Winning is everything, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Just ask Holger Osieck. This time last month he was a dead man walking.
The Socceroos had gone rotten on his watch, Brazil was starting to look iffy, and it was all his fault.
The knives were out. The detractors were everywhere. Osieck’s stubborn faith in the ‘golden generation’ and his refusal to start any player without a zimmer frame had put Australian football in supposed developmental jeopardy.
If we didn’t qualify, he was gone. But we did, and he isn’t.
With a roll of the dice, a nod to the bench and a little bit of love from the football gods, Osieck played the field on Tuesday night and was rewarded with a career-saving victory.
Josh Kennedy’s goal altered the wider perception of the Socceroos coach in an instant. The German went from dour conservative to national darling and honorary Aussie.
It was exactly the kind of win he needed as well, given how so much of the criticism he has earned has been centred around tactical matters and player selection.
These were his substitutions, his plans. It was Osieck who had the gall to take off serial saviour Tim Cahill and try something new when we needed a breakthrough – and just as he would have worn the scorn if we didn’t qualify, he deserves to bask in the glory.
It was through his guidance that the same team that was shamed by Oman came back out with structure, purpose and discipline.
Osieck has earned some much-needed credibility and for the next 12 months, a little bit of breathing space.
He deserves it, though it certainly doesn’t wash away his faults.
While he might like to claim the success came from the same methods he’s been applying this whole time, there is no doubt over the past month that he has seen the error in his ways.
Could anyone honestly have predicted one month ago that if Australia was 0-0 with Iraq with 30 minutes to go in a must-win match for World Cup qualification, that the first substitute Osieck would have looked to was Tom Rogic?
No. That speaks for itself. As much as it seemed as if Osieck always had his fingers in his ears at the very suggestion of playing the kids, the Socceroos have regenerated.
Was it borne out of necessity? Doesn’t matter.
Robbie Kruse, Tommy Oar and Mark Milligan are now established starters with positions that are theirs to lose.
Rogic, the most prized of the new litter, has progressed from rough diamond to Holger’s first guy on the bench.
Just being in Brazil will make these four better footballers, and it will be these names who will become the new leaders for the post-2014 era.
This World Cup was always going to be as much about starting long international careers for the next generation as about sending off the veterans who got us there.
That’s right – they got us there. For a while it didn’t look like they could.
But Lucas Neill could roll out a humble pie restaurant franchise right now and make a killing. Just like Holger.
If it wasn’t for the skipper’s leadership and nerves of steel at the back, Australia’s massive June might not have had such a happy ending.
His partner, Sasa Ognenovski, was also outstanding, and did with this month what he has generally done with every challenge that has presented itself in his career. He killed it.
And the classy, evergreen Mark Bresciano re-entered the ‘who is Australia’s greatest ever footballer?’ conversation with three stunning shackle-free games in midfield.
Yes, they’re all going to need pacemakers by the time we get to Rio.
But if Osieck’s brass balls decision to take off Cahill wasn’t just a one-off, then he might have it in him to make the hard calls when it comes to picking a World Cup squad.
There is no use predicting what that squad will look like. A year is an eternity in football terms.
Anything could happen – injuries, transfers good and bad, form peaks and troughs, management changes. Retirement, maybe.
And inevitably, there will always be at least one player who comes from the clouds and storms onto the teamsheet.
There is plenty of time to iron out the creases ahead. But before the high wears off, credit where credit is due. Holger, you did it. Bravo.
dasilva
Guest
I agree with Realfootball and you about being underwhelmed by Oseick performance as a whole He was inconsistent throughout his reign from poor performance against THailand, poor performance against Iraq , poor performance against Oman and poor perforamnce against Jordan So it's just not 2 matches but a series of them. All in isolation isn't too concerning but when taken together it is certainly problematic for the credentials of Holger as a manager. However there was a later resurgent with the last three (ok the one against Iraq is debateable, struggling to beat that team is a concern) It will be interesting to find out whether the resurgent is the turning point where the Socceroos finally found their groove after patchy inconsistent performance or whether the resurgence is just a blip in performance that obscure his coaching performance. I'm hoping for the former because, well he's going to stay here whether I like it or not.
AGO74
Guest
Can you please name a top calibre coach that is currently available? Oh, that's right - they are all coaching club football. And if they are available, they are looking for club football. Even our own Guus managed us part-time in between his full time gig at PSV. Pretty sure also if there is a top calibre coach available looking for a national gig, he's looking for a big Euro or South American team.
AGO74
Guest
@AndyRoo - Don't disagree that A-League has come on in leaps and bounds since Verbeek's time in charge, however if you look at the Foxsports article he is saying this stuff only nine months ago that he still doesn't rate it even though players in the intervening period have gone on in to play in Germany,Holland, England (Oar, Kruse, Zullo, Jedinak, to name but a few).
nordster
Guest
Wrong? How? I agree he is a talent, but maybe sidelining him from the NT is whats best at this point. Worked ok for Oar. My point is its not about talent or potential but how to get the most out of that talent. Leaving them at their clubs to truly prove themselves and break thru before going into a starting NT role may be best...
fadida
Guest
The top teams don't struggle every game though do they? There is this ongoing tendency to cite examples of favourites struggling in one off games throughout history. yes, it happens. We struggled in all 6 games where we were "favourites", including most of the Jordan game, therefore analysis with a critical eye should be expected. I imagine logically you can only be judged on what you have done in the past BTW, not in what is going to happen in the future.
fadida
Guest
Agree with RealFootball that we have short memories. A late surge hides a few very poor performances featuring poor selections and tactics. I would argue though the bigger problem with Verbeek (German game aside) was he was a charmless, negative Dutchman. Osieck is an open, charming, warm and humorous German (oxymoron? :)). As a result public perceptions are very different, as is margin for error given. Verbeek also finished with an anticlimax (we did ok in SA). It'll be interesting to watch history being rewritten once the Osieck tenure is over.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
To be fair as much as I enjoyed the A League back then there was a lot of poor football and it was a very short season so not exactly great preparation for potential national team players. Since Pim left it has got a lot better (thanks to Ange, Arnold and now Poppa) and is 27 games, + finals, + big name friendlies, + ACL.
Jukes
Guest
On Rogic I think your wrong. I knew he was a talent as soon as I saw him play, whether it was the A-league or europe it made no difference to me. He might be young but the kid has the goods. Forget potential, he is already at a great level and the scary part is he is only going to get better. He for me is exactly the type of player he should be starting right now. If he starts on the bench I wont mind but he needs to get minutes. He needs to come on at some stage, he is too good a player to leave out. He is the most exciting prospect I have seen in Australia since Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka.
eric1
Guest
A little off topic, but good luck to the young Socceroos who play Colombia on Saturday night.Will be an interesting game.
Blue Devil
Guest
You've been clear enough. Correct, the loss in Jordan, and the draw at home against Oman were the low points which is what you seem to be amplifying. You may as well stress that, had the Socceroos beaten Japan, then the qualification would have been secured against Jordan at home, turning the encounter with Iraq into a friendly. But it wasn't to be, and they had to fight for another match - and they did. When I look at all eight games, then I see the bumps, but where you see a shambles, overall I see a good, mainly convincing and ultimately successful effort. Let's talk a bit about short memories, and past results, shall we? The Socceroos had the "pleasure" of playing in Oman in the afternoon sun and achieved a respectable result in difficult circumstances. Then they flew home, had to overcome the jet lag very quickly to face Japan in Brisbane. A match they could/should have one had it not been for a saved penalty at the very end. Then there was the away win against Iraq, coming from behind. A shambles, right? And then there were the last three games, of course. But there you are, telling us the story about Jordan and Oman, and sing the "Holger out" tune. Verbeek totally failed to even initiate the change of guard, and effectively played the 2010 WC with Hiddink's squad, and it was left for Osieck to pick up the pieces. Only once did Verbeek let the Socceroos lose, and that's when they beat Serbia 2:1. He was and no doubt still is a negative blockhead. Give me Osieck any time.
phutbol
Guest
Far as I'm concerned Verbeek got one game totally wrong - Germany. other than that he matched Guus' record of 4 points from 3 games and was unlucky not to beat Ghana. Also qualified us through Asia whereas Guus won one 2-legged playoff on penalties. I'd say he did very well. Osieck got the job done too. Many top 10 teams struggle at times in WCQ against lesser teams, and in other big matches. it happens. fact is he didn't fail in his brief, and he should be judged on the outcomes moving forward not looking backwards. its a results game and he got the results.
Griffo
Roar Guru
Yes, that article was a hard one to swallow then when others at similar times were naming five completely different line-ups for the future using our youth coming through today (2012). http://osaussies.com/the-kids-are-alright-part-ii/ Some familiar names in there. Which will ultimately come through to the Socceroos remains to be seen but some have already started.
realfootball
Guest
Does it really have to be any clearer? Do we have to go through result by result? The abject loss and Jordan and the unacceptable draw with Oman among others? The fact that it all came down to one goal in the 82 minute of the last game? Some people have very short memories. There were calls for Verbeek to go after we qualified for South Africa. Craig Foster was one, questioning whether Verbeek was the right coach to take us into the finals. I personally was among them. I think it is now generally accepted that keeping Verbeek on was the wrong decision.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
A shambles? And yet Australia will be playing in Brazil next year. Out of over 200 countries competing during qualifying rounds, only 32 make it through. Australia is one of them. Of the other 31 countries that make it through, it will be interesting to note how many fire their coaches for getting them to the finals.
nordster
Guest
Good article. Although i would suggest u can never expect as much from an NT coach as most people do. Only to use what is available the best way they can. Osieck's job is not to develop players which is why it is baffling when folks call for him to 'bring players through'. The team should be picked more on form, and only players who are doing somethng with their clubs now. So for someone like Rogic, have him in the squad but only off the bench is the right move. Other example is Oar...Osieck barely played him until his Dutch league form truly warranted it. Fill the gaps with local HAL players ...too much expectation of giving young guys a run just because they are in europe. Many of them now are on the fringes with their club, so should be out of NT contention no matter how much 'potential' they have.
realfootball
Guest
He saved his arse and our WC campaign with one substitution at the death. The fact it came down to that says everything about Osieck. I'm not going to gild this tattered lily. One substitution does not rewrite a shambles of a qualifying campaign. In any other football nation, Osieck would have been deservedly fired. If FFA is serious about Brasil, they would pay off Osieck and find a top calibre coach to prepare the team. I accept the fact that, given the now rampant rewriting of recent history and Osieck's Koolaid price tag, that this is unlikely to happen. So, to quote an athlete I once interviewed, we'll just have to hope for Champagne dreams on Koolaid money.
pete4
Guest
Even some positives coming out of the Herald Sun these days... Round-ball game is rolling right to the top http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/round-ball-game-is-rolling-right-to-the-top/story-fni0ffsx-1226667091528?sv=1746d68fbc90c032c0299db1cce438a1
Blue Devil
Guest
Osieck doesn't need defending. All we need to do is look into the rear mirror every now an then and remind ourselves where we've been only a few years back. Once upon a time there was a coach by the name of Pim Verbeek who let it be known that "training in Europe is better than playing in the A-League". The same man, in a 2012 interview, suggested that "the talent pool may not be there and that it could take another generation for Australia to rebuild [and that] a dwindling youth talent pool was one of the reasons he did not stay in the job after the World Cup, along with the gruelling travel schedule." http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/socceroos/former-socceroos-coach-pim-verbeek-believes-it-will-take-a-generation-for-young-talent-to-develop/story-e6frf4l3-1226503375224#ixzz2WoDmpf8C Another generation, huh? Well, I would like to suggest that, when the Socceroo's coach is actually watching A-League matches at a frequent basis, then the performances of Rogic, Thompson, and Milligan will not escape him. He will keep tabs on those A-League players who dare to go overseas like Kruse, MacKay, and Rogic. Based on his interest in these players he will know about their capacity, and when to bring them. I would also like to suggest that it might not be appropriate if a coach threatens to withdraw a player's Socceroo membership card should he leave Europe and chose to play in the A-League instead. That's what happened when Culina left Eindhoven and joined Gold Coast United. Instead, I would like to think that the Socceroos' coach would be quite happy to see Kewell play reguarly at Melbourne Heart, or Vidosic in Adelaide, and would welcome it if Lucas Neill saw fit to come home to Australia. Osieck has been a significant upgrade from Verbeek. Osieck has embraced what Australian football has to offer, was prepared to work within a challenging framework, and he has ultimately been successful. In essence, where Verbeek was broadcasting negativity, Osieck remained positive. I would like to think that it was this trait of Osieck which ultimately got us over the line.
Michael_Newcastle
Guest
Great piece, it's good to hear someone talking about the positives.
oly
Guest
Great piece and good to see a bit of common sense. What happens over the next 12 months with injuries, game time to key players and of course the draw in December will help decide how we go in Brazil. Until then lets just enjoy the qualification and wait patiently for flights and tickets to become available...