BE YOURSELF, GUYS

Socceroos coach wants his players to use their instincts

FOOTBALL: It was instinct that brought Bert van Marwijk to the Socceroos and it’s instinct that he has tried to teach the Australian players in the short time he has had with them.

Instinct made him walk away from Saudi Arabia when he had led the side to qualify for the World Cup, even when they offered him obscene amounts to stay, north of $15 million.

Instinct made the man who took Holland to the World Cup final in 2010 accept a very different assignment for the 2018 tournament in replacing Ange Postecoglou.

“I have to have a good feeling when I take a new job – when I don’t have it, I will not do that job, in spite of everything,” van Marwijk said.

But his instinct told him Australia was a challenge he needed to accept, and the weeks since have been spent trying to ready the Socceroos for the challenge of facing France – tactically and mentally.

In a World Cup stadium, in front of a big crowd, and most of all against footballing superstars, the best-laid plans can stall. So who van Marwijk picks, and how they line up, is driven by the need to be ready for the opening whistle tonight. “That is a good question,” he said. “We trained a lot in all of the situations that can happen. How we want to build up, how is the transition when you lose the ball, how are we standing when the opponent has the ball, where we press.

“But one of the most important things in my experience, playing against a country like France, is that you must be yourself. It’s easier to say than in practice.

“You have to have the guts to play and be yourself.

“My experience with the Dutch team (in 2010) is that when suddenly Pogba is standing in front of you or Griezmann, and Mbappe and the big fullbacks

Mendy and Sidibe, you must not be impressed.

“You can have respect but you must not be impressed. You must be yourself. Normally you get that feeling when you get the experience.”

The unanswerable question is whether the players have taken on board his message sufficiently to have a prospect of repelling the hot French team.

“When I see the development of the players from the first few days (in camp) until now, it’s a big difference. They developed, they improved, and we will see if it’s enough,” van Marwijk said.