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Despite becoming only the fourth man to successfully coach Australia to football’s World Cup, it remains to be seen whether Holger Osieck will be in the dugout when the tournament kicks off in Brazil next June.
As the autopsy into Australia ‘s 6-0 humiliation at the hands of Brazil in Saturday’s friendly continues, fans and media personalities alike have called on the FFA to follow the examples set by cricket and rugby by dumping the senior coach at a precarious time.
“Time is up. We have seen enough. Holger Osieck must be gone and be gone real quick,” wrote Les Murray, SBS broadcaster and football statesman.
“He has no boldness and, like some village coach, believes that the result of the next game is all that matters and it is all that will keep him in the job.”
Such fierce criticism is harsh and could scarcely have been imagined when Josh Kennedy delivered our own Beckham-versus-Greece moment as Australia limped to qualification against Iraq in June.
Much of the complaint focuses on Osieck’s unwillingness to throw youth into the deep end, culminating in Saturday’s horror show in Brasilia.
“Australia ‘s central defensive pairing, Lucas Neill and Sasa Ognenovski, is probably the oldest in world football and their pace always leaves them open to exploitation,” Michael Lynch wrote in The Age.
It is true that the coach has failed to unearth many new players, perhaps holding onto the past for too long.
Despite being only the second nation to qualify for the biggest show on earth, Australia appears frozen in time; stalwarts from the 2006 campaign including Neill, Tim Cahill and Mark Schwarzer were all pivotal in getting us there once again.
Seven years ago, 2010 was seen as a potential swansong for some of those players.
That their creaky bodies are still playing in late 2013 is not only concerning, but tells a story of younger players either not getting or not taking chances. I can see things getting worse before they get better, regardless of who is coach.
“There is no review process as such in place for the national team coach, but a result like that, a 6-0 loss, is unacceptable,” an FFA spokesperson told au.fourfourtwo.com.
“A national team coach is always under pressure anywhere in the world, and that’s no different with the Socceroos, but it’s fair to say many are not happy with what happened. Not happy at all,” the spokesperson said. The signs for Osieck look grim.
The decision for the FFA to make is whether they should fire Osieck, cast the net wide and find a new manager eight months before the tournament.
Otherwise, the FFA could stick with what they know until next June and, most likely, allow him to stay on for the all-important Asian Cup which is to be held in Australia in January, 2015.
Who would the contenders be, should Frank Lowy and co pull the trigger?
Guus Hiddink is unemployed and the idea of being parachuted in just nine months before a World Cup might be appealing.
His price tag might be an issue, however, and Hiddink – still revered as a Messiah in Australian football – hasn’t enjoyed success in his past two international jobs.
Ange Postecoglou has been a revelation at domestic level and is by far the best-credentialed Australian coach.
He knows the nation’s youngsters inside-out and would be an appointment for the long-term. Postecoglou learnt from his lengthy spell in charge of Australia ‘s under-20 team and now holds a rare aura.
Despite these alluring figures, I think it’s only fair that the man who guided us to the World Cup gets a chance in the tournament itself.
Remember, the Socceroos have historically found it difficult just making the group stages of the World Cup and Osieck took us there losing just two of fourteen games.
A new standard was set by Hiddink in Germany and coaches ever since have been victims of that success.
For us, as for most countries, just getting there is an achievement in itself and doing it three times consecutively is something to be proud of. I don’t think the broader public in Australia appreciates this current streak enough.
Unlike 2006, we no longer have a core of players that compete in top leagues around the world.
The majority of the squad plies their trade in fringe leagues of Asia, warm benches across Europe or strut their stuff in the A-League with one eye on the next move abroad. Rebuilding has to be done and the issues faced run much deeper than replacing the coach.
With friendly games against France and Canada on the horizon, new players must be considered. Left back Jason Davidson is playing regularly for Heracles Almelo in Holland while Rhys Williams is captain of English second division side Middlesbrough .
Second-choice Mitchell Langerak sat on the bench for the entire match against Brazil (just what was learnt by having Schwarzer out there for 90 minutes?) and deserves an opportunity, as do Shane Lowry, Robert Cornthwaite, Trent Sainsbury, Chris Herd and Tom Rogic.
The question is: who will be the man to make those selection calls?
Having got us there, one hopes that knees don’t jerk too greatly and Osieck is allowed to make the necessary changes and take a refreshed team forward.
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