Australia likes to think of itself as a great sporting nation.

We gloat that ‘we punch above our weight’ and take pride not only in the quality of our athletes, but of our sporting infrastructure.

That’s all well and good, and for the most part it’s difficult to dispute. But when things go wrong or aren’t up to standard we shouldn’t ignore it, especially when a region as big, lucrative and improving as Asia is watching.

• Socceroos fail South Korea test, China likely next
• China through to quarter-finals
• Socceroos’ win shows why we no longer need Tim

In two wins over willing, but weak, opposition, the Socceroos and Ange Postecoglou managed to get the Australian soccer public back onside.

The doubters were temporarily silenced by a team that found different goal scorers and played with a renewed attacking verve.

To go with the improved performances was the feeling that the Asian Cup had been a success in terms of crowds, quality and entertainment – which is true.

It’s been superb so far and an absolute thrill for any soccer tragic.

But after Saturday night’s 1-0 loss to South Korea, questions have emerged.

In short, the pitch at Suncorp Stadium is substandard. Not only is this a bad look for Australia, it is doing Postecoglou’s team no favours.

Robbie Kruse rues a missed opportunity to equalise against South Korea. Replays suggest the pitch forced the ball to bobble, hindering his effort. Photo: Getty.

If we want the Socceroos to keep improving, it is farcical that we have them play on such a poor surface.

“The pitch (Suncorp Stadium) is really disapointing … it just stops us playing our football.” Postecoglou said after the loss.

“I’m not happy with this pitch … you could see tonight we had to take an extra touch when we didn’t want to.”

The Socceroos under Postecoglou try to play a quick and exciting brand of attacking football that relies heavily on clean touch and crisp passing.

But playing this style of football on the terrible Suncorp Stadium pitch is like Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle struggling to get wickets on an Indian dustbowl – it just doesn’t work.

Unlike cricket, it’s not about ‘doctoring’ the surface, rather the expectation that a smooth and blemish-free piece of land be provided, especially at the elite level.

Pre-tournament it was forecasted that 900 million people would tune into Asia’s premier football showcase, with more than 20 million viewers predicted for two of China’s group games against Saudi Arabia and North Korea.

China’s 2-1 win over North Korea on Sunday means they top Group B and will face the Socceroos in the quarter-final – at Suncorp Stadium.

Their first two group games were on the controversial Suncorp deck.

“It’s very, very, very, very bad” China’s coach Alain Perrin observed.

“It doesn’t deserve the competition … (the) training ground is much better than this pitch.”

@Socceroos v China should/could be the biggest TV audience ever for a football game held on Australian soil. @afcasiancup huge! Imagine WC?

— Lou Sticca (@Lou_Sticca) January 17, 2015

More people than live in all of Australia have watched China’s group games and it is reasonable to suggest a last-eight clash against the Socceroos would see a sharp increase in viewers.

China’s only World Cup appearance since 1938 was in 2002, while they’ve been Asian Cup runners-up twice (1984 and 2004).

China’s coach Alain Perrin during a group match at Suncorp Stadium. Photo: Getty

The Chinese have high hopes for the current generation. Interest in this game and the Chinese performances has been enormous.

To beam matches on these bobbly pitches into a huge Asian audience is an embarrassment for Suncorp Stadium, the Australian Asian Cup organising committee and the AFC.

That it stifled the fluency Australia displayed in the first two games – despite a weakened side being picked – should be even more disappointing.

The loss to South Korea resulted in Postecoglou’s men finishing second in the group. A draw would have been enough to end up on top.

Finishing second means another game in Brisbane (instead of Melbourne), which if Australia wins means facing (most likely) Japan at Hunter Stadium in Newcastle in the semi-finals.

No offence to Novacastrians, but Hunter Stadium is not exactly the 80,000-seat fortress that is ANZ Stadium up the road in Sydney.

If Australia had won or drawn with South Korea, the Socceroos would also have avoided Japan until the final, should they have made it.

For a competition that began so promisingly for Australia on-field and off it, let’s hope that a comically prepared Suncorp surface doesn’t further tarnish the 2015 Asian Cup.