When did you first become aware the Socceroos job was open and you’d have the possibility of taking the role?
We started talking in South Africa with Ben Buckley. We had an informal chat at first and we had follow-up discussion where they felt I could do the job.

What did they tell you about what the job would demand?
What the job demands is pretty obvious – to be successful and get Australia to the next World Cup. Another target was the Asian Cup. It is a great challenge and I’m going for it. 

You’ve made a very positive start to your Socceroos career and seem to be fostering an open and attacking approach to our play. What’s your footballing philosophy?
Discipline is a major factor in getting a team to work. Then it’s about how to put everything together. You have to get your defensive department right. And that is not just a matter of your back four, defence is a matter for the entire team. First you need to protect your goal, then you have gain possession of the ball when the opposition is attacking. But then what? Then the game starts. Once you’ve got possession of the ball you need to launch your own game. You need players who are constructive, who are solid and have decent technique. Not just shot-blockers and defensive players. That is my style. I always want people to be part of the build-up, to pass the ball, to call for the ball, to get involved and to carry on until you come to a finish. Teams should be like a working machine. There are a lot of options which decide a style of play and a lot depends on who plays, so you need to be flexible too.

What are your hopes for the Asian Cup?
We want to finish up in the top ranks. We would like to win and I know what it takes to win tournaments. You have to set realistic targets which are achievable. You also have to convince your players of this and I think my players have the same approach as me. 

You’ve got a choice: winning the Asian Cup with tried, tested, experienced Socceroos or putting in some positive displays with an unproven emerging set of players looking to gain experience...
You can never separate that, you have to combine it. No matter what players you produce, you will not get the recognition of the public unless you win games. You are not measured by the number of players you develop, you get measured by results. You cannot just go for the development, that is simply impossible.

Qualifying for the World Cup is more important than winning the Asian Cup, so are you conscious of blooding players at the Asian Cup?
I fully agree that World Cup qualification is on top of winning the Asian Cup. But why not do both?

We were one of the oldest teams at the 2010 World Cup. How are you going to transition us into the next generation?
Age is relative. Looking at our actual squad, even for our most recent squad against Paraguay, most of our players are not really old. What is old? If you are 29, 30 or 31 and are a good professional and your body is ready, then it is not a question of age.

It’s a common note that while Australian footballers have huge degrees of competitiveness and determination, that the technical side is sometimes lacking. What are you going to do in order to lift the country’s technical abilities?
When you generalise that is often when you’re incorrect. I’m working closely with Han Berger and I’m across the FFA’s National Curriculum which he set in place. That is all about focusing on the technical ability of young players and the players who go through that system with qualified coaches, then you are going to produce players who are technically sound.  

That National Football Curriculum you mention is partly based on playing a 4-3-3 formation. What do you make of that?
It is not a fixed system that you want to press everyone into. It is a system which assists with development, including say the ability to dribble for the wide players. It allows you to be flexible in the middle of the park where you can form triangles. It gives players a technical maturity when they are young. I don’t play a 4-3-3, I play a different system, but players who learn with that formation understand the demands of other formations a lot quicker and they are more versatile.

What’s going to be a standard day in your role then? How much is going to be Socceroos and how much the grassroots approach?
My first couple of weeks have been focused on the national team. I also want to get a good picture of the A-League, which I think is a very good institution in order to develop domestic talent. I will also go overseas to scout players, but I don’t need to scout players I know already. I don’t need to see Tim Cahill four times a month as I know what he can do and how important he is for the team. I don’t need to see Harry [Kewell], Mark [Schwarzer], or Lucas [Neill]. But there is definitely a group of younger players that I don’t really know and I will assess. Then when I have time I’ll attend a coaching course where I can give some recommendations there too.  

This article appeared in the December 2010 issue of FourFourTwo magazine. To buy back copies of this issue call 03-8317-8121 with a credit card to hand.