a full state funeral, the first to be held for a sportsman.
Documentary
The documentary Johnny Warren's Football Mission, released in 2006, features interviews with his former teammates, family, friends and football journalists.Johnny Warren football collection
A collection of 503 items of memorabilia was donated by Johnny Warren's family to the National Museum of AustraliaNational Museum of Australia
The National Museum of Australia was formally established by the National Museum of Australia Act 1980. The National Museum preserves and interprets Australia's social history, exploring the key issues, people and events that have shaped the nation....
in 2005. The collection includes soccer uniforms, medals, scrapbooks and trophies. The National Museum paid tribute to Warren in 2010 with 'I told you so': Johnny Warren and football in Australia, a display to coincide with the World Cup.
Individual
- Member of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(MBE): 1974 - Sport Australia Hall of Fame Inductee: 1988
- FFA Hall of ChampionsFootball Federation Australia - Football Hall of FameThe Football Federation Australia's Football Hall of Fame was formed in 1996 as the Soccer Hall of Fame to honour outstanding services to association football in Australia....
Inductee: 1999 - Australian Sports MedalAustralian Sports MedalThe Australian Sports Medal was an award given during 2000 to recognise achievements in Australian sport.Recipients of the award included competitors, coaches, sports scientists, office holders, and people who maintained sporting facilities and services. Over 18,000 Medals were...
: 2000 - Centenary MedalCentenary MedalThe Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
: 2001 - ACT Sport Hall of Fame Inductee: 2002
- Medal of the Order of AustraliaOrder of AustraliaThe Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(OAM): 2002 - FIFA Centennial Order of MeritFIFA Order of MeritThe FIFA Order of Merit is the highest honour awarded by FIFA. The award is presented at the annual FIFA congress. It is normally awarded to people who are considered to have made a significant contribution to :association football....
: 2004 - Australian Sports CommissionAustralian Sports CommissionThe Australian Sports Commission is the governing body responsible for distributing funds and providing strategic guidance for sporting activity in Australia. It is an agency of the Government of Australia within the portfolio of Health and Ageing...
Lifetime Achievement Award: 2004 - John Warren Street in the Sydney suburb of GlenwoodGlenwood, New South WalesGlenwood is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Glenwood is located 40 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Blacktown...
is named for him.
Club
Canterbury-Marrickville- New South Wales Grand Final Runner Up: 1960
St. George-Budapest
- New South Wales Champions: 1972
External links
- Johnny Warren Football Foundation
- FFA - Hall of Fame profile
- Sports Australia - Hall of Fame profile
- Australian Honours profile
- Editorial article on Johnny Warren in The AgeThe AgeThe Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
- Johnny Warren eulogy by Les MurrayLes Murray (broadcaster)Les James Murray AM is an Australian sports journalist, football broadcaster and analyst...
- Short compilation of old newsreels featuring Warren
- Johnny Warren collection at the National Museum of Australia