The sense of achievement for football pervaded the air. Lots of ‘I told you so’ scarves and shirts were worn. Johnny Warren was talked about. I embraced and shared drinks with Rale Rasic, one of the great pioneers of our game when it was struggling for acceptance. Andre Krueger was there, a German from Hanover, who flew in for the occasion as probably the Socceroos’ biggest fan. What an experience for the man who fell in love with the Socceroos in 1974.
We who have been aficionados of football and undying promoters of it for many decades are grateful. We thank and congratulate Frank Lowy, the head of the tournament’s organisers, Michael Brown, and of course Ange Postecoglou. They, with their expertise and bravery, have made our dream come true.
Lowy’s bid to host this tournament has been risky and bold. Take a bow Michael Brown for the event’s seamless organisation and commercial success. And well done Ange for delivering on the field .
Socceroos success on the field is essentially nothing other than a source of pride for the nation. It is there where football makes us richer as a society.
Given its broad international relevance, we Australians all seek success in football so we may become truer citizens of the world.
The 2015 AFC Asian Cup, our successful hosting of it, and our ultimate victory in it, has consummated this international relevance. Nobody in Asia, a continent of two thirds of the world’s population, can now doubt this.
Critical in all this success has been the work of Ange Postecoglou and what he has delivered in barely more than a year. Obviously. You may host a big event, you may organise it well and you may get good crowds and TV ratings. But nothing can supplant the sweet feeling of on-field success and the sight of your national team captain lifting the trophy.
Let us remember where Postecoglou started in late 2013, with a blank sheet of paper and ahead of him barely in months the World Cup and the Asian Cup. In that period he has regenerated the team, given it a licence to play attacking football and won the Asian Cup. This is 10 out of 10.
As the coach said, this is not the end but maybe the end of the beginning to a long journey towards Russia in three years’ time. There is little time left to take a deep breath before the 2018 World Cup qualifiers kick off in June. What is most important in the Asian Cup performance for the Australians is that the team is ready for the long task ahead. It is young enough, ambitious enough and confident enough.
Young players have been discovered and have cemented their places as men of true international competitiveness, , Trent Sainsbury and Mat Ryan. That’s almost the spine of the team.
And what of Tim Cahill who remains the go-to man up front?
The shows that, at 35, he is still physically fresh enough to add value to any team. I have been a long advocate for regeneration and the blooding of young players. But in this case I would advocate keeping faith with Cahill for as long as his legs are able to provide. His vast experience and on-field leadership are priceless qualities not to be set aside.
The Asian Cup, above everything else, was a vehicle to get the Australia squad ready for the more important World Cup mission ahead. That has clearly been achieved and we can all sleep easy as we enter another World Cup cycle.
