There are hundreds of Australian-born footballers now plying their trade in leagues all over the world. Some we know well, some not much at all. But they have all left these shores to embark on the great football adventure.
The demand for our best coaching talent has not been as great.
Of course, Australians have and do enjoy coaching careers abroad.
Eddie Thomson coached in Japan. His long-time friend and coaching assistant Mick Hickman worked with Wolverhampton Wanderers in England.
More recently, Lawrie McKinna had success in China, and former NSL champion coach Garry Phillips coaches in Malaysia, as does former Socceroo Scott Ollerenshaw.
However, it is comparatively a trickle and an Australian-born coach has yet to take charge of a top-flight European side in the same way that our very best players have done on the pitch.
Perhaps, the professional coaching pathway and the opportunities afforded by the A-League might see that change.
When the A-League first began, the late Ian Gray, one of the best home-grown coaches the country has produced, made the observation that the league was “a bit English. The intensity, pace and speed is there but different styles need to evolve.”
At the same time as the A-League began, the FFA were upgrading their coaching accreditations to bring them in line with the AFC and UEFA.
Five years down the track, local coaches are changing the way the game is played at the top level.
I’m not suggesting that can be traced exclusively back to the FFA’s coaching licenses and the system has not been without its flaws.
But football in this country, now has a high number of coaches who are both qualified and experienced. It may even be a lack of opportunity here that sees more Australian-born coaches head overseas.
There are only ten, head coaching jobs, available in the A-League. Currently, only four of them are occupied by Australians; Graeme Arnold, Ange Postecoglou, Mehmet Durakovic and Gary Van Egmond.
Coincidentally, all four of them played in the NSL, and all of them have gone through the FFA’s coaching licenses. Van Egmond and Postecoglou have already led sides to an A-League title, while Arnold has already coached the national team.
The Postecoglou revolution at the Brisbane Roar, has shown just what home-grown coaches are capable of, with a transformation not just in playing style, but coaching technique and culture.
This is not to say that the importing of foreign coaches is a bad thing. In fact, the history of the game at the top level in Australia has been influenced by names such as Arok, Scheinflug, Blanco.
More recently, Pierre Littbarski was a revelation in Sydney FC’s first season and names such as Coolen and Lavicka have added to the quality of the competition.
But the time may be near when cashed-up overseas clubs might start casting an eye towards the Australian game.
Qualified local coaches can now be found at many of the State and Youth League clubs, and even in more ambitious local community clubs.
It may still be a while before we see an Australian managing an EPL or La Liga club, but if more coaches like Postecoglou stamp their coaching expertise on the local game, Australia may well start exporting the farmers as well as the cattle.
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