Asian Cup 2015: Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou keen to impress home crowd

AFTER a horror run on the road, the Socceroos are looking forward to a warm home embrace when they walk out onto AAMI Park on Friday night.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 06: Australian Socceroos Coach Ange Postecoglou speaks to the media at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on January 6, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

AFTER a horror run on the road, the Socceroos are looking forward to a warm home embrace when they walk out onto AAMI Park on Friday night to open up their Asian Cup account.

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This will be just the Socceroos’ third game in Australia since Postecoglou took over 14 months ago, with the last match being the World Cup sendoff game last May.

Australia has won just two of 12 games (against Costa Rica and Saudi Arabia) since Postecoglou replaced Holger Osieck, but the new coach was confident the partisan home crowd would inspire his players against Kuwait.

“I’m looking forward to walking out and seeing the Aussie shirts and just feeling a bit of love,’’ Postecoglou said.

“It’s been a tough 12 months, we’ve been to places like Belgium, Japan, Middle East, the UK and it’s always nice when the majority of the crowd is behind you.

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“Once they walk out into a packed stadium of Australian supporters and see the green and gold in the stands, whatever words I’ve said will dissipate pretty quickly and that emotion will take them through.

“The last 12 months we’ve been on the road and put some pretty testing challenges in front of them.

“They’re gona feel some love tomorrow night and I’m hoping that takes them onto greater heights.’’

Postecoglou admitted it would be an emotional game for him, leading the Socceroos in the city where he was raised and cut his coaching teeth with NSL club South Melbourne in the 1990s.

“I’m looking forward to a bit of love as well,’’ he said.

“It’s my first home international because it’s the first time in my city.

“It will be special coaching in front of friends and family because the other two games have been in Sydney.’’

Originally published as Asian Cup 2015: Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou keen to impress home crowd