The value of foreign-developed players: What Football Australia can learn from Morocco for Socceroos success
Morocco is not the only nation to find success with a large contingent of foreign-developed players - and the Socceroos can join that list.
The mood among the Australian football public is sombre. The joy of World Cup qualification has been replaced by the realisation we now have to take our team up against not just the best in Asia, but the best in the world.
And they will be taking no prisoners.
We have landed our man in Ange Postecoglou. Les Murray yesterday tweeted a lack of envy for our newest Socceroos coach – a sentiment no doubt held by many.
Despite the lack of optimism (which I share) around our chances in Brazil and perhaps even in the 2015 Asian Cup, now is the time we should indulge in celebrating a small, but important, milestone – the fact an Australian has been appointed as coach of the Socceroos.
Not only is he Australian, but he is a worthy candidate with a proven track record who was appointed on merit, with two other Australians also in contention for the job.
Boy we have come a long way!
Postecoglou has his work cut out for him, and only time will tell if he can re-invigorate the Socceroos throughout the course of his five year contract.
However all that lies in the future. In the present we have further evidence that the vision set out for football in this country is bearing fruit.
The A-League has produced its first Socceroos coach, with other candidates in the wings and plenty more waiting to get their opportunities at club level over coming years.
We now have a new era to look forward to and a place at the world’s biggest ever celebration of football.
Wins will be hard to come by in Brazil, but with the world’s largest stage waiting for an Australian manager to take charge of an Australian team for Australian fans – it feels like a victory worth celebrating.
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Morocco is not the only nation to find success with a large contingent of foreign-developed players - and the Socceroos can join that list.
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What if we celebrated all of the achievements big and small, and weeded out those hell-bent on bringing down a game that is doing a hell of a lot right?