With little hype and fanfare ahead of tonight’s World Cup qualifier in Adelaide, it makes it hard for Ange Postecoglou to get his players up and in the right frame of mind to get the job done.
At home, against lower ranked opponents in Tajikistan, these are the games the Socceroos are expected to win.
But the manager won’t want that sort of complacent thought process creeping into the minds of his players.
Which is why he has been quick this week to remind them that they have a job to do at the Adelaide Oval.
He won’t want his players thinking too far ahead to the game next Tuesday night at the SFS against Jordan.
Any slip-up and Jordan are likely to take advantage and go top of the group when they play Bangladesh in Amman a couple of hours after the Roos game.
As Tajikistan proved in Dushanbe six months ago, where they frustrated Australia for almost an hour, they’re not complete pushovers.
But if Postecoglou has the likes of Aaron Mooy, Tom Rogic, Mat Leckie and Tim Cahill performing anywhere near what they are capable of, and have been showing of late, then the Roos should be too strong.
But getting his players in the right frame of mind to perform has been the trick, and to do so Postecoglou has used a couple of tactics.
For starters he has dangled the carrot to the Adelaide football community, imploring them to cancel training tonight and come out and really get behind the team. More Roos games in Adelaide is the prize, he says.
No doubt he wants this to mean something to Adelaide and Australia, and he’s right.
But beyond trying to get the public up and backing the Roos, his biggest play has been to his players, reminding them that no-one has a divine right to the new all-gold Socceroos strip that has caused plenty of debate this week.
“I have consistently said to the players, you don’t sign a contract with your country for 10 years,” he said.
“Every time you are selected it’s for those games, that’s it. There are no guarantees beyond that apart from your own performance and the way you present yourself.
“I don’t think anyone should go round thinking they have a right to an Australian shirt for any length of time beyond what they are selected for.”
And what’s more the manager has been true to his word, consistently chopping and changing his squad, bringing players in to assess them in the environment, and then seemingly looking at other options next time around.
It is a strategy designed not only to find his best options, but to keep everyone on their toes, driving for ‘better’.
Of particular interest has been his work at fullback, both left and right, and the manager has been open about his search for long-term solutions in both spots.
When the Socceroos beat Bangladesh 4-0 in November, James Meredith and Jason Davidson were used at left back.
This time around he’s brought in Brad Smith and Alex Gersbach.
It wasn’t that long ago that Aziz Behich and Tarek Elrich were a regular part of things.
Now it looks like Josh Risdon is the incumbent at right back. But Jason Geria has been brought in for his first taste of the Roos environment. Gersbach is in the same situation, and Postecoglou wants them to seize their chance.
The other area he is still seeking solutions is up front, at number nine, where he has been reliant on Cahill and Tomi Juric, when the latter hasn’t been injured.
Here he has given an opportunity to Apostolos Giannou, a left-field option he says he knows well and believes can be an asset for the Roos.
While admitting that he continues to keep Jamie Maclaren on the radar, this is an opportunity for Giannou to prove he has the ability to combine with the likes of Leckie, Robbie Kruse, Mooy and Rogic, and prove there is light beyond Cahill.
By bringing him in, Postecoglou also sends a message that he’s prepared to look high and wide if it means moving the national team forward.
The manager’s work has been a fascinating watch over the past two years, and credit to him for proving you can build depth and grow the team, and do it by not sacrificing results.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
"But, I don’t much cricket so can you explain why would a sport that involves a ball being hit by a bat need a pristine surface?" *sigh* What a horrible sentence. "where else does the ball make contact with the surface for it to be important?" I don't know...perhaps when the ball is being fielded? You know, after the ball hits the bat and often goes to ground. The fielding team needs to 'field' the ball, which more often than not requires the 'fielder' reaching down to pick the ball off the ground. You've never played or watched cricket have you? Damn...I come back to this thread after two days to read this garbage.
Uncle Junior
Guest
"A cricket ball is more prone to a bad surface than a soccer ball" That would have to be the most ridiculous comment I've read on a sports forum. But, I don't much cricket so can you explain why would a sport that involves a ball being hit by a bat need a pristine surface? Apart from a small area on the cricket pitch, where the bowler aims the ball (that area would be a maximum of 2m x 2m wide in 2 areas of the pitch - i.e. total 8 sq metres) where else does the ball make contact with the surface for it to be important?
Uncle Junior
Guest
Pretty sure Australia's highest Fifa ranking was 14 in September 2009.
football
Guest
Brilliant smackdown
Horto Magiko
Roar Rookie
Absolutely. We're lucky to be football fans in these times. As an aside, who would win in a fight.., a maradona fan from 20 years ago or a messi fan circa 2015?
Punter
Guest
Legends, both of them!!!!!
Punter
Guest
Yes the same Dutch team that was a penalty shootout away from the WC final in the same tournament. Plus a Spanish side that was/is the whos who of Real Madrid & Barcelona..
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
We are currently ranked 61 in the world according to FIFA. Our best ever ranking was 29. Who knows who the 61 ranked Melb0urne Ru1es team in the world is right now?
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
Being Australian based with a lot of spare time on his hands makes it easier for Ange to put together a squad and he's doing a great job. He just needs to get this team to the next level and take the rest of us with him.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
Sure, we can't get the team of 2005 to play the team of 2016 to see who's better. Sure we've improved, but the rest of the world has improved too and at a faster rate. I don't agree with the notion that because Ange has more players at his disposal, we have a better squad. Sure I enjoy my Socceroos, I was at every Sydney Asian Cup game including the memorable final. I'm talking about what they achieved, making it to world cup through a tough qualification campaign. Making the last 16 and only losing to the eventual world champions to a dodgy penalty in the last minute. What if the referee hadn't given a penalty and it went to extra time? These guys qualified the tough way, not some easy tailwind passage through Asia. Would the current squad beat Uruguay or Argentina home and away to get to Russia 2018? My heart races when I hear we have to play Takjikistan to get to the next round of qualifications . . .
Horto Magiko
Roar Rookie
Lol punter. We all know the answer to that is Messi. All day long. Siiiiiiiiiiiiiii
Horto Magiko
Roar Rookie
To parrot the phrase doing the rounds last night, "we can only beat what's in front of us"., and no one in their right mind could've expected any kind of result from that last wc group. Especially considering the circumstances. Our NT was a basket case motley crew of kids. Yeah upsets happen, like deflected air swing kewel assists. Let's not condemn one thing in order to glorify another. And Uruguay with a rampant Suarez would probably pump us..then and now.. I don't see the point... You won't get your competitive comparison until Russia. Just enjoy the ride until then.
Tim
Roar Rookie
I said they didn't fail miserably. Losing to Japan on penalties was not a disaster in the context of that tournament. 2007 was a more difficult campaign because of the conditions and the fact that it was held in mid July. When most of your team plays in Europe and the season finishes in May, it's obviously difficult to maintain peak physical condition and match sharpness with such a large gap between competitive fixtures. Japan had a material advantage in that most of their players were in peak condition because they were playing in Japan where the season runs from March to December I said Ange did a good job rebuilding the team, but finishing with 0 points and conceding 3 goals in every game cannot really be considered a success. Subsequent to the World Cup, the Dutch have lost to Iceland (x2), Czech Rep (x2) and Turkey while Spain lost to Slovakia. Upsets do happen. All I said was that beating Uruguay is a bigger achievement because they are a stronger opponent than anybody in Asia. Postecoglou's Australia has yet to beat an opponent of this calibre.
Barca4life
Guest
Why are some of you need to compare to two different teams and two different eras, enjoy the current the team for what it is and focus towards the present and future. Unless you guys have a chip on your shoulders...
Punter
Guest
Horto, couldn't agree more, now that is a change!!!! We can compare Ronaldo v Messi!!!!! Tim, I too think you are all over the place, to say WC14 was not a success & losing to Japan in the Asian cup 2007 was not a failure, well you lost me. Those 3 teams Australia lost to in WC14, would've smashed that AC07 Japanese team. You are just looking at results. The Socceroos were a rabble, having lost 2 games 6-0 prior to WC14 with the last remnants of WC06 team, Holger did not move us forward, we lost half the team, Ange had to re-build, based only on Cahill & Bresc, it's history now that we scared the lights out of both Chile & Holland in WC14.
The Phantom Commissioner
Roar Rookie
I love the 2006 vintage and i think everybody does, the main difference i see with that side it seemed like it took an unbelievable individual performance from one of our stars to get us over the line in some of those fantastic moments. When an individual couldn't produce then we struggled, 2007 Asian Cup is a perfect example. This side seems so much more balanced even if it lacks a world class talent or two.
Horto Magiko
Roar Rookie
Seriously tim you're all over the shop! You're saying: -beating Uruguay > winning a tournament.. Qualifying for a tournament >winning a tournament.. Then you justify the Golden generations failure in Asian cup by stating that japan are formidable opponents and then in the same breath say "We have to be careful and not overglorify the Asian Cup success". (Get a load of this guy) And no one is... It's more a case of you discrediting Asian football...but then defending it...???again..all over the place. "The narrative in some of these comments is that the glory days are back." No the narrative from bob is that new-gen s.uc k compared to the golden generation. I'm just pointing out that we just won a continental title. Hardly time to start stressing about not making it out of the group in 2 years!!!! The point is the GOLDEN GENERATION that you are both obsessed with, TRIED and COULDNT WIN THE ASIAN CUP. Simple. Now can we compare messi and maradona...or Ronaldo and esubeio.,. Or batman vs superman??? Seriously pointless discussion.
The Phantom Commissioner
Roar Rookie
The 2007 campaign was and will always be considered a failure, losing to Japan was just the tip of the iceberg of a pathetic campaign. Could we beat Chile over 2 legs is that the question, you reckon Chile would fancy it after 2014?. I don't think they'd have the luxury of facing a side much like a deer stuck in the headlights for the first 15 minutes that's for sure.
Tim
Roar Rookie
Australia didn't fail miserably in 2007, they lost to Japan on penalties. It's a thin line between success and failure. Postecoglou even said on FOX after the Asian Cup that he still considered Japan to be the best team in Asia. We have to be careful and not overglorify the Asian Cup success. Remember, an Asian side didn't win a single match at the 2014 World Cup. The narrative in some of these comments is that the glory days are back. If that's the case, do you really see this current Australian side beating the 5th best South American side(Chile at the moment)?
Evan askew
Guest
I love cricket but I take your point.