FootballNews

Australia national team coach Holger Osieck extolled the virtues of the open-minded Socceroos team in his first press conference since arriving in the country.

Only hours after touching down in Sydney to prepare the side for the forthcoming friendly international match against Paraguay at the Sydney Football Stadium on 9 October, Osieck lost no time in declaring that after two matches in charge of the Socceroos, he was looking forward to his four-year stint.

”I had an opportunity to watch the team play in Slovenia, but for that match I did so from a distance,” Osieck said.

”But for the games against Switzerland and Poland I had a chance to work with the players on the pitch and I got a good impression already.

”I was quite happy with what I could see and I really appreciated the open-mindedness of the players who were very receptive to my ideas of what I wanted down the road.

”I think the strengths of Australian players are pretty familiar to me.

”I followed Australian football when I worked for FIFA, particularly the Olympic team in 2004, the Socceroos team at the Confederations Cup in 2005 and through to the World Cup the following year so I have a fair picture of the potential of Australian football.

”I think the purpose of the two friendly matches (in Europe) has been fulfilled.

”I also look forward to having a look at the A-League players so that I get an idea of the potential of Australian football.”

Osieck reiterated Australia will do its utmost to do well in the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar in January.

The Socceroos have qualified for the blue riband event of Asian football and will play India, Korea Republic and Bahrain in Group C of the 16-team tournament.

”Apart from the Paraguay game next month and probably another international match in November, we will play United Arab Emirates in the days preceding the tournament that for us starts on 10 January. So there is no more time for rehearsals,” he said.

“I have talked to a few players and there is definitely a readiness to be involved but we have to consider that anything can happen in four months but I am glad to say that the basic commitment was obvious. This is very important to me because they showed me that they want to be there.

“We are not going to Qatar to have an enjoyable time. I am a very competitive person and so are the players.

”You have to set yourself a high target but I am not a dreamer. it also has to be achievable and we want to not only do well in Qatar but finish in the top positions.”

Osieck, who replaced Dutchman Pim Verbeek after the 2011 World Cup in South Africa, was contracted by Football Federation Australia for four years in a move designed to lead the Socceroos to the next World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

The move was seen as a great show of faith and confidence by the FFA in its new man at the Socceroos helm.

Osieck was asked if he felt privileged to be given plenty of time to do his job without the added pressure of instant results.

”Yes, I feel privileged to be in the position because I believe it is a great honour to be selected as a coach of such a huge country as Australia - and I mean it - but I do not share your view (of no pressure),” he quipped.

”My job might sound like a fairytale. It is to get Australia to the next World Cup and there will be a phase in between when new faces will have to be integrated into the team.

”There will be some restructuring but on the other hand we play games not only to try out players but also to produce.

”And I am not naive to think that if I bring in five excellent players in the next two years but in the meantime we won’t win a game, I’m not sure whether you would show the same kind of patience that you show right now.