This next period of coaching for the Socceroos is crucial for the development of the game in this country. To be precise, the next appointment of coach of the Socceroos holds great significance to so many aspects of the game of football in Australia.
Do we want to bore the socks off people and play like we did against Germany at the World Cup? Do we want to focus on results instead of performance in such crucial games as a friendly against Holland on home soil?
Do we want to play Catenaccio like Italy?
If the answer to all of these questions is no, then let’s together say YES to Marcelo Bielsa.
The last three years of Aussie football have been below par. Crowds dropping at the A-League, crowds dropping at Socceroos games and a muppet of coach in charge of one of the most loved sporting teams in the nation.
The crowds dropping at the Socceroos games were due to a very boring system of play. A 4-3-3 with two defensive mids. Including the goalkeeper, there were 7 out of 11 players in charge of defending goals and only 4 in charge of creating them.
A little unbalanced?
The result? Surprisingly, very few goals. Very few people in the crowd. At the start i thought, righto, if we need to defend a 1-0 lead to qualify for the World Cup, that’s fine.
The result the same tactics: for friendlies against the Netherlands at home, a dead rubber against China, a dead rubber against Japan, and a friendly against New Zealand. All games which we had NOTHING to lose.
The problem lay with the ignorance of the Australian ‘have a go’ mentality.
Verbeek said: “The Australian mentality is to beat teams like Germany.” No, it isn’t. The Australian mentality was displayed against Brazil in 2006.
We lost 2-0. No one criticised their performance because they had Brazil worried and we actually tried our best. That is what the Socceroos is all about.
If we want to capture this mentality and add it to quality football and results, Bielsa is the answer.
He took over a squad with a average age of 25, near the youngest in the tournament. They played attacking, enterprising and positive football, and created numerous goal-scoring chances.
The fact that they didn’t finish them is irrelevant.
Marcelo brought a group of young no-names from the local league and transformed them into an attacking force. Bielsa beleives in giving youth a fair go, playing attacking football, and trying to score goals.
That seems to tick three boxes as a candidate to me.
Bielsa’s football would give quality young players such as Spiranovic, Oar, Zullo, Minniecon, Kantarovski, Lowry, Milligan and Beauchamo not just the odd run, but a full time role in the Socceroos.
Watch them develop into fine footballers.
It would bring the crowds back to Socceroos games, provide us with a chance of winning the Asian Cup in 2011 and restore immense pride in the Socceroos.
Do we want an arrogant, overrated Italian coach (Lippi?
Do we want another Dutch boredom machine (Beenhakker)?
Do we want a coach who has never achieved anything anywhere (Sven)?
Do we want a coach whose dis-organised, mismanaged rabble finished bottom of their group (le Guen)?
NO!
We need Marcelo Bielsa!
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