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Asian Cup fears for rusty Roos

Ange would be much happier if he had Lance Franklin at his disposal. (AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Roar Guru
15th October, 2014
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It was another troubling night for the Socceroos as they went down 1-0 in a friendly to Qatar.

Again Australia conceded a soft goal and again they struggled to build real pressure and find fluency in attack. The defeat came a few days after the 0-0 draw with the UAE. Both the UAE, ranked 73rd, and Qatar will feature in the Asian Cup.

FIFA rankings aren’t everything, but Qatar is ranked 96th in the world. This isn’t a game the Socceroos should be losing.

We had never lost to the Middle Eastern nation previously and the result means Australia has now won just one of their past 10 matches.

In reality, it isn’t about results now. It is about what happens in two and a half month’s time. If the Socceroos win the Asian Cup on home soil then losses in the past year will be forgotten.

But success in that tournament is looking less likely at the moment with every match.

Ange Postecoglou hasn’t had much time to work with his squad – a year and 11 games – and time is really running out.

The Socceroos need work on the training park, more matches together to gel and build their side. More games for the younger players to gain international experience.

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But the Aussies have just one game, against Japan next month, before the Asian Cup begins. Right now Japan would be odds on to pummel us.

If we lose that, then it will be one win in the past 11 matches before the tournament begins. Confidence in the national team will be draining fast.

The Asian Cup is vitally important for Australian football. Winning the competition would be massive, it would have huge flow-on effects. It would send a message.

So would being knocked out early in the group stage, or in the quarter-finals. That would be a disaster for the sport.

Reaching the semi-finals is a miniumum.

Postecoglou is running out of time to blood new players and experiment. He needs to sort out his best XI and stick with it. He needs to settle on a centre back partnership and find a forward in good goal-scoring form that isn’t Tim Cahill. He needs a bit of luck, and his team to take their chances.

Against Qatar, James Troisi, Brad Smith and Bernie Ibini were wasteful.

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He needs Matt Spiranovic back to full fitness, Adam Taggart to get back on the park and start banging in goals in England, Curtis Good to recover quickly.

The list of needs is long and there is no easy answers. The Socceroos are in transition and it’s hard to tell where the next positive sign will come from.

Postecoglou, to his credit, is taking all the flak on himself. He is supporting his players publicly and taking on the spotight, which is what a good coach does.

After the game he said: “I’m making these decisions and I’ll take responsibility for the consequences. We’re still preparing for the Asian Cup and making sure we’re ready for that. We’re still achieving our outcomes, we’re still exposing players that would have learned a hell of a lot tonight. The pieces of the puzzle are being put together but I also understand that results need to improve. That’s my responsibility, I’m making these decisions and to a large extent these results are my doing.”

It’s admirable stuff, and there is little doubt that Postecoglou is a good coach. But the demands and pressures of this job are greater than anything else he has experienced before.

I believe Postecoglou can turn the Socceroos around, but the clock is ticking – and fast. It stops for no man, even those with a five-year contract.

Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson.

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