New Socceroo Coach

[GaylyColouredStumps]

Graham Arnold's odds are shortening

[Steve#4]

He would be my pick...We haven't got the skill to compete in Brazil so good old Okka Nationalism is our only hope to be at least competitive...

[bapa]

He would be my pick...We haven't got the skill to compete in Brazil so good old Okka Nationalism is our only hope to be at least competitive...

oh no!

[Steve#4]

oh yes

[adelaidebloke]

being announced now me thinks!!

[Knight15]

oh yes

That's us agreed twice in one week, when Arnold took over from Guus, he was on a hiding to nothing, what he has done with CCM and a tiny budget has been unbelievable, personally I would be delighted if it was Arnold. Ange despite doing very well, has had far more to work with than Arnold

[adelaidebloke]

ange wll get it

[Outlaw 2.0]

Without saying anything remotely outlandish, Ange Postecoglou sounded very much like the Socceroos coach-in-waiting on Thursday.

Football Federation Australian chairman Frank Lowy is determined to appoint a home-grown national coach and the Melbourne Victory boss is considered the red-hot favourite ahead of Central Coast's Graham Arnold and Western Sydney coach Tony Popovic.

The decision on who will replace German Holger Osieck - dumped unceremoniously after a second straight 6-0 drubbing - will be made as soon as next week.

And it seems increasingly likely that Postecoglou will get the nod.

He confirmed on Thursday that the FFA had been in contact with Victory powerbrokers, who would want significant compensation were they to lose a coach with two years remaining on his contract.

Postecoglou ruled out the prospect of combining the club and country coaching posts in the lead-up to the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.

"I tend to throw myself into whatever I do and they are both enormous jobs," Postecoglou said.
"I don't think you should take short cuts or half measures with either job.
"It would be a massive honour but as I sit right now, I'm coaching the Melbourne Victory and really focusing on tomorrow night's game (against Adelaide United)."

Osieck was sacked after the Socceroos suffered a 6-0 hiding against France in Paris last week - a month after being belted by the same scoreline by Brazil.

Interim Australian coach Aurelio Vidmar took charge for a face-saving 3-0 win against lowly-ranked Canada in London on Tuesday night, but is not in contention for the fulltime job.

"It's pretty hard to say from the outside but I reckon there were some promising signs," said Postecoglou.
"I know it was Canada but it was good to see Matthew Leckie score.
"I thought Dario Vidosic had a game and Rhys Williams looked promising."

Both Postecoglou and the Socceroos' most-recent fulltime homegrown coach Frank Farina - who held the job for six years from 1999-2005 - said it was a good thing that the FFA was thinking local after eight years with Dutchmen Guus Hiddink and Pim Verbeek and Germany's Osieck at the helm.

But Farina was unsurprised he was not listed among the contenders this time around.
"I had six years and I think the body is still a bit too warm to even be reconsidered for that," he said.
"I've got a big enough task here with Sydney FC, it's a huge club with huge demands, so I've got enough in my plate."

Postecoglou took it as a compliment to the growing standards of the A-League.
"You look at some other countries who struggle to get homegrown coaches to coach their national team," he said.
"I've got no doubt that as the league keeps growing we'll have more young and aspiring coaches or coaches who deserve a spot."
If Postecoglou gets the Socceroos job, Kevin Muscat looms as his likely replacement at the Victory.
"Kevin would be among a number of many young coaches around the country who will eventually get an opportunity to coach," he said.
"We saw it with Tony Popovic last year, when he got an opportunity to coach.
"The game is growing and it's my belief that there are more than just eight or nine good coaches in this country. "But Kevin Muscat has been an important part of what we've done here, no doubt about it."

Postecoglou coached South Melbourne to two championships in the old NSL, led Brisbane Roar to back-to-back A-League titles and took the Victory to the preliminary final in his first year at the helm.

[mike17]

id prefer arnie over ange coz he has a better attitude

i think the ffa likes popovic but he needs to stay at wsw



maybe it will be a foreigner after all

[adelaidebloke]

would luv poppa nice and young and had overseas experience

[Bomber]

Holger got shafted. His job was to get them to the WC wasnt it? Mission accomplished.
If the FFA stated "we want you to develop a team for the long term future, regardless of short term results" then I have no doubt he may have approached his job differently and selected different/younger players during the qualifying campaign.
Makes me wonder if he was set up with these away to Brazil and France friendlies. Hmmmm.

[Stitch This]

being announced now me thinks!!

on the ball as usual

[Ga Pala]

Hope Ange gets it as I believe he has a bit more nous than Arnie who also has done a marvelous job at Mariners. what Ange did at Bris was remarkable and what he's building at Victory looks ominous. Victory will miss him big time and I don't think Muscat will make a great coach . It's time for an Aussie coach

[Wraith]

Holger got shafted. His job was to get them to the WC wasnt it? Mission accomplished.
If the FFA stated "we want you to develop a team for the long term future, regardless of short term results" then I have no doubt he may have approached his job differently and selected different/younger players during the qualifying campaign.
Makes me wonder if he was set up with these away to Brazil and France friendlies. Hmmmm.

Key component was to rejuvenate the squad.

[homer]

Ange gets the job but why a 5 year deal??

Stupid

[Bomber]

Ange gets the job but why a 5 year deal??

Stupid

Can only imagine there's a mandate to develop squad and virtually start fresh. Need at least 4 years to achive that for a "developing" football nation.

[Steve#4]

He just sent me this personalised letter so I thought I would share it with you all.......

To everyone in the Football Family can I say what an honour is to be named as coach of your team – the Socceroos.
It’s a huge responsibility because this team belongs to the country and the fans.

The players, coaches and staff have the privilege of representing the nation, and we should never forget it’s a privilege, not an entitlement. In recent times there has been debate that shows me the Socceroos really matter to so many Australians, who care passionately about the team.

The Socceroos have always reflected what it means to be an Australian. We represent the diversity of our nation. We fight for each other. We punch above our weight. We strive to reach global heights. We do it with spirit and purpose.

I see no reason why we can’t be successful. I don’t want to talk about “Golden Generations” and what might have been. My aim is to be successful and it will be the aim of everyone in the National team set up.

I want to work with the players to ensure the country unites behind the Socceroos at the World Cup in Brazil. Show them that we are representing our fans.

There is a need to balance a long term strategy with short term goals. We are preparing for a World Cup next year and an Asian Cup on home soil, but we must keep one eye on the next World Cup cycle.

I know that FFA has a strategic objective to make football the biggest and most popular sport in Australia. The Socceroos have a massive role to play in that.

Today is not the day to talk about individual players, team selection or tactics. I will say that the Socceroos need rejuvenation for the challenges ahead. Everyone knows that.

But first things first. We have a game in November against Costa Rica and then seven months to prepare for the World Cup. I look forward to seeing you at the forthcoming Socceroo match and around the football community.
Regards,
Ange Postecoglou
Head Coach of the Socceroos

[angk43]

Craig Foster V Ange P, 2013 Round 2, bring on the interview.


For those that were to young
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6u8LoGpvKk

[Kosta Utd]

Craig Foster V Ange P, 2013 Round 2, bring on the interview.


For those that were to young
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6u8LoGpvKk

will be an interesting 5 years of interviews ange has signed on for the job till after the 2018 world cup in Russia


OOOPPPAAAAAAAAA!!!

[Poltergeist]

ange has signed on for the job till after the 2018 world cup in Russia

That doesn't mean he'll be there for the full term.

[Kosta Utd]

absolutely correct in that but I have faith he will do well, might even go as far as to say he may be the best coach we have had

[Ga Pala]

I'm extremely happy with Ange's appointment as I believe he has the balls to make the tough decisions and get the team playing good flowing football.

[Football Fooligan]

I think Ange will do as good a job as any of the local guys, but anyone taking over at this late stage, without an international reputation will struggle to get the squad to believe he can win games in the World Cup Finals.

So as not to be all doom and gloom, here is my warped view on what is really FFA's agenda in appointing a local coach.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWZB3VYYyhA

If you like a laugh there's more (but shorter) on my site http://www.footballfooligans.com

Let me know what you think.