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The rise of Australian coaches.

SR1968

SR1968

Academy Recruit
Joined
Oct 20, 2024
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22
In the past Australia had to rely on foreign coaches to get us to the World Cup, the most notable example was Guus Hiddink back in 2005/6, but with the last three successful campaigns ie. 2018, 2022 & 2026, an Australian coach got us there, which means our local coaches are getting better.

Ange Postecoglou did a great job with South Melbourne (NSL), and with both Brisbane and Melbourne Victory (A-League), won the Asian Cup in 2015, and got the Socceroos to successfully qualify for the 2018 World Cup via the intercontinental play off.

Graham Arnold also did a great job in the A-League, and did well to get the Socceroos to qualify for the 2022 World Cup by successfully getting the Socceroos to qualify via two sudden death qualifiers.

And of course we now have Tony Popovic, another great A-League coach who turned successfully turned around the Socceroos World Cup qualifying campaign, after the embarrassing defeat to Bahrain.
 
As far as the ALM goes there's not that much to look at. Vidmar might be able to coach the national team but that's about it. Talay has a good eye for youth but so does Vidmar.
 
A number of decent ones for their respective level overseas too. Not world champs but highly respected in their realm.
 
Also if Graham Arnold can get this Iraq side to the world cup which is likely and get results i think he could do more with club football.
 
A lot of the super coaches were players developed in the late era of the nsl.

It will be interesting to see if we keep producing really good coaches or if its just another manisfestion of some of the special talent we had in that generation

Will know in a few years when the first a league era players become coaches if any reach similar heights
 
grazorblade said:
A lot of the super coaches were players developed in the late era of the nsl.

It will be interesting to see if we keep producing really good coaches or if its just another manisfestion of some of the special talent we had in that generation

Will know in a few years when the first a league era players become coaches if any reach similar heights
Click to expand...
christ that means Corica may be next in line being ex Marconi player.

Nonetheless agree its good to see we have advanced with gaffas who all have NSL foundations, says the train wreck league so many are negative about is still delivering.
 
grazorblade said:
A lot of the super coaches were players developed in the late era of the nsl.

It will be interesting to see if we keep producing really good coaches or if its just another manisfestion of some of the special talent we had in that generation

Will know in a few years when the first a league era players become coaches if any reach similar heights
Click to expand...
That is just generational at the point. NSL era players are still the ones of age to be coaches. I think Mark Milligan might be the first of an Aleague generation to come through?

Similar to youth development, I would expect a bit of a lost generation from the end of the NSL / start of the Aleague period. The start of the Aleague was pretty awful tactically wise.
 
well Milligan is a Melita Eagles youth player, Bankstown local, followed by stints at Northern Spirit, Blacktown City.
His inspirations would have been NSL players - just saying CS.
True about generational and his age group would be near the last.
 
Yeah will be a decade before we know how the a leagie goes at producingcoaching talent
 
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One new name in the running is former Hartlepool United head coach Anthony Limbrick. The Australian had a very brief spell at Pools earlier this year alongside former Boro boss Lennie Lawrence.
 
SR1968 said:
In the past Australia had to rely on foreign coaches to get us to the World Cup, the most notable example was Guus Hiddink back in 2005/6, but with the last three successful campaigns ie. 2018, 2022 & 2026, an Australian coach got us there, which means our local coaches are getting better.

Ange Postecoglou did a great job with South Melbourne (NSL), and with both Brisbane and Melbourne Victory (A-League), won the Asian Cup in 2015, and got the Socceroos to successfully qualify for the 2018 World Cup via the intercontinental play off.

Graham Arnold also did a great job in the A-League, and did well to get the Socceroos to qualify for the 2022 World Cup by successfully getting the Socceroos to qualify via two sudden death qualifiers.

And of course we now have Tony Popovic, another great A-League coach who turned successfully turned around the Socceroos World Cup qualifying campaign, after the embarrassing defeat to Bahrain.
Click to expand...
Good thread topic, SR.

Thanks for starting it.

I'm also pleased to see you show appreciation of Tony Popovic, who I think has had far too much criticism on this forum given the exceptional results of his Soccroo tenure to date. As I'm accruing more match stats in the Japan game in Perth, hence slowing the game down, he has implemented some masterful tactics that go way above the heads of most of us as we look at his games live. Popa is a very, very shrewd coach.

We have very few pro head coach gigs in Aus. If one adds AL assistant coaches and underage coaches of national teams, it creates a few more pro coaching positions, not to mention the women's game.

I was quite interested to read Aurelio Vidmar's CV. Of course he got AU to an Asian Champ League final, playing counter attacking football early in his career. He spent a lot of time being mentored by Pim.

Then he had a few national team underage jobs. I think he was an Ange assistant at the Asian Cup triumph?

Then AV went to Thailand and had quite a few coaching gigs there in the Thai pro league. Before one evaluates the Thai league standard, I note that Burinam seems to be doing well in ACL comps.

I think Vidmar has quite a few seasons in Thailand honing his craft away from the Aus spotlight. He might have had quantity of quality cattle at City, but he was also plagued with injury in the season to his experienced players. Aurelio did very well with the City youth players who stepped up. Obviously credit has to go to the Melb City academy coaches.

Most of the time City played what I define as quality football - expansive football with the ball. I'm glad to see him win the AL title with the style of football City played.
 
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