Osieck under fire after Socceroos’ shock
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Socceroos coach Holger Osieck’s tactical preparation and motivational skills have come under fire after Australia’s shock loss to Jordan in their World Cup qualifier.
While Osieck has hinted at team changes after the 2-1 defeat, two-time A-League championship coach Ange Postecoglou questioned whether the team was adequately prepared.
He said with Jordan ranked 62 spots below Australia and missing several first-choice players, they set out to harass and press the Socceroos, who failed to adapt.
“Did they prepare for a team that was going to press them?” Postecoglou asked.
“That’s what my question would be – did they actually believe that they were going to press them like that,” he said on Fox Sports.
“If they did, then you work out solutions before that.
“It’s okay now going into the dressing rooms and blasting the players and everyone being disappointed.
“But the aspect of preparing a team for a game is preparing for the scenario.”
The shock loss left Australia third in the five-team group, with only the top two to qualify automatically.
They are equal on points with bottom-placed Oman and fourth-placed Iraq, who they face in what is now a crucial away clash on October 16.
Former Socceroos Mark Bosnich and Robbie Slater also criticised the national team’s mental and physical preparation.
Slater suggested playing a friendly against Lebanon in Beirut five days earlier was a mistake and possibly contributed to first-half injuries to Sasa Ognenovski and Mark Bresciano.
“We’ve got an older team,” Slater said.
“Okay, there’s a sprinkling of so-called younger players in there.
“But five days (between games), the recovery time when you’re older becomes very important.
“Sasa Ognenovski pulls his hamstring, we didn’t look sharp, we never were in the contest in respect to winning second balls.
“I’m absolutely gutted as a former Socceroo.”
Bosnich said Jordan showed more hunger, desperation and intelligence than Australia.
“The biggest concern for me was that from a preparation point of view they were not up for this game and that was really the responsibility of the manager,” Bosnich said.
“We’ve had a few wake-up calls during this qualifying campaign. That’s more than a wake-up call.”
© AAP 2013- Explore:
- FFA, football, Holger Osieck, Socceroos
September 13th 2012 @ 8:24am
JAJI said | September 13th 2012 @ 8:24am | Report comment
Its been a stop start campaign. We played 6 games in phase one and have played 3 in phase 2
In Phase one we were terrible at home against Thailand, away to Thailand, lost to Oman away
So 3 games out of 6 were not great – and the Saudi Arabia game we trailled twice….
Phase 2 has seen one poor game, a courageous game in Brisbane (given the circumstances of 10 men, who we were playing and injuries suffered early in the game) and a draw in Oman in very hot conditions
Amongst all this Osiek lost friendlies to Scotland and Denmark
Pim last campaign had a lucky draw away in China, a lucky win at home against Iraq a loss away in Iraq and a loss at home in a dead rubber. In Phase 2 we performed albeit in a dour fashion apart from a lucky win in Bahrain
So Pim, who was lambasted by many, appears so far to have a much better record. The key is the players are older and the luck (the Schwarzer penalty saves, the last minute goals) is not happening this time. In addition opponents arent fearing Neil and Schwarzer anymore when looming on goal……
Osiek’s comments on Chris Herd, the only player under 25 starting in the EPL, are amusing given our midfield yesterday. In addition unfortunately everytime I see Auerelio Vidmar on a nation team bench I am thinking failure…..
September 13th 2012 @ 2:22pm
Brian said | September 13th 2012 @ 2:22pm | Report comment
I used to get that feeling with Arnold
September 13th 2012 @ 8:36am
TC said | September 13th 2012 @ 8:36am | Report comment
Ange asks: “Did they prepare for a team that was going to press them?”
Surely all teams press? It’s just a question of where and how far up the heat is applied.
TC
September 13th 2012 @ 9:31am
Minister for Information for the Democratic People's Republic of Football said | September 13th 2012 @ 9:31am | Report comment
All teams should press but from experience the Arab teams tend to defend deep when they come up against us and play on the counter, even when they’re at home, which is exactly what the socceroos like. I was also surprised to see a little team of “upstarts” like Jordan taking the game to Australia.
I guess they tasted some blood in the water with the inconsistent results we’ve had in recent times and they took it to us. But Ange is right though, there always has to be a plan B.
September 13th 2012 @ 10:02am
Stevo said | September 13th 2012 @ 10:02am | Report comment
The Roos had a reputation for strong aggressive football which we could count on to intimidate teams. Now we are not feared and Jordan showed that being in your face against the Socceroos can bring success.
September 13th 2012 @ 10:21am
Minister for Information for the Democratic People's Republic of Football said | September 13th 2012 @ 10:21am | Report comment
Yes Stevo, after this result we have certainly lost some of our aura. There will be ramifications.
September 13th 2012 @ 9:43am
Midfielder said | September 13th 2012 @ 9:43am | Report comment
Holland, Troisi, Herd, Williams ….. and I ask why …
September 13th 2012 @ 9:50am
Minister for Information for the Democratic People's Republic of Football said | September 13th 2012 @ 9:50am | Report comment
Holland reserves a special little soft spot for me Middy. He plays in the country of my birth for a team which has a fabulous history for playing beautiful football and producing great talent.
Austria Wien has a long lasting legacy of “Beautiful football first – results second”. If nothing else his time there will turn him into a true footballer and that’s tremendous for him as his career looked like fizzling out into nothing while he wasn’t playing in the Netherlands for 3 years or so.
He’s getting there. I can see him in the “water-carrier” role for the roos in the not to distant future.
September 13th 2012 @ 10:16am
Griffo said | September 13th 2012 @ 10:16am | Report comment
Isn’t Williams injured at the mo?
September 13th 2012 @ 12:42pm
Matt F said | September 13th 2012 @ 12:42pm | Report comment
Yep. Apparently out for 4 months with surgery on ankle ligaments.
September 13th 2012 @ 9:59am
ken oldman said | September 13th 2012 @ 9:59am | Report comment
Maybe we should get Frank Arok to come back ,the players would not have any physical or mental problems under his care,their preparation would be spot on. and certainly no “foreign legion” has beens getting a rails run into the team..
He would shake up the Socceroos,not to mention the suits at F.F.A.
Gee they were the days when Club Australia played .Man U……Nottingham Forest….Juventus…Rangers….all at home
Arok took no prisioners……….like in the Bi centenary Cup when we beat world Champs Argentina..4-1
And you know what..the suits gave him the big A…..made him reapply for his job,which he would never do.
Maybe those days will come again but I don,t think so !
September 13th 2012 @ 10:59am
Minister for Information for the Democratic People's Republic of Football said | September 13th 2012 @ 10:59am | Report comment
Frank Arok is as mad as a cut snake. God bless him. Where’s he hiding these days anyway?
September 13th 2012 @ 11:08am
gumpy said | September 13th 2012 @ 11:08am | Report comment
He’s back in Serbia last I heard – apparently his response to being requested for an interview ahead of the WC clash with Serbia was, “It’s nice to know people are curious as to whether I’m still alive!”
September 13th 2012 @ 11:19am
Minister for Information for the Democratic People's Republic of Football said | September 13th 2012 @ 11:19am | Report comment
Well…they found Karadzic and Mladic. Frank Arok: We’re coming for you! This is the kind of character Australian football has been missing.
September 13th 2012 @ 11:40am
gumpy said | September 13th 2012 @ 11:40am | Report comment
Actually, his response wasn’t as jovial as I remembered it, but all the same it was sobering to hear the thoughts of the man who steered the Socceroos through the ’80s.
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/football/arok-warns-socceroos-of-serbian-steel-20100119-mj62.html
September 13th 2012 @ 1:36pm
JAJI said | September 13th 2012 @ 1:36pm | Report comment
I read that article – a typical old soccer brigade man where he hammers the A League and hint hints nudge nudge watch out Socceroos Serbia are really good
Well Timmy and Holman put the sword through them and Serbia in the end last in the group
September 13th 2012 @ 1:58pm
gumpy said | September 13th 2012 @ 1:58pm | Report comment
Umm JAJI, Arok was actually paying out on the Serbian league(if you’d read the article carefully, that would’ve been clear).
September 13th 2012 @ 2:54pm
Brick Tamlin of the Pants Party said | September 13th 2012 @ 2:54pm | Report comment
Wow his opinion of the Serbian league bodes well for Babalj.
September 14th 2012 @ 3:44pm
apaway said | September 14th 2012 @ 3:44pm | Report comment
Frank Arok was my coach in the early 90s. He was ahead of his time in so many aspects of the game.
September 13th 2012 @ 10:10am
gumpy said | September 13th 2012 @ 10:10am | Report comment
The FFA have to get someone in the mould of Marcelo Bielsa or Jorge Sampaoli; someone who would relish the 3-way task of taking us to Brazil AND blooding the next generation of Socceroos WHILST establishing/maintaining a sound tactical & technical platform for the squad. Holger is, let’s face it, little more than a German clone of Pim. We as a football nation simply can’t afford to be content with that calibre of manager anymore.
The ball’s in Lowy’s court on this one more than anyone else IMO; it’s not too late to salvage this WC campaign before it truly goes to sh1t.
September 13th 2012 @ 10:26am
Griffo said | September 13th 2012 @ 10:26am | Report comment
Experience counts for sure but for some I think age and not playing games regularly is becoming a factor derailing the campaign.
Too late to slash and burn the team and prepare it for WC qualifiers, we are in the middle of the final phase of qualifying.
I remember that Holger once indicated that he picks on form and regular performance for club teams.
I think certain players are going to have to stop putting their hands up to play for the national team as that is the only way they will not be playing in the immediate future.
Others I just can’t fathom why they are there apart from experience of Holger’s system and international football.
But I also get a sense that Holger doesn’t rate some of the younger players who might be in camp. That or he’s very nervous and is banking on experience to get points. If that doesn’t work…
…we might just be at that point now for the Iraq game, which we must win to relieve a bit of pressure for the home stretch next year.
September 13th 2012 @ 10:27am
Arsenalkid700 said | September 13th 2012 @ 10:27am | Report comment
Why not bring in guys like Brendan Hamill, Mustafa Amini, James Troisi, Chris Herd, Michael Zullo, Rhys Williams, Adam Federici, Jason Davidson and Adam Sarota. Australia need youth if they really want to challenge.
Also I am sorry but if your club team is in the UAE or Qatar then why should you be on the team ahead of the Premier League, Dutch League, Championship and German Bundesliga players. Just playing in the UAE and Qatar leagues makes you a bad player, I watching the Qatari Stars League and it is BAD! Like real bad.
Players like Neill should be told “Listen, you have served Australian football for years but it is obvious that it is now the time for the player to separate from the national team and open the gate for younger players of the future… of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, thank you and maybe once you retire we can give you a testimonial or something” and for guys who are young and in those leagues like UAE and Qatar… just dont choose them. You will not develop in those leagues, it is not good for you as a player. If Spiranovic wants to play for some high mid-table Qatari club then so be it, there are others in other better leagues that can take your place.
September 13th 2012 @ 1:03pm
Matt F said | September 13th 2012 @ 1:03pm | Report comment
Some of those players are injured or not playing club football but I agree with your general point. Add in players like McGowan and Shane Lowry as well
September 13th 2012 @ 1:44pm
JAJI said | September 13th 2012 @ 1:44pm | Report comment
Amini hasnt made even the first team squad yet at Dortmund once the Bundesliga started. Zullo has been missing for ages from Utrecht. Federeci and Williams are both injured
No excuse for Chris Herd omission – given the players he picked instead who arent playing at present (add them up – Spiranovic, Neil, Ognenovski, Bresciano, Carney)
Its a waste playing 40 year old Schwarzer in friendlies.
Add to Herd Shane Lowry and Massimo Luongo both playing every game as well as Eddy Bosnar and Luke De Vere – the later apparently injured but he has taken forever to pick De Vere yet continues the obsession with Spiranovic who all he does is passes backwards towards the goalkeeper and couldnt get game time in Germany so he left for Japan and then couldnt get game time in Japan so he goes to Qatar at the age of 24
The worse is Carney. Sold for a pittance to Sheffield and doesnt play. Sold to Twente doesnt play. Sold to Blackpool doesnt play. Sold to Spain Liga B doesnt play and now doesnt play in Uzbekistan. Add to this every national team know he is our weak link and the fact he was the culprit for losing the Asian Cup final
David is allowed to earn wages like the rest of us but why do we have to have somebody at left back who cant get a gig at 5 different clubs plus the clubs he went to before Sydney FC
September 13th 2012 @ 2:09pm
Minister for Information for the Democratic People's Republic of Football said | September 13th 2012 @ 2:09pm | Report comment
So Carney wants to travel the world. Good luck to him. It’s his life.
September 13th 2012 @ 2:30pm
Matt F said | September 13th 2012 @ 2:30pm | Report comment
I don’t think anybody (or at least most people) is criticising him for doing what he’s doing. Just annoyed at the people who keep picking a guy for the national side when he hasn’t had a steady run of club games for years
September 13th 2012 @ 11:36am
Rellum said | September 13th 2012 @ 11:36am | Report comment
I finally got to see the game last night (Thank you SBS ) and I am not sure why people are suddenly picking on the long balls for this game. We played out from the back on more occasions in the first half than a lot of other games under Holger. I have a feeling people and counting the hoofs from scrambling defense as long balls. The Jordanians hit more purposeful long balls than we did.
What we didn’t do is handle the pressure they put on out back line, resulting in the previously mention hoofs and Holger had no answer for the man marking of Bresc. This lead to a complete break down in structure and the passing suffered accordingly.
The reason I think Holger’s position should be under review is his admission that he had no idea why the team was playing long balls, and to extrapolate from that, had no idea how to change the structure of the team mid game to counter the tactical challenges thrown up by Jordan. The reason we looked better in the second half was because of Jordan’s tactical switch, not ours and that should be a concern.
September 13th 2012 @ 12:13pm
Ian said | September 13th 2012 @ 12:13pm | Report comment
i think ange is pressing for the national job. after the next world cup you will be in with a shot ange.
as long as MV perform well in the next two seasons your success at the roar has ensured you are a candidate.
September 13th 2012 @ 12:21pm
Heart of Sydney said | September 13th 2012 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
This review of the game against Jordan is worth reading http://katecohensoccer.wordpress.com/2012/09/12/world-cup-qualifier-jordan-2-vs-australia-1/
The writer’s concluding remarks:
“He (Osieck) also suggested he would be making changes in future squads, but this can be argued that it should have happened long ago with the integration of youth.
Whatever Osieck decides to do before our next match against Iraq has the potential to end our qualification hopes (or conversely ensure they remain solid). The next match in a months’ time is a must win match for Australia, as a loss would see them with 2 points from four matches at the half way point of the final qualification stage.
Jordan’s performance cannot be understated – they thoroughly out played Australia and deserved the 3 points. Huge questions must be asked of Australia and their performance.”
My take on it is that AUS should be preparing for the third place AFC and the Intercontinental play offs. The first hurdle is the AUS’s opponents in the AFC 5th round will be either Iran or Qatar which in both cases will be horrible.
In any event it is clear that Osieck must go and if the result against Iraq is less than a win then he he should be fired then but now would be better.
The reason I think Holger’s position should be under review is his admission that he had no idea why the team was playing long balls, and to extrapolate from that, had no idea how to change the structure of the team mid game to counter the tactical challenges thrown up by Jordan.
I’d say he has “lost the dressing room” and the players are simply not listening any longer.
September 13th 2012 @ 12:55pm
Rellum said | September 13th 2012 @ 12:55pm | Report comment
Compare that review with Fox Sports “Socceroos lacked mental courage” review shows the cultural issues within the game. People even bag Fozzie for getting out his wacom, but I am glad things are starting to change and I am glad someone has the time and desire to do a comprehensive review of the match.
September 13th 2012 @ 1:09pm
Griffo said | September 13th 2012 @ 1:09pm | Report comment
+1 Rellum
Great article. A few more people doing that in Australia would go a long way to encourage greater thinking on the game.
A pity sites like Pass and Move Tactics has dropped off as well…
September 13th 2012 @ 2:43pm
phutbol said | September 13th 2012 @ 2:43pm | Report comment
was a good read.. Someone send Holger a link.
September 14th 2012 @ 7:19am
Stevo said | September 14th 2012 @ 7:19am | Report comment
My sauces say that he’s read it but he didn’t understand it so he asked Vidmar to do some background research. Viddy is still working on it
September 13th 2012 @ 4:14pm
dasilva said | September 13th 2012 @ 4:14pm | Report comment
“I’d say he has “lost the dressing room” and the players are simply not listening any longer.”
Wouldn’t be the first time
his last two appointments with Canadian National Team and Urawa Reds ended in a player revolt leading to his resignation/sacking.
September 14th 2012 @ 4:34pm
Realfootball said | September 14th 2012 @ 4:34pm | Report comment
Ironically, Verbeek came to the NT job with a similar background, having been sacked as coach of Korea after a player revolt over his negative tactics. Similarities abound between the two men. Both career assistants, unsuccessful as head coaches. Neither able to take on the established player group.