There’s something about a guy who says job security is something he fears. Don’t misread that. We’re talking about a man who would prefer he wasn’t part of the furniture for as long as he liked at a club.
In an age where managers are sacked at will by trigger happy boards, it’s an intriguing trait to possess.
Ange Postecoglou made the decision to quit the Brisbane Roar a month ago. He hoped the fairytale would eventuate, but in football nothing is guaranteed.
The look on Postecoglou’s face after the grand final said it all.
With thousands of fans and his playing group celebrating around him, Postecoglou almost seemed restless.
Smiles are easier to come by at a Wayne Bennett press conference.
He’d achieved what he’d set out to do and strangely it didn’t sit easy.
It was almost as though his brain was already searching for the next motivator.
That is a unique individual.
He revealed yesterday that he has ambitions to coach abroad again. If things go right in Melbourne then doors will no doubt open if they haven’t already.
But what of his future in the national set-up? Does he have one?
Football fans have been crying out for a local to be groomed for the top job in Australian football. Postecoglou could be the heir to the throne currently occupied by Holger Osieck.
His 7-year stint working with national youth teams seems at odds with his outlook on life.
Postecoglou admits he loves the daily grind of club football where every day, week and season presents a new challenge.
Being the coach of a national team is far less intense.
Would it appeal to someone who seems to need constant stimulus to be happy?
It may seem premature to consider these questions, but in the years to come you can guarantee it will be a hot topic of discussion.
Osieck is doing a fantastic job and looks to have the Socceroos right on track to perform in Brazil in 2014, but foreign coaches come and go and world cup cycles tend to lead to departures.
Postecoglou wouldn’t be the right man to lead the current group laden with European superstars.
But the next generation would’ve grown up respecting what he has achieved in the A-League and would, most likely, be more receptive to any potential appointment.
This is, of course, all hugely speculative. But one-day the phone will ring and he may just have to consider the proposal.
Roarchild
Guest
I believe his comment means post bringing in the advocated change we won't have an Aussie coach. Les was born in Germany but Joe Martsen was born in Australia and took charge for 1 or 2 games. Not that being born overseas means your not Australian.
Philip Coates
Roar Guru
Luke, I'm not sure if your comment was meant to suggest we haven't had an Australian coach the national team before. We've had three Aussies coach the national team. Les Scheinflug (21 matches), Frank Farina (58 matches) and Graham Arnold (15 matches).
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
It will take time. "Jobs for the boys" has been one of the reasons we don't export many Australian coaches (though we do from time to time). For my mind Vidmar should be coaching a country like Thailand, or a club side like Hiroshima as I see that as a more natural stepping stone to the national coaching role; being tested purely on merit and not on relationships. My hat is taken off to those Australian coaches who do leap out of their comfort zone in Australia.
Luke Doherty
Roar Guru
Interesting, but then we may never have an Aussie coach the national team.
Luke Doherty
Roar Guru
Thanks mate - much appreciated. No doubt he has a huge task ahead in Melbourne.
evan
Guest
I hope that Ange does have an international posting in the near future. I'll be delighted to have a yeeros with an ouzo as a result of that!
Realfootball
Guest
The more recent Dutch led campaigns have been utterly dismal, worth noting.
Hamish Alcorn
Guest
Pete, that was entirely a Courier Mail beat-up. I had friends search the Japanes media for such reports and the only ones they found sourced back to the Courier Mail. This report came out, incidentally, on the same day that the paper reported Roar's 7:1 defeat of Adelaide United (which they put on page 6 of the sports pages). They had a third article on the same day about the Roar - a non-story about how the new schedule for the A-Leage had changed the day of a Rugby game (not one of the parties was complaining - only the CM). Just saying.
Hamish Alcorn
Guest
Maybe you're having a bit of a laugh Johnno, but let me add at least a little support to your claim. Unlike the other coaches you mention, Ange does not have a big budget or big budget players. In fact he worked with *less* of a budget than the other teams. He worked to develop a style of play that even seasoned coaches from Europe apparently felt was unrealistic in the A-League. This is not a workman who blames his tools. On the contrare, this is a workman who could make excellent use of (mostly) second rate tools. We still don't know what he can do in fact. We don't know how good he is yet.
dinoweb
Roar Guru
Johnno, I'm a big Roar fan and hate MU but Sir Alex has won 49 games in the EPL out of 73, or 67% in the past two seasons to date against far tougher opposition. Roar has won 32 out of 57, or 56%, so straight up your assertion is wrong. Get a grip. Ange would be the first to admit that without testing himself and gaining experience at that level first, it is rediculous to claim that he is as good as any of the coaches you mention.
dinoweb
Roar Guru
JonJax, I agree with the 4 out of 10 lessons analogy you've come up with, and it shows that any plan, even a bad one, is better than no plan at all. Most coaches in Australia to date seem to have had lessons 1 & 2 but are slow on number 3 and still way off number 4. As a football fan first, and a Roar fan second, I'm hopefull that with Rado now appointed to the post in Brisbane and keen to carry on the teams philosophy, the move for Ange to MV will give us more teams playing at that 4 lesson level. The best team then will be the one that learns lesson 5 the first. Roar has shown to me that competing in the ACL requires at least lessons 5 and 6, but that they are quick learners and already half way though number 5.
Johnno
Guest
No very serious.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
I thought you were having a laugh earlier.......
Johnno
Guest
So JonJax and others are you saying Holger or Pim are better coaches than Ange right now. Please. Look at Ange's record over the last 2 years it is better than the special one, sir alex ferguson, or wenger. Would the special one get the same results at the Roar or Wenger, or Sir Alex. They haven't in the last 2 years. And as for Hiddink Ange statistical record is better than Hiddink's was at the socceroos. Hiddink had some bad losses too teams like Brazil and Italy that he shouldn't of lost. Ange would of closed out those tough close games as shown by his record over the last 2 years and closing out the tight games vs teams like central coast and the perth glory, in the last 2 grand finals when it counts Hiddink failed to close out those tight games in the World Cup vs Brazil and Italy plus failing to beat Uruguay in Montevideo, the evidence is undeniable as Hiddink lost those matches. And Pim was wiped the floor by Germany. Totally mopped not a bit of detergent left by the Germans.
JonJax
Guest
Back the truck up boys, it’s way premature to start linking Postecoglou with any Socceroos gig. Don’t get me wrong I love the way BR approach the game , although one observation would be that they lack variation- They play like a team who have studied four of the ten lessons in the book and then do them to death - surely their performance in the ACL has confirmed this . BR lack the nuanced play of an Adelaide City under Matic or at a higher level ,Athletic under Bielsa and it’s these nuances that Postecoglou needs to add to his coaching kit bag. If I were to career path Postecoglou for the Socceroos, I’d suggest 2-3 solid years with MV the to further his education, off to a good technical league, abroad, eg: Japan, Holland or France, this after all is the gift of the World Game. Once he becomes a more seasoned professional -then lets’s talk Socceroos.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
I think that the move to Victory will be good for Ange and from there a decent club in Asia. If he wishes to take on international football then there will be nations in Asia and Africa interested in his services. Anyone who takes on the Socceroos needs to have performed elsewhere to prove their mettle. We would not accept international coaches with the same pedigree, we should settle for no less from Australians.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
It took one off season. His first season was spent with very few players that remained for the revolution. Mckay, Devere, Henrique and Murdocca are the only ones I can remember. He spent the first half season building around youth (Oar had played very little prior to Ange taking charge) then 3 of their best young players were sold as well as the teams star striker and pretty much a whole new squad bar the top 4 were signed. From game 1 against Gold Coast they played sexy football and prior to that in the friendly against Everton they looked the goods to me. I would be surprised if you don't see immediate improvement from Melbourne Victory though maybe not results in the first few rounds. After Holger leaves (hopefully to much acclaim) it might be a welcome relief to have a coach that values the full back position.
Philip Coates
Roar Guru
Philip Coates
Roar Guru
You know the old saying, there are lies, there are damn lies and then there are statistics.
ItsCalled AussieRules
Roar Rookie
International football is different and you come up against a lot of different styles and characteristics and levels of gamesmanship. Playing for a draw in Tokyo in front of 80,000 screaming Japanese is different to playing Lebanon at Suncorp. Ange was a failure at international level. He will be doing very well just to get the tempermental under-achieving ego heads at Victory into the finals in his first year.