Pay day for Ange’s way
SOCCEROO Mark Milligan says it is only now that the true potential of Ange Postecoglou’s game plan is being realised.
The midfielder insists Wednesday night’s emphatic World Cup playoff success against Honduras was clear evidence of the flexibility that exists within Postecoglou’s much-maligned system.
As he prepares to return to club action against Perth at nib Stadium tomorrow night, the Melbourne Victory star is still riding high from the emotion of securing what will be for him a fourth straight World Cup appearance.
And while Milligan said it was a “relief” to finally qualify for Russia, he said going the long way around might ultimately have some long-term benefits for the team.
It also, he said, invigorated interest in the sport.
“Australia loves a grand final, don’t they? That’s pretty much what they got,” Milligan said.
“We will take a lot out of these matches because, these experiences, you can’t manufacture them.
“Overall this group is still quite young so these experiences are invaluable.”
There was tactical fluidity on show at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday, with Milligan joking he played essentially as a creative midfielder so far advanced was he throughout.
Mile Jedinak also shifted seamlessly between being a second central defender in a four-man defence and being the sole holding midfielder in front of a back three.
Such versatility went off without a hitch throughout the two-game Honduras series.
But Milligan said that should not come as a surprise.
“I think that’s just us growing with the game plan,” he said.
“People forget, we’re not with Ange every day, we don’t get to work on these things on a day-to-day basis.
“I watched a game the other day from when Chelsea lost to Arsenal in round five or six last year 3-0, playing a similar formation [to us]. They went on to win the Premier League.
“But they work together every day. These things do take a bit of time.
“First thing, Ange had the foresight and the courage to implement it with us and, secondly, we had the courage to go along with the journey.
“We knew it wasn’t always going to be smooth, but we stuck with it.”