Australia’s Asian Cup capitulation raises big questions on how we coach junior players

The whole process of how we teach our young footballers in Australia has come under the microscope again in light of the Socceroos’ Asian Cup capitulation.

Australia's coach Graham Arnold speaks to his players during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup quarter-final football match between UAE and Australia at Hazaa bin Zayed Stadium in Al-Ain. Picture: Karim Sahib/AFP

FoxSports pundit Mark Bosnich suggested this week that we should use the Jets versus Kashima Antlers ACL game as a template for our coaching philosophy here in Australia.

The Newcastle team lost 4-1 on Tuesday night and was completely outclassed by a team yet to kick off its home season.

The Japanese side was, technically, far superior to its Australian opponent — its ball movement and speed, its effectiveness in one-on-one situations and ability to play in tight areas were the attributes Bozza was on about.

The upshot of Bozza’s point of view was that football in Australia had fallen behind the rest of Asia.

That was evident in the recent Asian Cup won by Qatar, when the Socceroos bombed out in the quarter-finals and were put to the sword by what we used to consider inferior opposition — the likes of Jordan, Uzbekistan and the UAE.

Milos Degenek of Australia looks dejected after the AFC Asian Cup quarter final match loss to United Arab Emirates. Picture: Getty Images

Play smaller five-a-side games, said Boz, to improve touch and game awareness.

He’s got a point. The great Liverpool team of the 1980s pretty much played five-a-sides for training most days.

Sure, it had tactical sessions, but the emphasis was on the unstructured training that small-sided games provided for the acquisition of football intelligence, better technique and decision-making.

The whole process of how we teach our youngsters in Australia has come under the microscope again in light of our Asian Cup capitulation.

The validity of the much-heralded National Curriculum has been questioned almost to the point of extinction and the way we develop coaches is also in the firing line.

At present, Australian football does not have a technical director … someone responsible for the development of the game across all levels. The previous TD, Belgian Eric Abrahms, left in unexplained circumstances in July.

Some liked him, some didn’t. Some thought him capable. Again, some didn’t. He had replaced Dutchman Han Berger, who was in the job for five years and the man behind the rollout of the much vaunted “Curriculum’’.

Before him was Rob Baan, another Dutchmen who had been recommended by Guss Hiddink, the ‘‘gun-for-hire’’ coach who got us to the World Cup finals in 06 and began the hierarchy’s love affair with all things Dutch in regard to football expertise.

Awer Mabil of Australia reacts after his team lose the AFC Asian Cup quarter final match to United Arab Emirates. Picture: Francois Nel/Getty Images

It sort of worked — at the time. Now, a decade and a bit down the track, everyone is questioning the whole process.

Why? Because we aren’t producing players like we used to, yet we now have a serious, professional competition in place and many more kids playing the game.

So, you’ve got to question if we went the wrong way about it in the first place?

The FFA has apparently been on the hunt for a TD since Abrahm’s departure.

I heard it was down to a short list a couple of months back. There was mention of someone from Iceland, then it went quiet. But I heard it mentioned again just the other day.

What, if we go down this path, does Australian football have in common with Icelandic football?

Why not look locally? Why not put a team together of Aussie coaches, who understand the game here, to oversee its development?

And why not put Ron Smith in charge. The same Ron Smith who built and ran the football program since its inception at the AIS for more than 20 years and produced some of our best players.

I understand he got a call from the FFA in November and nothing since.

Apart from Smith, there is ample talent here to get the job done and ease the need for a highly paid expert from overseas to waste a couple of years getting to know the landscape or, worse still, be advised by the existing hierarchy that will be working hard to keep its seat on the gravy train.

If you need any proof Smith’s the man for the job, just look at how many of his AIS graduates are coaching or have coached in the A-league.

Originally published as Australia’s Asian Cup capitulation raises big questions on how we coach junior players