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Socceroos players generally have no idea what coach Ange Postecoglou is thinking at the best of times.
But after a second-string side nearly toppled Chile at last month’s Confederations Cup, the pecking order that most had established in their minds has been blown to smithereens.
Postecoglou has plenty of food for thought heading into Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against Japan in Saitama.
Does he go for his best players on paper, like Tom Rogic and Aaron Mooy, who are in-form, fresh and confident?
Does he send out a team of fighters like the side whose furious pressing and in-your-face defensive tactics rattled the South American champions?
Or does he try to strike some sort of balance between the two?
“Football is sometimes not about what the best XI is, it’s about what team can get the job done,” said attacker Robbie Kruse.
Kruse is one of only four outfield players who survived the mass changes made by Postecoglou between the Cameroon and Chile games in Russia.
“I think different players suit different games, tactics – it’s just the way the game is.
“In saying that we’ve got such a strong squad … every single player stood up, it gives the coach a lot of headaches, so it’s something I think will help us in the long term.”
Postecoglou has an embarrassment of riches at his disposal, having spent the past few years trying to establish depth in the Australian ranks.
That job is now complete – the hard part is figuring out which players are best suited to each situation.
Players gave up trying to read Postecoglou’s mind long ago.
“You never know with the boss – sometimes you feel like you might be playing but then you don’t know,” Kruse said.
“You find out game day, but he keeps everyone on their toes.
“Everyone prepares as if they are going to play – it keeps a good atmosphere in the team where no one is guaranteed a (start).”
Australia hasn’t beaten Japan since 2009 and has never beaten them at home – but nor have Japan beaten Australia in a World Cup qualifier.
Kruse, for his part, has a reasonable claim to face the Samurai Blue.
The 28-year-old has three games under his belt after joining German second-tier side VfL Bochum after a rocky period at club level and has looked the goods in his past few runs for the Socceroos.
He said he was keen to repay Postecoglou’s faith for picking him even when he wasn’t playing regularly in the past.
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