Host Blayne Treadgold sits down with club legend, former Socceroos captain Gary Marocchi. Fresh off the plane from the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Gary drops by to dissect the tournament's fallout, defend under-fire national coach Tony Popovic, and tackle the controversial last-minute international allegiance flip of Cristian Volpato. We look back at Gary's historic days captaining the green and gold while working a regular day job, and explore the legendary junior pathway that continues to produce top-tier national team talent at Dorrien Gardens.

Plus, we celebrate our Senior Women absolutely dominating the NPLW with a massive nine-point lead at the top of the table as they hunt down a historic back-to-back championship.

Key Topics

• The 2026 World Cup Post-Mortem: Gary breaks down the Socceroos' performance in the US, including our massive 2-0 win over Turkey and the rough refereeing calls that cost us against America.

• Defending Tony Popovic: Why the national coach deserves respect after an unblemished qualification run, and Gary's take on the heavy criticism coming from ex-internationals.

• The New Golden Generation: Looking ahead to the 2027 Asian Cup and the immense potential of young ball-carriers like Nestory Irankunda, Lucas Harrington, and the controversial dressing-room dynamics surrounding Cristian Volpato’s late switch from Italy.

• The becoming of Alessandro Circati: Gary reminisces about watching a two-year-old Circati running around Dorrien Gardens with a thick Italian accent before climbing the ranks to become an elite international defender.

• Old School Socceroos vs. Modern Pros: Gary takes us behind the scenes of the late 70s and early 80s national team setup, balancing international football with a day job, and a hilarious locker-room prank pulled off by Celtic legend Dixie Deans.

• Azzurri Standalone Saturday & Ladder Wrap: With the Senior Men on a bye round, we look at the Men's tight table just four points off the top. Meanwhile, the Senior Women are flying nine points clear ahead of their Saturday clash at home against UWA Nedlands.

• Club Housekeeping & Junior Parade: Deadlines are closing fast for Azzurri juniors to join the historic Milano Derby junior parade on August 5th. Plus, Term 3 Skills Acquisition Program (SAP) registrations are officially open.

Keywords

Perth Azzurri, Gary Marocchi, Tony Popovic, Alessandro Circati, Nestory Irankunda, Cristian Volpato, 2026 World Cup, NPL WA, Dorrien Gardens, Football West, Australian Football.

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