It came barely 24 hours after the Socceroos’ World Cup qualification hopes took an enormous hit in adisappointing 2-2 draw with Oman,and for many Australian fans who are watching Postecoglou’s coaching journey closely,the comparisons were difficult to ignore.
The result islikely to consign Graham Arnold’s men to the intercontinental play-off route,which Postecoglou successfully navigated four years ago - but this time,assuming they can get past the other third-placed team in Group A of AFC qualification,the Socceroos will face the fifth-best team from South America instead of Honduras,the CONCACAF team who Australia beat over two legs to reach Russia 2018.
Postecoglou said he was still keeping a close eye on football in Australia but said the writing had been on the wall for the Socceroos for some time regarding their place in the global pecking order.
“I’m following it,obviously. I’ve got a vested interest,it’s my nation,” he told Melbourne radio station SEN in an interview shortly after the final whistle in Glasgow.
“We’ve qualified for the last few World Cups and you want them to do it again. It’s not an easy path,we know that.