All Ange Postecoglou has done recently is talk about himself and his legacy

ALL Ange Postecoglou has done recently is talk about himself and his legacy but the thing is, no one cares. Just get the Socceroos to Russia and move on, writes Robbie Slater.

Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou speaks to media in Sydney, Tuesday, October 31, 2017. Postecoglou today announced the Socceroos squad for the upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup Intercontinental playoff against Honduras. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts) NO ARCHIVING

Australia face Honduras in the second leg of a do-or-die World Cup playoff tonight. Everything is on the line.

Two weeks ago, Robbie Slater wrote this column. Tonight we will find out Ange Postecoglou’s intentions.

SINCE the Syria games Ange Postecoglou, this nation’s coach, has made the conversation all about himself.

The reason why he’s done that, only he knows.

SOCCEROOS v HONDURAS: LIVE

But let’s make one thing clear — nobody cares what he does or where he is going after these games against Honduras.

His mission is quite simple, as it has been from the start, and that is to qualify us for Russia 2018. His continuous talk of a legacy seems obsessive.

“I know what my legacy is and it’s never going to be defined by one game or one result,” Postecoglou said during his press conference this week.

“There’s been calls to get me sacked. You know what? I’m still here and I won’t change who I am or what I believe. That will be my legacy.”

Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou is set to quit after these two matches

Surely it’s for others to decide what his legacy will be? All we need now is for the country to unite behind this coach and more importantly, the players. For they are the ones who are to complete the task ahead.

We know the first leg is crucial. It’s about being physically and mentally ready for the challenge and now we can finally talk about the players who will be involved.

Aaron Mooy has to start, in my opinion, especially with the absences of Mark Milligan, Mathew Leckie and possibly Robbie Kruse. Mile Jedinak hasn’t played much for Aston Villa, but with his experience he should just be thrown in.

The Syrian experience would have done the players and the whole group a world of good in that they know exactly what sudden death football is all about. But this will be harder; it’s a step above Syria.

In a two legged affair so much hinges on the result of the first leg. We’re lucky to have the first leg away from home, that’s exactly what you want. You would always prefer to play away first and we’ve got that significant advantage — get the result then bring them home.

Both teams have problems going into the game. As already mentioned the Socceroos will be without Milligan and Leckie, while Honduras are missing their star player Eddie Hernandez and captain Maynor Figueroa to suspension.

Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou leaves after speaking to media in Sydney

So both teams are missing crucial players but, similar to what we faced in Uruguay in 2005, we’re also going to have to deal with a hostile crowd. Each player is different and will handle the hostility differently, but I don’t imagine it being too much of a problem.

Then there’s the use of Timmy Cahill, but it’s touch and go to see if he recovers in time after rolling his ankle on Friday night. Goal scoring has been a massive problem and, let’s be honest, we wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for Cahill’s superhuman effort at home against Syria.

Much like the away game in Syria, I don’t expect Cahill to play much of a role in the first leg — that’s if he travels at all. The priority has to be to get him fit for the home leg.

Qualification in these kinds of two legged affairs comes in different ways. From my personal experience, when we played Canada away in 1993 we lost 2-1 in the first leg, but came home and ended up qualifying to play Argentina.

So we might draw or even lose to Honduras away, but whatever happens there’s always the second leg and that’s where, historically, we are very strong.

We also have the chartered plane, which is a massive advantage. It will allow the players to recover as best they can physically with such a short turnaround between games.

Now is not the time to focus on performance, it’s all about the result — that’s all that matters. We know we can get a result, we’ve done it in the past, but now is the time to unite and get behind the Socceroos.

The game needs this, the Socceroos need it and we all need it for the good of the game. Let’s get behind our team.

Originally published as All Ange Postecoglou has done recently is talk about himself and his legacy