If Australia wants to win a World Cup then the style of play and individual performances at the U17 and U20 World Cups are always a good guide to how well or otherwise a national team might perform in coming years and certainly to their style.
Australia has shouted long and loud about how we are going to change, indeed are changing our style of play, but after todays performance the Kaz Patafta inspired U17 team of 2005 under Ange Postecoglou was no worse than this performance.
And remember Ange was slated by some.
Australia fought back to beat a talented and possession dominating Ivory Coast with two great finishes from West Ham's Dylan Tombides and Perth Glory's Jess Makarounes, but football fans were left bemused by the performance given the amount of money, time and energy placed into the new football programs for our young boys.
Craig Foster on Twitter said:
Question to Boultbee, who runs the AIS: was that acceptable today? After 2 years daily work? With most expensive development coach ever?
And the question needs to be asked!
Ange Postecoglou felt Fozzies wrath after World Cup some years ago, it hasn't done him any harm and now the FFA and their Coaching Staff will need to discuss the development or we might argue our lack of.
It was dire.
40% possession in a game of football tells it own story - and certainly given we're putting all this emphasis on technique and style of play, dominating teams, keeping possession and controlling the games - then from those perspectives it was a disaster.
Yes we won - but really is that how we want to play. The defence unable to clear a ball, a midfield unable to link with defence and keeping the ball - we couldn't do it.
Well done to the lads - somehow they won.
But on this performance Australia's hopes of improving it's football technique, culture and style of play is a long long way off!
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