Ange Postecoglou is such a talented coach he could solve the Wallabies’ line-out woes and help the Australian cricket team’s top order tame spin on the subcontinent in no time.
Postecoglou is without a doubt the best coach of any code currently in Australia.
The only reason the mainstream media fails to laud the Socceroos coach in the way they would a commensurate NRL or AFL tactician, is because they possess virtually no understanding of the game’s global significance.
That probably explains why outlets like Channel Nine persistently refer to Tim Cahill as ‘Darren’ – a handy tennis player in his day – and label soccer players ‘rioters’ on shows like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
They then scratch their heads and wonder why so few in the key 18 to 49 advertising demographic – many of whom are football fans – watch the network.
The inability of the average Aussie TV station to comprehend the world around them doesn’t faze our Ange, although it would do him a disservice to suggest he simply gets on with the job.
Far from merely getting on with it, Postecoglou routinely wills his team to victory in even the most adverse of circumstances.
Last week’s 1-0 win over the United Arab Emirates in a furnace-like Abu Dhabi just about ranks as the greatest of the Postecoglou era – and there were several key factors behind it.
Before a ball had been kicked and despite the energy-sapping heat, Postecoglou refused to countenance the possibility of playing for a draw.
He also persisted with Brad Smith at left-back despite the Bournemouth defender having a shocker against Iraq in Perth, and was rewarded with a pinpoint assist for the winner.
Lastly, he managed Tim Cahill to perfection – leaving him on the bench in Perth and introducing him with 20 minutes to go against the UAE to devastating effect.
The Socceroos could have dropped their heads after missing several chances in front of a packed Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium, but that’s not the Postecoglou way.
The team’s steely self-belief was forged in that incredible Asian Cup win on home soil, where Postecoglou outmanoeuvred a skilful South Korea despite their star man Son Heung-min scoring with virtually the last kick of normal time.
Channel Nine have probably never heard of Son – he only scored twice and set up another for Tottenham at the weekend – and far from the presidential reception Portugal received for winning Euro 2016, Australia’s continental triumph was met largely with stony silence by a federal government no doubt baffled by the significance of what had just occurred.
In spite of it all, or perhaps because of it, Postecoglou continues on his relentless march to transform the Socceroos from a team routinely looked down upon – including in their own backyard – into a genuine football force.
One of the most impressive things he does is try to condition those around him to stop treating the Socceroos as second-class citizens – even if it flusters the press.
It’s one thing to be outspoken, but it’s entirely another to do so and try to keep stakeholders onside. Just ask Scott Miller.
Meanwhile, for all the online mocking of Cahill’s ‘legacy,’ the reality is that he’s now scored an astonishing 48 goals in national team colours – despite making his debut at age 24.
He will almost certainly rack up the half century of goals on the road to Russia and in doing so, Cahill deserves to be officially recognised as one of the greatest to ever pull on a Socceroos jersey.
It’s testament to Postecoglou’s man management skills that Cahill has never been allowed to overshadow the rest of the squad.
So can the Socceroos qualify for Russia? They will invariably take it one game at a time.
But with a once-in-a-generation coach in charge, maybe it’s time we started to dream big.
Quarter-finals, anyone?
Jeff Ranch
Guest
why is he consider to be the best coach in Australia
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Sydnersider As Eddie McGuire pointed out after he returned to Melbourne after a stint high up at Ch.9 in Sydney. Sydney isn't just another city, it's like another country. I used to take annual family holidays to Newcastle (a brother has lived up there and Central coast for 40 years now) - and I recall thinking that the land seemed very familiar, the trees and grass looked the same but culturally it was quite different. Back then though the Hunter St newsagent father of my sister in law also followed Carlton in the VFL. But only rugby or soccer goals were visible. In years since - there's a greater capacity to spy the full range of football goal posts in Sydney, NSW and SE Qld. It is ironic - that there are people north of the Murrumbidgee who very desperately want to hold onto a notion that Aust Football is more foreign to Sydney than something truly foreign (so to speak). Soccer has always had a reasonable level within Victoria - although, the irony is there are stories of kids being forced to play soccer for their schools to ensure they had a team when they wanted to play footy with the rest of their mates. These days it's probably less so - but it's a fluid situation. There was a massive boost to soccer over the last 10 years largely driven by girls soccer. In the last couple of years AUst Football has got a really big growth boost by girls footy. Even our local Catholic college (St Monicas) which boasted a FIFA approved synthetic soccer pitch and didn't have a footy/cricket oval on site now is boasting a number of girls Aust Footy teams. The main thing is that the kids growing up get to try a lot of different things. I have twin boys aged 13. They aren't particularly co-ordinated. They'll never push professional sports. However - they need to find something for fun and fitness and eventually something might 'click' for them. There's no great rush. And - there are still those late bloomers who starting 'clicking' around age 16 and can still find their way to the top. Might just be in swimming like Kyle Chalmers.
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Nemesis I suppose then you're fine with top sports people earning the salaries they do in the NBA, NFL, EPL, etc. Personally I feel the world is somewhat irrational with those (in my book) exorbitant wages. But - top level sport has for over 100 years attracted money launderers of the highest degree!!
Sydneysider
Guest
"Does playing AFL isolate us from the rest of the world? Yes – in many respects it does – however, it hasn’t prevented Australia being a top 32 (making the FIFA WC) soccer side, being world #1 in cricket, having Grand Slam winning tennis players, winning Olympic medals etc etc." True. We finished 10th on the medal table at Rio and we have won international renowned sporting events eg. Wimbledon, US Masters golf, Tour De France, swimming world titles, cycling, rowing etc... heck we even have soccer clubs in the VPL who have some great little facilities eg. Heidelberg, South Melbourne, Bentleigh Greens etc.. Secretly Melbournians enjoy soccer, because if they didn't they wouldn't get such big crowds to A-League games, international touring teams, Socceroos matches and even FFA Cup games. "And – were the good folk at Tourism Australia up in Sydney to actually embrace some of what makes us unique then we might see AFL less of an isolation and more of an attraction." Sydney is a funny place Perry.... I've lived here my whole life and it is completely different to Melbourne. Same for Brisbane and Queensland. Anyway, good posts.
Nemesis
Guest
To bring up the Health Industry in this discussion is disingenuous. Are ignorant about the issues across the delivery of Health? Or are you trying to make light of a serious situation? Regardless, you can safely assume the best surgeons, barristers, mechanics will tend to be more expensive. This is Economics 101. Of course, this only applies to rational labour markets. So, if an employer makes an irrational decision to pay exorbitant wages to a worker who has no skills then, for sure, high wage does not equate to high quality (eg the NRL players who were recruited to play AFL).
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Nemesis If only throwing money at something ensured quality outcomes - then we'd have no issues with our public health system.
Perry Bridge
Guest
SVB - It's interesting though - seeing how our athletes go on the world stage. With the debate again raised about govt investment in the search for gold. The irony was that most of those burdened with expectation failed to live up to it (not so much winning gold but missing their PB's by a way as well). Kim Brennan (nee Crow) was a clear exception - she was amazing. Kyle Chalmers was a breath of fresh air - more so because he hadn't been bashing away at swimming since the age of 6 - for him, it was a sport picked up to keep fit for footy. ]Warning - tongue in cheek comment to follow] Given the Brennan is the daughter of a VFL player from the 70s/80s - and Chalmers son of a former AFL player too - - perhaps were Govt to legislate the end of AFL and force all those players into the Olympic sports then perhaps we'd be dominating. Cam Baird (posth VC) was a likely AFL player before being injured and joining the military - so, clearly our military strength is suffering due to the AFL!! But how much of that which marks us unique would be lost in doing so. Does playing AFL isolate us from the rest of the world? Yes - in many respects it does - however, it hasn't prevented Australia being a top 32 (making the FIFA WC) soccer side, being world #1 in cricket, having Grand Slam winning tennis players, winning Olympic medals etc etc. And - were the good folk at Tourism Australia up in Sydney to actually embrace some of what makes us unique then we might see AFL less of an isolation and more of an attraction. Personally I've got international contacts and experiences related to Australian Football that most AFL fans have zero comprehension of. Like many things - you get out what you put in.
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Sydneysider - Thanks for your measured response. Ironically - when we in Melbourne watch the cricket or other sports on Channel 9 they invariably make cross references to their NRL coverage. That's networking at play - and Ch.9 re the NRL and Ch.7 re AFL have made huge investments by Australian standards so it's something we have to live with. Recall when channel 10 was broadcasting AFL they managed to get Australian Idol contestants singing at the AFL Grand FInal!!!! AFL dominates Melb, Ade and Perth however - it still hands over the keys to major shared venues for cricket to take up residency (and this happens at grass roots levels too) for the cricket seasons. As it is - cricket is no longer constrained to Nov-March but certainly cricket dominates these markets for a good time. The Melb market will shortly move focus to horse racing which has clean air for most of October up to the Melb Cup week when it peaks. In England - there's very little clean air - and when soccer takes a break the cricket, Wimbledon and anything else have to bob up and breath very, very deeply indeed. "The cringe is annoying" - for me, this is in general the Australian cringe. It seems to be related to a lack of identity and a desperate desire to keep proving ourselves (to someone, for something). The eternal search for happiness which is never satisfied and the irony is upon reflection we realise how much contentment we could have been happy with.
Martyn
Guest
Is not ignorance at all. In fact calling sport lovers ignorant for not attending is un Australian. It's a good barometer of a sports popularity.
Nemesis
Guest
If you're ranking quality of sport based on average crowds you don't deserve any attention on a sports forum. Quality of football is very subjective but, if markets are deregulated and there is reasonably free movement of workers across borders, then a reasonable metric to objectively rank quality would be to rank the average salary of workers. The A-League average salary is around $120,000 per annum. That would not rank in the Top 30 leagues of the world. But, the league is only 11 years old, so this is not a criticism. It's just a fact of operating in a global economy. Only Australians would suggest "average crowd" is a way to rank sport. Unbelievable ignorance.
Perry Bridge
Guest
The A-League generally sits around 15th in average attendances for Association Football leagues world wide. I'm not such what that suggests more about. And in doing so - on a table of outdoor field sports it is place behind (in Australia) the AFL, BBL, Superleague(*) and NRL. So, on attendances a global top 15 is #5 in it's own homeland. Does this satisfy you query? If not - then feel free to discuss further. Sure - perhaps on other metrics it's well off - however - this isn't imaginary. And perhaps it is an Australian phenomenon that people are probably overly focussed on sport (as distinct to politics, civil war, religion, snow/ice sports etc) such that a multi sports focus site such as theRoar is actually going okay. Get over it - THIS IS Australia. #Cousin Claudio: Due to budget cuts in AUstralia you'll often see non sports specific commentators with special comments experts. It's simple then for someone to have a slip of the tongue on a players name - no matter how famous. Especially commentators who have been around 30 or 40 years. I still get amazed by 'Bruce' and his capacity to get up for Olympics after Olympics and seemingly get it right. #Matt Barry You're correct - any article on international AFL or overseas article referencing AFL will attract a bunch of NRL boofheads claiming AFL to be soft and Soccer boofheads claiming it's not 'football'. But - on your point of 'code war baiting articles' - you are so very correct such that if certain posters didn't exist then it would actually be necessary to invent them!!
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
How can you call yourself a professional sports commentator in Australia and pretend you don't know Cahill's first name is Tim and then call him Darren Cahill? Especially since Darren Cahill hasn't played professional, tennis for over 20 years. Channel 9 News Sports commentator Ken Suttcliffe would know who Tim Cahill is. Most Australians know who Tim Cahill is.
Sydneysider
Guest
Spot on SVB. Ive been watching the Paralympics on 7Two the last few nights and some of the stories from them are mind blowing. Google these guys: Former F1 and Indy Car driver Alex Zanardi winning back to back gold in the hand-cycling time trial. Former combat engineer Curtis McGrath who has made the final of 200m KL2 Sprint para-canoe. Extraordinary stories... unbelievable human beings.
Maxirius Insight
Roar Rookie
Do soccer fans in other countries lose their bundle at questions on game shows and when the telly gets a star players first name wrong? Or is that just an Australian phenomenon as well? Can't talk for the handful of others who took umbrage at this article (I'm sure like every on line sporting community the Football TAB on the Roar has a few perennial trolls) but I like and am interested in soccer (I call it soccer) and I like and respect Postecoglou. Just because you have a massive chip on your shoulder and aversion to all the other football codes doesn't mean you own the game. And, of course, you're probably a hypocrite. I searched Roar for "international AFL" and did a quick survey of a few articles. Everyone one of them descended into a code war with soccer mono-maniacs leading the charge. Ultimately though, if the Football TAB is pocked with code-war baiting articles at any one period of time then you can probably expect a bit of code-war traffic
SVB
Guest
"I actually don’t believe Australia doing well in a FIFA WC will deliver anything extra to Australia – – why should it? Does finishing top 10 or top 5 in the Olympics?" This is really subjective. A lot of people like to see how our athletes go on the world stage. Simple as that. They enjoy seeing them perform against others, and measuring themselves to see how we go. It's also the concentration of nations in events like these, that make them a huge spectacle and occasion. There is an atmosphere. Just because you don't get or like it, doesn't mean others have to endure your moans and complaints. All sport is really a competition, and the benefit is in simply seeing the competition and enjoying it. Hopefully someone inspired by the Olympics picks up a hockey stick or some swimming goggles and takes up a sport. That's another benefit. Kids playing sport. What does playing AFL and isolating ourselves from the rest of the world do? One can ask that question. But maybe some people like that. I don't. I prefer reaching out into other areas and experiencing competition from elsewhere. But if you enjoy that, then good for you. It's all subjective in the end.
Sydneysider
Guest
Nice work Perry. Yes I don't hold that view about us doing well in futbol delivering us extra benefit as a nation. Being from Sydney, we don't experience that domination that AFL holds over your city (I'm assuming you are from Melbourne). "The cringe is annoying." I'm assuming you say that the cringe comes from people who don't like AFL (especially soccer fans)? I don't find the game cringeworthy. I do cringe with the constant cross referencing in the media at the Olympics and other big sportng events with anything to do with AFL. It's not required. Maybe in the states their sports commentators cross-reference the NFL when covering the Olympics and other sporting events... maybe they don't. I don't know. Anyway, no disrespect to you but Sydney (and Brisbane/Queensland) is different to Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. AFL doesn't dominate the sporting or news headlines. "I’m thankful that soccer doesn’t dominate 10 months of the year as it does in England. There is more to life in Australia." I can understand your point there, however, conversely, AFL dominating the Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth city and media isn't something I would enjoy if I lived in those cities.
Nemesis
Guest
On what imaginary land of delusion is "A-League a top 15 soccer comp on world standards"? Utter nonsense that can only be explained by a complete ignorance of global football leagues. It's an Australian phenomenon (I never noticed it when I lived outside Australia) for people who don't nothing about football think they have all the answers for football issues. In foreign countries people who don't follow football, focus on things they actually like. In Australia, people who don't have interest in Football, join The Roar football forum every day.
Perry Bridge
Guest
I actually don't believe Australia doing well in a FIFA WC will deliver anything extra to Australia - - why should it? Does finishing top 10 or top 5 in the Olympics? What Australia needs to be careful about is trying to be 'just another nation' - - because we aren't. Certainly in economic market size we are insignificant and can't sustain an auto manufacturing industry. Were Australia NOT home to the AFL and NRL then don't believe for a minute that soccer would automatically absorb all the slack - because that ignores the cultural heritage of especially AFL (dating Aust Football back to 1858) and the culture impact of the Sydney-Melbourne rivalry that has delivered Australia this footballing landscape. The fact that the A-League is a top 15 soccer comp on world standards an yet comes in 3rd or 4th behind RU or ahead of RU in Australia is an example of the concentration of global soccer talent/money consumed within the top half dozen leagues. Australia could never compete on that 'stage'. Cricket has been different up to this new era of T20 'leagues'. The cringe is annoying. Australia has much that is great, both positively and negatively (history). What annoys me is people wishing Australia to be more 'watered down' - - I'm thankful that soccer doesn't dominate 10 months of the year as it does in England. There is more to life in Australia. Perhaps though we can learn from the Brits and run a national lottery to fund Olympic gold hunting. But - I still ponder just how Australia doing well in a FIFA WC is supposed to benefit Australia as a nation?? Perhaps it's seen as the best way to leverage ourselves into the consciousness of nations who have such a single focus sporting view that it's their ignorance that we are hoping to appeal to - - which to me is cringe worthy. Race to the bottom stuff.
Maxirius
Guest
Thanks pacman, me inserting 30 words into you post to subtlety twist your response was rather clever I agree Alternatively, it is im sure perfectly uncringeworthy and post inferiority complex to relate your wife's 1970's ignorance of soccer to world affairs and to assert that Australia doing well at a soccer World Cup will gain us more recognition and respect than everything!
Maxirius
Guest
Martyn, presumably a-league is even less professional than the afl.....or otherwise (after reading bondy's response), it is still professional cos in the same code, yet far far away, Ronaldo earns $80million at real....basically if you kick a round ball rather than an oval one you're a pro cos of Ronaldo and Messi...I know., I'm finding this confusing as well....cheers pal