Why Ange Postecoglou can deliver a World Cup miracle for Socceroos

ANGE Postecoglou has pulled plenty of rabbits out of his hat during his coaching career and the magician’s hat will be packed with tricks on Tuesday night.

Ange celebrates winning the A-League title with the Roar. Picture: England Darren

ANGE Postecoglou has engineered plenty of great escapes in his coaching career.

So would it be a surprise if he pulled another rabbit out of the hat on Tuesday?

Everyone remembers Brisbane’s remarkable comeback in the 2010-11 A-League grand final — down two goals in extra time against Central Coast, only to score twice in the last three minutes and then win on penalties.

Postecoglou looking relaxed ahead of the Thailand clash.

Fast forward 12 months and Roar trails Perth going into the final 10 minutes of the decider only for Besart Berisha to score twice to win the championship.

Don’t forget two nail-biting NSL grand final wins for South Melbourne, either.

Postecoglou brought Con Boutsianis on in the 85th minute of the 1997-98 final against Carlton with the scores locked at 1-1 before the striker delivered the match-winning goal just two minutes later.

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A year later South held on to beat Sydney United 3-2 to go back to back.

And then of course you have the 2015 Asian Cup.

There were doubts aplenty surrounding the team leading into the tournament considering the lean run of results in the six months prior and then in the group stage the Socceroos lost to South Korea.

Ange celebrates winning the A-League title with the Roar. Picture: England Darren

In the final itself the Aussies had victory taken from it in second half injury time, only for Postecoglou to rouse the troops for extra time, with two substitutes — Tomi Juric setting up James Troisi — combining for the winning goal.

Has Postecoglou made every post a winner? No.

His infamous Young Socceroos stint ended in non-qualification for the 2007 under-20 World Cup, Melbourne Victory was bundled out of the 2012-13 season in the preliminary finals, while there are plenty of different ways you can analyse the 2014 World Cup campaign - no points, but plucky performances against Chile and the Netherlands.

But Postecoglou has never failed in a grand final.

Tuesday’s clash against Thailand at AAMI Park is a virtual grand final in so far as where this qualification phase sits for the Socceroos.

The lead-up clash against Japan was far from perfect and the howls of discontent are growing ever louder.

But you just get the feeling that, when the world starts to close in, that is when Postecoglou comes into his own.

And the magician’s hat will be packed.

Originally published as Why Ange Postecoglou can deliver a World Cup miracle for Socceroos