Ange Postecoglou has used the most heart-breaking game in Australia’s football history to drive his Socceroos towards Asian Cup glory.
Postecoglou treated his squad to a video session with a difference in Osaka on Thursday night by showing a documentary about the demoralising 1997 World Cup qualifying failure against Iran.
Ahead 2-0 in the second half at a packed MCG, a star-studded Australian outfit let a massive opportunity slip as Iran drew the final-leg of the qualifier with two away goals to steal a coveted World Cup berth.
Many of the current Socceroos had never seen highlights of the match, let alone gnawing bitter reactions from big-name predecessors who have battled to move on.
“It was really eye opening,” said goalkeeper Mat Ryan, who was just five years old at the time. “I hadn’t seen that footage before.
“I didn’t realise how close they’d gone to qualifying for the World Cup.
“You could just see the effects that it still has on some players.”
Postecoglou chose to show the documentary ahead of Australia’s final warm-up, against Japan on Tuesday night, before hosting the Asian Cup in the new year.
It also continues the coach’s desire for his players to appreciate the Socceroos who came before them and the huge opportunity coming up on home soil.
Australia meet their biggest Asian rivals as rank underdogs in Osaka after sliding to their worst ranking of 94 in the world following last month’s 1-0 loss to Qatar and goalless draw with UAE.
Japan, the defending Asian Cup champions, currently sit at 52 after coming off a 4-0 loss to Brazil.
But Ryan’s former Central Coast teammate Trent Sainsbury, set to play his fourth international, painted a precise picture of the challenge that awaits – rating it a more difficult prospect than his debut game, when beaten 2-0 by Belgium in September.
“Japan at home, with their quality players, will be just as hard, maybe even tougher,” said defender Sainsbury.
“We can’t think about the Asian Cup coming up. If the boys start to get scared we are running out of time we will be our own worst enemy.”
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