"It’s exactly 10.30,” says new Socceroos coach Holger Osiesk with a smile, as he taps his watch to let FourFourTwo know that the German, as you might expect, is precisely on time. 

Our meeting place for the first ever catch-up with the new man in charge is a stereotypical one, a Bavarian Bier Café, but it’s only a temporary location before we walk around to the restaurant on Sydney’s Manly Beach which will host our interview. “They do a great giant schnitzel on Tuesdays in that Bavarian Bier Café, ”adds Osieck, as we wander round on the sort of sun-drenched day the relocated European must be loving.

In the wake of an impressive result and, some would claim more importantly, an impressively open performance against Paraguay the previous weekend, Holger is relaxed, in good spirits and seemingly loving his new life in Australia.

While his predecessor Pim Verbeek had his time in the job defined by a few controversial comments (mainly around the A-League and the advantages of playing in Europe) that seemed to follow him everywhere, Osieck comes across as a man less likely to make such direct remarks.

Where Holger really shone in our interview was on more in-depth matters around the game and how he likes his teams to play. It’s understandable for a man with an incredible pedigree in technical development, most notably with FIFA.

There is plenty to discuss, from when Holger got the better of Guus Hiddink, to winning international titles with Canada to most importantly of all, what he plans to do with our beloved Socceroos... 

Holger, welcome to Australia! We’re delighted to have you here and we’re sure you’re going to do a fine job with our Socceroos. Take us back to your early coaching days and how you made the transition into life in the dugout?
I played football professionally in Germany, but I was also doing my university course at the time. 
I got my first coaching license when I was 21 and that gave me a taste for moving on to the next level. At first, 

Continued on next page...