Postecoglou urges Aussies to show belief

National coach Ange Postecoglou said that the Socceroos' first major honour in their history should make the football family in this country show belief in the qualities of Australian football.

Ange Postecoglou Socceroos

Massimo Luongo, front right, takes a 'selfie' for the ages (AAP)

Speaking after the Socceroos beat Korea Republic 2-1 after extra-time in a compelling final to lift the AFC Asian Cup, Postecoglou said that football people in general should remove any remnants of the inferiority complex that has held the game back.

Australia can justifiably claim to be the number one country in Asia after Western Sydney Wanderers won the AFC Champions League by beating Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal three months ago.

"I really hope that this victory will make people believe in our game," Postecoglou said.

"I believe that this (victory) was important.

"From the moment I took the job I hoped that we would shed ourselves of this inferiority complex (whereby) Australian footballers can do only certain things and play only in a certain way.

"I never believed that and neither do Australian coaches.

"I put myself in that bracket. Because I'm an Australian coach I am limited in what I can do and every time I coach I'm up against somebody who is supposedly smarter and better than me because they are from overseas.

"This happens with Australian coaches, staff and players. I've said it from day one: we won't take a backward step to anyone.

"We do not do it with any other sport and there is no reason we should do it in football.

"We might fall and stumble along the way and people might perceive certain failures but we won't back down to anyone.

"There are some great Australian coaches, Graham Arnold is one.

"I hope after myself, the national coach is an Australian and we start backing ourselves a bit more."

Postecoglou, who took Brisbane Roar to two straight A-League titles in 2011 and 2012, became Socceroos coach 14 months ago and has transformed an ageing and tired side lacking ideas into a young and vibrant outfit that promises to provide fans with plenty of thrilling moments in the next few years.

"I thought it was a beautiful game," Postecoglou said when it was suggested to him that the Socceroos had grafted their way to victory.

"It's what football is all about. Two teams went out, giving everything they've got because they know what's on the line and neither took a backward step.

"Credit to Korea, they came at us and we went back at them. We scored our goal and had to defend really well.

"You cop a goal in the last minute and that would break most teams but we got ourselves off the floor.

"We knew we had it in us in extra-time. To be champions you have to display a whole range of qualities and today was about courage and belief and conviction in what we're doing.

"I doubt if there would be an Aussie who would go to sleep too easily thinking about that game."

Midfielder Mark Milligan pulled up sore after playing a key role in Australia's titanic victory.

He started the match in his usual midfield role but had to become right-back after Ivan Franjic went off injured in the 74th minute.

"I'm relieved but very sore," the Melbourne Victory captain said.

"My hamstrings are very sore after 120 minutes against a very good side that pushed us all the way.

"The whole tournament, we stuck to our guns and played a certain type of football even when we went one-nil up.

"We kept our possession-based game going.

"Even after they scored in the last minute we were confident in our fitness levels and that we could run over them.

"We have a massive belief in what we are trying to do."


Share
Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España, Dakar Rally, World Athletics / ISU Championships (and more) via SBS On Demand – your free live streaming and catch-up service. Read more about Sport
Have a story or comment? Contact Us

Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España, Dakar Rally, World Athletics / ISU Championships (and more) via SBS On Demand – your free live streaming and catch-up service.
Watch nowOn Demand
Follow SBS Sport
4 min read
Published 1 February 2015 9:26am
Updated 1 February 2015 1:31pm
By Philip Micallef
Source: SBS

Share this with family and friends