New Socceroos coach Bert van Marwijk attracted to job by sports culture and special mentality
NEW Socceroos coach Bert van Marwijk declared that ‘Operation France – June 16’ was his sole focus, adding he wouldn’t be here if a Round of 16 World Cup berth was unrealistic.
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NEW Socceroos coach Bert van Marwijk declared that ‘Operation France – June 16’ was his sole focus, adding he wouldn’t be here if a Round of 16 World Cup berth was unrealistic.
The 2010 World Cup final coach was introduced to the Australian media at Football Federation Australia’s Sydney office only hours after he arrived from the Netherlands.
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Van Marwijk, 65, was named Ange Postecoglou’s successor five months after he led Saudi Arabia to direct World Cup qualification ahead of the Socceroos in their Asian qualifying group.
The Dutchman confirmed he had no interest in coaching Australia beyond Russia 2018, paving the way for Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold, 54, to take over.
Van Marwijk said the World Cup and Australia’s opening game against France in Kazan on June 16 were all that mattered now.
“For me at this moment, there is only one thing that counts and it’s the first game,’’ Van Marwijk said.
“My experience is that they (the Socceroos) can play football and they try to play. They are strong, physically strong.
“The challenge is to let them play in a way that we have more chance to win games, for example against France.
“That is very difficult, but France also played a draw at home against Luxembourg and lost in Sweden.
“It’s a very big challenge to get a good result in the first game.
“I go to the World Cup with only one thing that counts — (that) is to survive the first round.
“Nobody has to tell me it’s difficult, because our opponents are good countries.
“I have confidence that we will have a good time. If I didn’t have confidence (of getting to the knockout stage), I wouldn’t be sitting here.
“It will not be easy. I said this with Holland also — maybe we don’t have the best players, but we can be the best team. When you have a good team and the players know what to do and they trust each other and us and you play in a modern way.”
Van Marwijk said money wasn’t a factor in taking the Socceroos job, revealing he had rejected offers to rejoin Saudi Arabia without talking finances.
He said the chance to coach at a World Cup, the Socceroos’ “mentality” and meticulous Russia 2018 preparations made it appealing.
“The mentality of Australia and the sports culture is special and I (wanted to) go to the World (Cup). So that’s a good combination,’’ he said.
The former Feyenoord, Borussia Dortmund and Hamburg coach said he had good intelligence on the Socceroos from Saudi Arabia’s two matches against them in 2016 and 2017, but coaching the Australian team was a completely different dynamic.
Friendlies against Norway and Colombia in Europe next month will be his only chance to have the players in camp before he picks his extended World Cup squad on May 14.
“It’s important to get to know the players as soon as possible and their qualities,’’ Van Marwijk said.
“I know a lot of players. I played against you twice (in qualifiers) and we did lots of analysis, but I have to learn better. It’s a big challenge, especially because we have not so much time.’’
Originally published as New Socceroos coach Bert van Marwijk attracted to job by sports culture and special mentality