Greater depth, more games and stronger chemistry, as well as some more fit bodies, is what lies ahead for the Socceroos.
This World Cup has shown us that a team can’t come to a major tournament having undergone radical change in the weeks and months before and expect to really upset stronger nations.
The World Cup draw we were handed in Brazil was always going to be a huge task. Chile, Spain, Holland – not a group of death, but one of extreme destruction and disaster.
There’s a school of thought that Holger Osieck wanted the two friendlies against Brazil and France last year, where the Socceroos were spanked 6-0 twice, to show the Australian public what we were up against, what to really expect at the World Cup. Heavy defeats to dampen expectations. If that’s true, he was massively wrong and it ultimately cost him his job.
Osieck should have been removed from the national team much earlier, but he wasn’t and Ange Postecoglou was rushed into the job in October 2013.
Postecoglou set about installing the style he wanted, the system of play he wished to see, and creating belief. He quickly blooded players and got rid off those over the hill. He did what Osieck couldn’t, or wouldn’t do, in quick time. He tried to reform and revamp the national team at warp speed.
What should have happened in 2010 after the debacle against Germany instead happened nine months before the World Cup. It was never going to be enough time.
Some bad luck and injuries haven’t helped. Tom Rogic’s ongoing problems, Curtis Good’s niggly hip strain against Ecuador, Josh Kennedy’s back, Mark Bresciano’s ban, the loss of both Robbie Kruse and Rhys Williams, Trent Sainsbury’s freak sprinkler accident – you name it, we’ve had it. At times it seem like the Socceroos were cursed. A small squad became wafer-thin.
At the World Cup we then lost Ivan Franjic 50-odd minutes in and had to thrown a central defender in for the next two games. The Socceroos relied on the old legs of Tim Cahill, for goals, and Mark Bresciano, for creativity and game smarts, to see us through.
We lost three games straight, but there were some good signs, some progress made. We approached each game positively and did not sit back and purely defend. No buses were stationed in our box.
We pressed the Chileans, Dutch and Spainards and found some success. We scored three goals, three more than some critics said, and were close to pulling off a famous upset of the Netherlands. We were also not far off securing a point against Chile. At times we played with no fear and huge confidence, and the world took notice.
But history will show we didn’t go home without any results. Simple defensive mistakes, stronger depth and the lack of a proven top-class striker – like John Aloisi or Mark Viduka – hurt badly.
Regardless, Postecoglou has done well in his nine months in charge. He has had eight games for a record of two wins, one draw and five losses. It is not one to write home about, but if you look at the football we have played – the first half against Ecuador, patches against Croatia, large periods against Chile and the first 45 minutes against Holland – there is hope.
If we keep playing like this, and our pool of available players grows, results will come.
The Asian Cup is up next. On home soil we will want to at least make the semis, if not the final. The goal of winning it is not impossible. The encouraging thing under Ange is that the Socceroos won’t sit back and be outplayed like we did under Holger in Asia. We won’t be technically mastered and out-thought by the likes of Thailand, Oman, Jordan and others. We won’t need to approach matches defensively or need to poach a goal by going direct.
Will take the game to them, entertain and play positively. It will be 21st century football and it should be beautiful to see.
Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
That is encouraging, Mid.
Midfielder
Guest
Fuss Agree Juric ...I do like moving Spiranovic to a DM to see how he performs ... Bratton to me should at least be in the squad... Also keep an eye out for what Amini is doing as I have posted before his club have been preparing him for a No 6 role and reports have been good ... not saying he is in or should be but that he should be on the watch list ...
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Middy my team would be ----------------Langerak--------- Rhys Williams--Sainsbury--Wright--Davidson --------Luongo--Spiranovic----- Kruse------Rogic--------Troisi ------------Juric------------- I reckon Tomi Juric is the most natural striker I've seen in Australia since Viduka. Hope he has a big season .. apart from R1 & the other 2 matches against MVFC. So many waiting in the wings if they perform for their clubs: Amini, Good, Hammill (he's coming back to Alegue), Nathan Burns, Petratos, Nichols, Antonis, Rukavytsya, Leckie, Oar, Sarota, Brillante, DeVere
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
I am still not sold on Rogic. I can see him coming off the bench to unlock a packed defence however I'd like to see him achieve more at club level before I'd pencil him into a starting position.
Midfielder
Guest
As far as I know...
Midfielder
Guest
My actual side .. Ryan Good – Williams – Sainsbury – Davidson Jedinak (c) – Bratten [check on recovery and early games Amini ] Kruse – Rogic –Troisi Leckie Bench Franjic, Milligan, Langerak (gk), Spiranovic, Oar,Halloran, Taggart, Jedi is the key ... the side needs to assist his passing game and this is where Bratten or if the reports on Amini are correct would help a lot ...
Franko
Guest
Have all played for the socceroos at one point or another?
Midfielder
Guest
Sheek Not a bad side the 4-2-2-3-1 ...
Midfielder
Guest
-----------------Bozza Neill------Musky---Moore------Zullo ----------Grella---------Burns Emerton--------Cahill--------Tiatto ------------------Dukes
AZ_RBB
Guest
Reportedly we're set to play 6 games in the lead up. How many will involve our Euro-based players is not known. There are 3 FIFA Internationals weekends left this year. Maybe we'll play 2 games during those periods? Maybe 1 more just before the Asian Cup, if there's time? There's also the AFF Cup. Not sure if we're even competing in that.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
There isn't a lot of time.
SuperEel22
Roar Guru
A big plus for Australian football is the fact our players are beginning to be noticed in Europe again. Brad Smith is in the Liverpool system and should he stay there he'll be a good'un for the next World Cup. I believe he's 19-20 at the moment. Liverpool also recruited a 16 year old from Melbourne this season. Taggart just got bought by Fulham and there's every chance they'll be promoted to the EPL once more in 2015/16 provided they don't go down the gurgler like Middlesborough.
sheek
Roar Guru
Oops, Accidentally wiped first part of post. Okay, looking forward to 2015 Asian Cup, what might the Socceroos best XI look like, assuming all players fit, in form & available? According to David Gallop, Timmy Cahill is no sure thing to retire yet, so for the moment we will exclude him for the purpose of the exercise. Formation based on Ange's preferred 4-2-3-1 Ryan Franjic - Williams - Good - Davidson Jedinak (c) - Milligan Halloran - Bozanic - Kruse Leckie Bench: Langerak (gk), Sainsbury, Spiranovic, Oar, Rogic, Troisi, Taggart. Good news for Aussie fans is that the defence is strengthened by Williams & good, while Kruse adds his attacking gifts on the left attacking midfield. Sainsbury & rogic are on the bench. What is the best composite Socceroos XI from 2006-10-14 world cups? Formation based on traditional 4-4-2. Schwarzer (06/10) Emerton (06/10) - Moore (06/10) - Neill (c - 06/10) - Chipperfield (06/10) Culina (06/10) - Grella (06/10) - Bresciano (06/10/14) - Kewell (06/10) Viduka (06) - Cahill (06/10/14) Bench: Ryan (gk - 14), Wilkshire (06/10), Davidson (14), Jedinak (10/14), Leckie (14), Kennedy (06/10), Aloisi (06).
sheek
Roar Guru
Finally, who has made most appearances for Socceroos at the past three world cups? Figures in brackets indicate number of appearances off bench. 1. Mark Bresciano – 9 (3 as replacement) 2. Tim Cahill – (one as replacement) 3. Jason Culina – 7 4. Lucas Neill – 7 5. Scott Chipperfield – 7 (two as replacement) 6. Brett Emerton – 6 7. Craig Moore – 6 8. Mark Schwarzer – 6 9. Vince Grella – 5 10. Luke Wilkshire – 5 11. Mark Viduka – 4 12. Mile Jedinak – 4 (one) 13. Harry Kewell – 4 (one) 14. Josh Kennedy – 4 (3) 15. John Aloisi – 4 (4)
AZ_RBB
Guest
Hope we face some good opposition in the lead up to the Asian Cup. This team still needs time to build and gel.
Jack
Guest
Ange had 5 losses 1 win 1 draw which in my opinion does not fairly represent how we have played. I jumped on the fifa site and we have friendlies against Qatar , Saudi s and UAE all in London . Followed by Kuwait and Oman in Asia cup. Ange has a massive chance to improve his ratio and build confidence again. The most dangerous side is Saudi Arabia in the group but if we attack we should be sweet