JAPAN SIX, HONDURAS ZERO. THE EMPEROR STRIKES BACK?

Keisuke Honda gives the thumbs up

On Friday night Japan's Samurais thumped Honduras 6-0, in what was a welcome goal bonanza for the reigning Asian Cup champions. But was it a sign that the once mighty emperors of Asia had bounced back to their best? Surely a six goal drubbing in international football is a sign that something is drastically wrong with your opponent. Nevertheless, confirmation will soon come in Japan's next match, when they take on 2015 Asian Cup hosts Australia.

Australian fans know only too well the hidden truths that lie behind a 6-0 defeat. The Socceroos were victims of two in succession in 2013, when Brazil and then France thrashed an uninspiring and lazy Aussie outfit. Manager of the time Holger Osieck was under intense media scrutiny after qualifying the team for the World Cup, but not blooding enough youth players. 

Like Australia in 2013, Honduras are experiencing a rough patch. After a disastrous World Cup conceding eight goals and scoring one, the NAFFH signed Hernan Medford to manage the national team. Since then, Honduras have secured two wins from seven matches. Knocking off the might of Belize and Nicaragua. 

A humble manager, Javier Aguirre wasn't getting carried away after Japan's slaughter of Honduras. With an eye on the fixture list he said, "I want to take a good look at the 23 players I will take to the Asian Cup and want to beat Australia." At one stage in the Mexican's short reign it appeared the international career of Gamba Osaka's legendary midfielder Yasuhito Endo may have been over. But 'Yatto' was recalled on Friday night (along with Hasebe, Konno & Uchida), and unsurprisingly it coincided with a return to form for the Samurais.

Interestingly, Australia's first eleven is still very unsettled. In terms of squad the Socceroos have been hit with a wave of injuries since Ange Postecoglou's installment as manager, preventing the team from developing the cohesion that is required for his preferred style. In a tell tale sign of doubt during a Monday night press conference, Postecoglou said, "Regardless of what we do tomorrow night it’s all about the first game of the (Asian Cup) tournament."

In stark contrast, Aguirre said ahead of the Honduras and Australia friendlies, “These two games are not about what I can try out,  they’re about looking ahead to the Asian Cup and winning.”

So Osaka, the foodies capital is host to the Socceroos on Tuesday night. But it's more than likely  that Japan, with their reloaded (Brazil 2014) squad, will be making a meal out of the Aussies. 

THE PAINS OF POSTECOGLOU

After a World Cup tournament that saw the Socceroos exceed expectations, the mood around the national team was notably positive. But there are plenty of questions to be answered. Manager Ange Postecoglou was elected under a banner of 'better football', but with no concrete sign of that in Brazil, the Victorian has a limited time to implement his patented 'Roarcelona' style, if at all. After a fifth successive defeat and seven matches without a victory, the managerial honeymoon is about to end.

Socceroos manager Ange Postecoglou

While some hailed a brand new style in Brazil under the new gaffer, there were others including myself who failed to see any significant change. In the World Cup, Ange put his tactical ideologies aside in order to preserve national pride. The crossing and fewer passes completed provide evidence of that. But three losses from three didn't ring alarm bells for some pundits. Hence the familiar commiserative sentiments from overly positive types. Craig Foster's blog summarised the performance as, ". . . two close and competitive matches where Australia surprised many and gained a high level of respect and one football lesson." It's the phrase 'high level of respect' that has a familiar sound of satisfaction in defeat, that concerns me. As Robbie Slater's column in the Sunday Telegraph outlined today, punching above your weight and earning respect means nothing, unless combined with victory.  

The Socceroos have a limited time in preparation for the Asian Cup in January, and if Ange plans to implement the 'Roarcelona' style in that short period, he puts Australia's hopes in peril. Most alarming about a style revamp, is the timeline and ability to implement a football philosophy when your playing staff return to club outfits, that play in contrasting styles. Australia has a match against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday morning (5am AEST), and two listed for October against UAE and Qatar. These fixtures will provide evidence of the manager's intentions. With Australia expected to win all of those matches, Ange could be tempted to take the style over substance approach.

Public expectation is high, and the Asian Cup presents a situation diametrically opposed to the 2014 World Cup. The pressure is on, and players shouldn't feel compelled to play the ball out from the back if they're not capable. Fortunately, Postecoglou's Aussies have not mirrored his Brisbane Roar outfit. However, it's quite likely that the Roarcelona style is part of the 'Ange agenda'. With teams like Iran, whose style of pragmatism partnered with technical ability await, I'm crossing my fingers the manager puts style aside for now, and chooses trophies over ideology.  

SOCCEROOS: THE GOOD NEWS AND THE BAD NEWS

THE GOOD NEWS

The Socceroos - team photo Brazil 2014

For the Socceroos, Brazil 2014 has had a 'feel good factor' that can only be compared to Germany in 2006. Why are we feeling good? The media has united behind the team. England fans would envy the Socceroos outfit for the positively joyous coverage the young squad has received from the media. It's a totally different story to South Africa 2010 when the media savaged the team.

If we wind the clock back four years to the Socceroos camp in South Africa, life was very different. The 'professional' media were hungry with 'Pim Hate', and one journo even made South Africa the locale for his own 'Harry Hunt'. Contrastingly, barely a mention has been made of the selection of an unfit and injured Bresciano, or Jedinak's separate training sessions at this year's tournament. Good!

The team is in a good place mentally. Manager Ange Postecoglou has a lot to do with this. Postecoglou broke the mould with Brisbane Roar, when he steered the Queenslanders to two Championships and a record breaking 36 matches undefeated. Most notable though is the style of play that Postecoglou instills in his teams. It was so free flowing and fluid that Brisbane Roar earned the nickname, 'Roarcelona'.

THE BAD NEWS 

The bad news is Australia's team of international rookies faces Chile in their World Cup opener. Forget that they are ranked 48 places higher than Australia in FIFA's world rankings, and just check their style. They were so easy on the eye in South Africa (qualified for final 16), and results say La Roja have only improved since then. Chile have won five of their last seven matches, knocking off England 2-0 (at Wembley) and demolishing Costa Rica 4-0 along the way. Note that their striker Alexis Sanchez only plays for Barcelona.

Alexis Sanchez - Chile

The worst news for Australia is that we have a new central defencive pairing. On any other day Alex Wilkinson and Mathew Spiranovic would come under scrutiny as individuals, in regards to their capability against the world's best. In Brazil, the pair is standing alongside each other with the job of plugging holes and blocking shots from the likes of Sanchez, Van Persie and David Villa. The world cup opener is just the second time the two have played alongside each other.

Unfortunately the Socceroos are set to get a red hot taste of reality when Chile hits them tomorrow. As a usually optimistic fan of the Socceroos, I hope I'm stunningly wrong, but common sense tells us that raw enthusiasm and media support can't get you past the world's best.

Fingers crossed Australia.

HARRY'S HOPES FOR BRAZIL GET A BOOST

Harry Kewell - Melbourne Heart 2013/14

He's Australia's most celebrated soccer player, and though many wouldn't have believed it in 2001 it looks as though Harry Kewell will play in three World Cups. With Robbie Kruse's heart breaking ACL tear virtually ruling the 25 year old out of Brazil, Kewell's stocks took a boost. Now back from his own injury woes, there is a groundswell of support for the talisman. But he needs to convince one more man; Ange Postecoglou.

After failing to qualify for the 2002 World Cup, it seemed Harry Kewell would suffer the fate of so many great Aussie soccer players. The World Cup looked the impossible dream after Uruguay gave the Socceroos another taste of, 'so close yet so far'. However, Australia went on to reach the 2006 World Cup and 2010 World Cup with Harry Kewell playing a role on both occasions. Harry's late goal against Croatia sent Australia through to the knockout stage in Germany but his experience in South Africa was nightmarish. Brought down in the box against Ghana and ignored, he was later red carded for handball. Good and bad, Harry has seen it all, and the wealth of knowledge at his disposal can only benefit the youth around him.

Harry's chances of travelling to Brazil looked slim just over a month ago, when he had yet to complete 90 minutes for Melbourne Heart. But gradually Kewell has built up match fitness, and it's no coincidence that Melbourne Heart's on-field fortunes have taken a turn for the better since the return of Harry. Coinciding with Kewell's lift in form and game time was the devastating news of Robbie Kruse's ACL injury. The 25 year old attacker will need to perform a miracle to be ready by May 13th, when the preliminary 30 man squad is announced. The standard recovery time for ACL injuries is a minimum of six months before the individual can return to high impact activity that soccer involves, and Socceroos manager Ange Postecoglou is a staunch advocate of players with game time under their belt. This fact virtually rules Kruse out.

So it all comes down to Postecoglou. Is there some lingering discontent between Kewell and Postecoglou after Harry's departure from Melbourne Victory in 2012? Will the manager dig in stubbornly against the tide of momentum being built by Kewell's form, and advocates such as Slater and Harper? The two were heard in pre and post match discussions on Friday night (31st January), building the case for Harry, and with Australia's slated friendly with Ecuador set for March 5th, we will soon know if there are any skeletons in the closet.