On the back of a resurgent season, in which the A-League has had a feel-good factor not seen since the breakout 2006/2007 season, the FFA have confirmed the next Socceroos coach will be Australian.
What has been interesting to this Melburnian is the discourse that has surrounded the impact of the so-called ‘Western Sydney Wanderers’ phenomenon.
It has not escaped my notice a lot of the discussion among football fraternity, from media to fans alike, up in Sydney is how the A-League has never seen anything like the ‘Wanderland’ phenomenon before.
This type of discourse was surprising and not only because it illuminates the degree to which Sydney FC failed to achieve cut-through in the ‘Sydney market’ they were servicing all these years.
Perhaps even more surprising is that illuminates just how much the Sydney-based football media have not properly understood the trends of the game in Melbourne, let alone in other cities, and does nothing to dispel the suspicion they are rather ‘out of touch’ with sections of the greater Australian football fraternity.
Trends that occur in Sydney and New South Wales are not necessarily a reflection of trends nationwide as far as the football fraternity are concerned.
A more true reflection would be to state the Western Sydney have revolutionised the professional game in greater New South Wales.
Which brings me to the next point; by the end of the 2011-2012 season, despite the shot in the arm provided by Harry Kewell, gone were the days a 32,000 strong crowd turned up in Melbourne to watch a ‘non-marquee’ Melbourne Victory versus Perth Glory regular fixture at the beginning of the 2007/2008 season.
The resurgence of the A-League occurring in Melbourne throughout the 2012-2013 season had not so much anything to do with the knock-on impact of Western Sydney Wanderers but rather can be attributed to the impact of a certain Ange Postecoglou.
This was helped by the expansion of a new paradigm of fan management that nurtured the re-flourishing of the North Terrace and, by extension, the greater atmosphere and theatrical nature of games following its once unimaginable collapse at the end of the 2010-2011 season.
This is all relevant to the current debate over who should take over the current Socceroos coaching role.
A-League boss Damien De Bohun’s assertion the A League can smoothly accommodate the loss of either Ange Postecoglou or Graham Arnold (I would add Tony Popovich to that mix as well) is debateable.
One can be forgiven at times for thinking the Australian Football fraternity are still stuck in 2006. Not only that, it seems many have to get to grips with the fact it is only the very top elite footballing powers that are able to be consistent.
It needs to be recognised what happened at the 2006 World Cup was Australia went from a ‘backwater’ to a ‘middle power’, not an elite power.
It is not exactly uncommon that middle powers will often fluctuate between having a generation which is able to qualify for a clutch of major tournaments then fade away into relative obscurity for a generation.
The importance the A-League takes on then becomes even more paramount, as lean years in the national team fortunes can be offset with healthy interest at domestic league level.
The FFA taking Ange Postecoglou out of Melbourne will be delivering a sucker punch to the game’s resurgence in that part of the country.
As for Graham Arnold, while the Mariners crowds are relatively low, it is what they are building at grassroots levels in terms of the Centre of Excellence which is where Central Coast are making their revolutionary contribution to the game.
Given Graham Arnold’s career experience with working with up and coming players, such as the U23 Olyroos, he has an important role in ensuring the fledgling Academy is a success to the point where other A-League clubs follow suit and develop their own versions.
It is best for the game locally and the FFA shouldn’t be rushing to encourage him to leave.
Ange Postecolgou and Graham Arnold have both established a good track record at nurturing youngsters through and setting them up to succeed and break through at high calibre European level.
This is opposed to falling by the wayside and then chasing the money in Asia instead once players realise they can’t cut it at European level.
Both are of better value to the Australian football fraternity at domestic league level as opposed to national team level, where they have to pick from the increasingly shallow talent pool being developed, rather than contribute towards it.
That is without going into the fact that the hubris infecting the football fraternity regarding the A-League is leading fans and pundits alike to get ahead of themselves.
They are skipping an evolutionary step.
In order to be ready for the Socceroos job, an Australian coach must not only be successfully domestically, but will have to have cut their teeth on the continent – either Asia or Europe.
For example, the now much-maligned Holger Osieck had coached Asian powerhouse Urawa Red Diamonds and led them to AFC Champions League glory in 2007 as part of his CV.
How many Australian coaches would be considered for the Urawa hotseat if it became available?
How many would be able to coach teams to Asian Champions League glory, let alone their respective domestic leagues?
In the upcoming years, the need for a healthy domestic competition will be greater than at any time in the league’s preceding eight-year history to compensate for the national team’s undeniable generational decline.
Every care should be taken that it isn’t undermined.
NUFCMVFC
Roar Guru
Yeah the original point was that the football fraternity tends to get carried away, eg wsw were a fantastic edition, and a good replacement for Gold Coast obviously, but outside of lifting official attendances and the one game they came downt o play MVFC, their direct impact is more on NSW, yet I read people writing they have changed the whole the game in Australia which is taking it a bit far I had to listen to Bozza's going on about how Popovich wouldn't want to leave wsw because he wants to make them the biggest club in Australia and Asia etc. it will be a long long long time before a league clubs will be able to challenge j league clubs or Chinese super league clubs if at all, some of the Asian clubs operate in a different financial stratosphere to a league clubs Besides, if there comes a point where wsw are becoming quite larger FFA will introduce a second ws team We had this in Melbourne early in the A League, average crowds of 25k etc with everyone getting ahead of ourselves but we have not grown exponentially but remained steady with a small loss of members with heart coming in plus longer season meaning they are more expensive Point is, this kind of hubris is extending to notions that Australian coaches are "ready" for the Soocceroos gig, but they aren't yet. I am not trying to be unnecessarily negative, but as I alluded to in article Australian coaches would have had to cut their teeth o/s first before they are. This is just becoming a money saving tokenistic appointment IMO
j binnie
Guest
Cpaaa - How do you (& Franko) come up with the viewpoint that when a man is appointed to a Director of Coaching position of either a club,or country he is actually LEAVING the coaching profession???. It is such a distance away from fact that it is almost impossible to believe how you arrived at such an opinion. Berger has probably forgotten more about coaching at club level than at least 60 % of the coaches in our HAL, not to mention the men appointed to look after our youth teams. What you are implying is that a man of his experience has forgotten how to assess each player's performance either on the training paddock or on match day & so is no longer fit to do a coaching job???? That's like saying when a bank manager has finally taken his place behind his desk he is no longer fit to be a teller????? Nonsense,isn't it??? jb
Cameron
Roar Guru
Is that the price? I haven't seen anywhere as to the amount Hiddink will cost. Now that we've gotten HO, Brazil and France ask out of the road then you should expect better results. Do you class the result against Canada as a good result, step in the right direction or was it to be expected. We should be desperate but will we win? Do we have the cattle? Is Ange suited to the international scene? Many questions that can't really be answered with clear and concise confidence but yet people are more than happy to take Ange just like that. What makes Ange the best candidate? In all honesty.
Griffo
Roar Guru
All this has reminded me of the World Cup bid to some degree. FFA lost focus on the A-League while putting too much focus on the bid. I think with Lowy's preference for an Aussie coach, the risk to the A-League and potentially the Aussie coaching brand is not insignificant. It is a short sighted focus on the NT at the expense of loosing medium term focus on the A-League. A TWG article a couple of days ago regarding the 'low' budget for the position and subsequent 'withdrawal' of potential foreign coaches could all be part of the push to make it attractive to the local candidates while filtering out the better foreign applicants. Gallop made some positive noise about taking the proper time and process to choose the right candidate. It is short sighted to not allow that to happen, short sighted to not prepare for the Asian Cup via the World Cup. even with the narrow time available until the World Cup. But I think the momentum of the Aussie coaching express is too large now. While it sounded like that train didn't care which club it stopped at (ie: whoever is willing to release their coach first) I think the first stop is Melbourne Victory.
Justin Thighm
Roar Guru
To get someone like Hiddink will cost an extra 5-10 million, money the FFA doesn't have. To get AP is going to cost 1.5 mllion and then there's the 1 million compo to Holger. Ange is the right man for the job at right time. His coaching is much better now and his confidence a lot greater. I can't see the Socceroos getting past the first round anyway so spending an extra 10 million would just be a waste. Ange will stick it out, get some respectable results and build to the Asian Cup, which we should be desperate to win on home soil.
Squizz
Guest
The money is not the problem. If you are going Australia it needs to be long term - not 8 months. It says we trust you to take us to the World Cup on the cheap but don't expect to have the job after that.
Squizz
Guest
Moss and Patrick are not ready. I would think that Tony Walmsley would get the Mariners gig.
Squizz
Guest
I don't know. The Mariners would be happy to lose Ange!!
Cameron
Roar Guru
I want to go on record saying I don't want AP as national coach, I don't think he or an Aussie will fix the problems, but HO still wasn't the right man for the job. Money needs to be spent to get a better international coach who is more suited to international football. AP, in my opinion is more suited to club level. Victory won't finish first if Ange goes for the incoming coach, whoever it may be will need time. If I was Victory id say no, but they probably won't if the FFA really want Ange.
j binnie
Guest
Franko - Your point (1) - I have no argument with Ange & Graham coaching in the HAL,I think they did their early "time" in an NSL that was slowly dying ,Ange's 2 titles coming in 1998/99 when most of the other clubs were broke or fast approaching that state of affairs.Northern Spirit was an interesting experiment almost doomed to failure before it started so I think the less said about that time in football history the better. I tend to believe the last 9 years have been a much more important time in both these lads developing themselves as coaches in the club scene than anything that they did previously. Your point (2) - I think when you try to differentiate between an active club coach & a Director of Coaching,you are actually romanticising one position over the other.A proper D of C would surely have to have done the hard yards as a club coach before he could be said to be fully qualified as a D of C. Agree??? Your final "thought" about why I want Berger in charge so he can fail is actuallya bit of a tongue in cheek attitude as well. There are very few people who have criticised the adoption of the "Dutch System" more than I. Berger himself has stated publicly that he is disappointed with the progess of the National Curriculum so in my opinion that is tatamount to saying it has failed but that does not remove the talent & experience he has had in modern coaching,for, as a natIonal Director I would imagine he would keep himself up to date with all the innovation that is going on constantly in the world of coaching. Now to be realistic. He is under contract.He knows all the players in Osiek's squads,& our local HAL clubs so with that information added to his other long experience what does the FFA have to lose?,nothing, for if he "failed " as you put it,would that be unexpected? I think not, but if he got us to the next stage with our present squad of players I would be the first to say he has missed his calling during the "last decade" as you put it. ok? Glad you agree about the saving of money & more importantly the "embarrasment",for to be honest that is my greatest worry throwing one of these promising lads into a "hellfire" of an experience. ok? jb
Cpaaa
Guest
I'll have to disagree with HB. 10 years out of coaching is too long of a time for any career. Wether we like it or not it is time for a local to step up. An international super coach will not produce super players. If an international came on the scene i predict he would choose international club socceroo bench warmers or the pensioners. Our local would have the most balls and will most likely use an increase in A-League players for the trip to Brasil. Mackay, Milligan, Archie, Juric, Behich, Zullo, HK ( i have faith). Thats 7 and im sure ive missed a few.
apaway
Roar Guru
History has been littered with Assistants taking over and doing very badly. Graeme Arnold knows this only too well.
SVB
Guest
There is no point in having a technical director if you have no direction. We want to play a passing game, but the reality is that we will always struggle if we play like this. Teams will simply press us and we will panic and lose the ball. We don't have the players or the culture to pull this off. Therefore we are now in a situation about being confused of what our style is. This makes things even worse for us when we are struggling in games as we have been lately.
Franko
Guest
Couple of points JB. Ange and Arnie should both be coaching HAL based on their records of coaching club sides prior to the HAL (Ange 2 titles, Arnie @ Northern Spirit) His record in the past decade as you point out is as Technical Director at various clubs and of course the FFA. For nearly 10 years he hasn’t coached a side, he hasn’t looked a player in the eyes at half time and given him the words he needs to get back out there and go again. I’d suggest his strengths lie in PowerPoint presentations and administrative tasks rather than setting up offensive corners and motivating players. Agree with your 2 points though on saving money and also about one of the three touted Aussies being embarrassed at the tournament, it could be a massive dent in their career. The thing is JB, I think you want Berger in charge to see him fail and so that everyone looks at each other and asks “Was this the guy who has been in charge of our National Curriculum, he doesn't know what he’s doing!”.
Orly
Guest
Berger's expertise must also be under question - he's been part of the brains trust that hired Osieck in the first place, as well as appointing very inexperienced coaches for our youth teams. From what i've been told, Okon had a very unsuccessful (even disastrous) stint with APIA and no top level coaching experience. Tony Vidmar is in the same boat. His brother has at least had some success with Adelaide United previously (although that was a mixed bag), but whether he was suitably qualified to be coach of the Olympic team must also be debatable. Berger's greatest area of expertise is deflecting responsibility - ie players not good enough, it'll take at least 10 years to see results etc. Grade A coward IMO.
j binnie
Guest
Franko - Coaching at national team level is nothing like club coaching,but experience is something that can only be gained by time spent in the job. Now to use your logic Ange & Graham should not be coaching in the HAL considering their previous records with national youth teams.That's rubbish & you know it. But back to Berger.Since getting out of club coaching into Under 21 national team coaching( which he held for 2 years),he has as you say, but don't elaborate on,managed a just promoted team in the top J league. He has then had 2x3 year tenures as a D of C at 2 top Dutch clubs,& of course a 1x4 year contract with the FFA so I hardly think you could class him as having been "discarded" by the football family.The FFA must have thought he had something when they employed him so this is their chance to see if he has what it takes in the competitive arena. What do they have to lose? In 8 months he has the job of turning what we have as a team into a better organised unit than they are at present.He is already contracted till the end of the World Cup so all it would take would be a hefty bonus only to be paid if success was gained in Brazil.Is that a better option than exposing one of our younger coaches to embarassment in Brazil ???? I think so. jb
wisey_9
Roar Guru
I'd second that (after some formatting practice).
AZ_RBB
Guest
somebody please upload a blank article with the heading "Sydney Derby" and let us go at it for the next 9 days (and possibly more)
j binnie
Guest
Jukes - That is not my only comment about Han Berger, The man has managed teams in the Dutch first & second divisions for 22 years( 8 clubs) so experience wise he is far, far ahead of any coach we have in Australia,never mind the HAL.Now, as he is under contract to the FFA until the end of the World Cup, if one uses simple logistical thinking why would he not be switched from D of C to National Coach, let him take the team to Brazil & by doing so,save a lot of money,at the same time letting Victory,CCM & WSW coaches go on their way establishing a strong HAL. & appoint a dedicated man to start driving "the curriculum" at a pace Berger has yet to achieve in 4 years.That is the position that needs a dedicated Australian who has the long term interests of the game at heart..
Midfielder
Guest
JB That is not a silly idea ....