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It isn’t the money or the players, or even the marquee players or the system; it’s the coach, stupid. Ange Posticoglou is doing a great job with Brisbane Roar and the players are responding.
They go into this weekend’s game against Wellington Phoenix at Suncorp with the chance to equal Eastern Suburbs’ (rugby league) 75-year-old record of 34 games unbeaten of any major Australasian football code.
That would be some achievement.
Then the following week against the Jets at Ausgrid Stadium would present the chance to establish a new Australasian sporting record with a run of 35 games unbeaten.
Who knows where it’s going to end?
The coach and the players are hungry for it too. On the ABC’s Offsiders, Postecoglou said that they want the record, and will not lie down and lose on purpose just to take that pressure off them.
Why would they? They seem to thrive on that pressure.
It hasn’t always been rosy for Ange as an Australian football coach.
He was a spectacular failure as the Australian men’s youth coach and endured some terrible public grilling at the hands of Australian journalists and football commentators like self-proclaimed professor Craig Foster.
Something akin to what Jan Versleijen is going though now.
But Ange didn’t let that sort of treatment end his football managerial career forever. He learnt from his mistakes and came back bigger and better than ever after a stint in Europe where he spent time improving his trade.
He’s come back to set the benchmark in the A-League and has already attracted some overseas interest, which is sure to grow.
But Ange is not just doing it for himself and for Brisbane football fans; Ange is doing it for the A-League and for this footballing nation.
No seriously – by lifting the standard of the A-League, the other clubs will have to follow.
With the increased standard come better players, more entertaining games, more satisfied fans and better quality overseas players are attracted to come here.
Paul Bosschaart was told not to expect much from the A-League before he left Holland to link up with Sydney FC.
But after a few rounds and a tough pre-season campaign, FC defender Bosschaart has been pleasantly surprised by the standard of football in Australia and teams like the Roar.
And he knows it will not get any easier playing here.
As for his A-League experience, Bosschaart said before training yesterday: “In Holland they told me the A-League was not that good, but it surprised me and the level has been quite good.”
“To be honest, I think Sydney FC can beat most of the teams in Holland.”
And not just the A-League, Postecoglou and the Roar have raised the stakes for the Socceroos and the up and coming youth players.
And how dearly the FFA would like Ange to be in charge of the Australian men’s youth team right now. He couldn’t take over from Versleijen quickly enough for Lowy’s liking.
Ange is also responsible for Matt Mackay’s recent meteoric rise into the Socceroos and with more Brisbane players like Zullo, Oar, Nicholls, Paartalu and so on to follow, he is also lifting the standard of our national football teams playing stocks as well.
How long before Ange makes a triumphant return as the Socceroos senior men’s team national coach?
For now he’ll have to bide his time, because we have a very good national team manager in Holger Osieck.
But strong competition for places, even at the national team level, does improve the performances of those who want to stay at the top, players and managers alike.
That’s not a bad thing for the A-League and Australian football.
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