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Poppa Out

Since 2006 we really haven't had the players to be a top nation. even then we really only used some of the squad. We are changing that now and there are some current very good players and more coming through. While we will have 45-50 very good players rather that 14-16 back in 2006 we probably don't have anyone yet approaching the talent of Kewell.

Plenty of nations have the same - so the manager is the difference. So the simply question is if Poch was the Australia manager and Popovic was the USA manager who wins the game the other day?
 
patjennings said:
Since 2006 we really haven't had the players to be a top nation. even then we really only used some of the squad. We are changing that now and there are some current very good players and more coming through. While we will have 45-50 very good players rather that 14-16 back in 2006 we probably don't have anyone yet approaching the talent of Kewell.

Plenty of nations have the same - so the manager is the difference. So the simply question is if Poch was the Australia manager and Popovic was the USA manager who wins the game the other day?
Click to expand...
great question !
 
patjennings said:
Since 2006 we really haven't had the players to be a top nation. even then we really only used some of the squad. We are changing that now and there are some current very good players and more coming through. While we will have 45-50 very good players rather that 14-16 back in 2006 we probably don't have anyone yet approaching the talent of Kewell.

Plenty of nations have the same - so the manager is the difference. So the simply question is if Poch was the Australia manager and Popovic was the USA manager who wins the game the other day?
Click to expand...

This is a modern football symptom. Less outliers in terms of raw talent, so the management/backroom staff of club and country make all the difference.

I think Australia comes out on top as the modern game has shown flexibility generally outperforms dogma.
 
patjennings said:
Since 2006 we really haven't had the players to be a top nation. even then we really only used some of the squad. We are changing that now and there are some current very good players and more coming through. While we will have 45-50 very good players rather that 14-16 back in 2006 we probably don't have anyone yet approaching the talent of Kewell.

Plenty of nations have the same - so the manager is the difference. So the simply question is if Poch was the Australia manager and Popovic was the USA manager who wins the game the other day?
Click to expand...
Exactly, this is how I see it, 2006 was indeed the Golden Generation, but currently we have more depth, but we don't have anyone approaching both Kewell & Viduka talent, nor do we have a Bresc. Hopefully that is changing.
 
patjennings said:
Since 2006 we really haven't had the players to be a top nation. even then we really only used some of the squad. We are changing that now and there are some current very good players and more coming through. While we will have 45-50 very good players rather that 14-16 back in 2006 we probably don't have anyone yet approaching the talent of Kewell.

Plenty of nations have the same - so the manager is the difference. So the simply question is if Poch was the Australia manager and Popovic was the USA manager who wins the game the other day?
Click to expand...
I like this question and there are a lot of further implications to it as well. Poch has the resume better than any Australian except for Ange. Although Australians are undervalued, he is probably a level above Popa and anyone we have currently.
I would be much happier with Pochball and I think the ceiling is higher, but I think this US team is at least 4 years further ahead of our guys in development. Poch would be more enjoyable, but I expect would still have lost just due to the discrepancy in quality at this stage of their careers.
A follow up would be could you have brought Poch in after Arnie resigned and have him do what Popa did? His successes were qualifying us directly from where we were, while transitioning from Arnie's team to the youngest team at the WC. I don't know if that style can be implemented from a standing start and I don't know about his ability to transition the side (maybe it was inevitable).

I think it would be fair to say most people would prefer a style of play where we attempt to impose on the opposition. I've had enough Arnie/Popa ball for my lifetime. Ange tried but ultimately didn't have the talent. It feels like this group could do something special. That would be my question for the manager after the AC, for Popa or whoever.
Popa did do this after he won the ACL in 15/16 where we ultimately finished 2nd to Adelaide. It wasn't Angeball by any stretch but it wasn't haramball.
Unfortunately I doubt the FA gives any consideration to the style of the side. If Popa has a good run here, or if he wins the AC, he just gets an extension to do whatever he wants.
 
patjennings said:
Plenty of nations have the same - so the manager is the difference. So the simply question is if Poch was the Australia manager and Popovic was the USA manager who wins the game the other day?
Click to expand...
The USA likely do because they have better players than us at the moment.
 
BA81 said:
Do you know that for certain, bc it’s a big claim…

For the record, I was a fan of neither. Instead of Pim we should’ve gone w/Leo Beenhakker, Arie Haan or Jo Bonfrere if we absolutely had to persist w/the whole 🇳🇱 kick we were on at the time.
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Pim cost us 2 mil a year fwiw. Thats more than we pay locals (i think both are 1 mil). Bielsa apparently 3.8 million aud a year

www.supremacia.uy

¿Cuánto gana Marcelo Bielsa por dirigir a la selección uruguaya?

Un informe basado en el balance 2024 de la AUF revela que el salario del cuerpo técnico de la Celeste, encabezado por Marcelo Bielsa, está muy por debajo de las cifras que se manejaban públicamente
www.supremacia.uy

Top ten highest paid coaches of national teams between 10 and 20 million aud a year
 
grazorblade said:
Pim cost us 2 mil a year fwiw. Thats more than we pay locals (i think both are 1 mil). Bielsa apparently 3.8 million aud a year
Top ten highest paid coaches of national teams between 10 and 20 million aud a year
Click to expand...
In any case, I recall a fair bit of attention was given to the revelation that Arnie was indeed one of the highest-paid competing coaches at Qatar '22.
 
grazorblade said:
Pim cost us 2 mil a year fwiw. Thats more than we pay locals (i think both are 1 mil). Bielsa apparently 3.8 million aud a year

www.supremacia.uy

¿Cuánto gana Marcelo Bielsa por dirigir a la selección uruguaya?

Un informe basado en el balance 2024 de la AUF revela que el salario del cuerpo técnico de la Celeste, encabezado por Marcelo Bielsa, está muy por debajo de las cifras que se manejaban públicamente
www.supremacia.uy

Top ten highest paid coaches of national teams between 10 and 20 million aud a year
Click to expand...
I quoted Arnie's $
Arnie got $6M over 4yrs ($1.5M p/a).

I reckon we could manage say $2M/2.5 considering how much the FA wastes to date though he's tightening the spend from here on after all the blowouts.
Just saying regards to looking forward when the time comes.
I have no doubt Popa is there till AC for thats us how we flow.
In his hands.
 
BA81 said:
In any case, I recall a fair bit of attention was given to the revelation that Arnie was indeed one of the highest-paid competing coaches at Qatar '22.
Click to expand...
Yeah i remember that too but dont think it is right. Unfortunate if it came from a journo? Asked ai for the highest paid nt coaches today

  • Carlo Ancelotti (Brazil) — ~€9.5–10 million
    The Italian legend tops nearly every list after taking the Brazil job in 2025. His experience and pedigree command a premium salary for one of the world's most high-profile national teams.

  • Julian Nagelsmann (Germany) — ~€4.9–7 million
    The young German coach earns a strong wage for leading Die Mannschaft, reflecting both his reputation and Germany's footballing resources.

  • Mauricio Pochettino (USA) — ~€5.3–6 million
    The Argentine manages the co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup, where investment in the sport has grown significantly.

  • Thomas Tuchel (England) — ~€5.8–5.9 million
    Appointed to the high-pressure England role, his salary reflects the FA's ambitions.

  • Roberto Martínez (Portugal) — ~€4 million
    Consistent performer with Portugal; he has delivered solid results, including Nations League success.

  • Fabio Cannavaro (Uzbekistan) — ~€4 million (tied/near tie)
    The 2006 Ballon d'Or winner earns a high salary in a less traditional football power, highlighting federation investment.

  • Didier Deschamps (France) — ~€3.3–3.8 million
    Long-serving World Cup winner with France; his pay reflects longevity and past success despite a lengthy tenure.

  • Ronald Koeman (Netherlands) / Marcelo Bielsa (Uruguay) — ~€3 million (or £2.61 million)
    Both are highly experienced; Koeman for Oranje and Bielsa for a competitive Uruguay side.
 
We need to realistic about where the game is. This is the same problem as to why there isn't the journalists to do all the reporting and hold people to account. The game in Australian cannot sustain it. It cannot afford a foreign national team coach anyone has ever heard of, and it cannot support more full time journalists covering the sport.

It seems almost certain we would get a worse foreign coach if we are spending the same money. Australian coaches get more prestige and have more invested in coaching us, you don't need to price in the cost of someone upending their life to move abroad, the Aleague struggling means the NT job is going to be a relatively high paying job available in Australia, and Australian's are undervalued in football globally. Meaning you get better quality for less money.

Popa/Arnie the Germans would cost 50% more. In 2007 they were paying Pim more than Arnie/Popa are earning now. He had the GG and didn't achieve anything more. Wanting a foreign coach might still be worth it in some circumstances, but unless you are spending a lot more (not possible), trust FA to find a hidden, undervalued gem (not possible), you almost certainly need to be content with someone who is worse.
 
Mr Cleansheets said:
He's had good results with average teams. I think he'd be good over a 4 year cycle.
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yep that he has, I like his strong personality he'd certainly rock our establishment imo.
Be interesting what his pov of our framework once he got to know it.
 
It will always take a hefty salary to pry away a manager (and his staff) from choosing international football over club football. Even Kevin Muscat would be taking a large salary cut to become the NT manager.

The economics of international football are just completely different to club football.

If the FA are serious and want us to really progress, then you need to set aside anywhere between €2.5–4m/year for a NT manager.

You don't necessarily need to have a household/elite name as manager. I doubt many people know who Roger Schmidt is, but he'd be a great option for the NT and probably would come for that kind of money.

As others have pointed out, we probably don't have the money to pay that sort of salary and we are virtually stuck with our local crop. If Steve Corica is successful at Yokohama, he probably becomes another obvious choice.
 
Given our world class limitations I feel Go Kuroda would be ideal.

Plays direct/counter attacking football, presses in the final third yet also transitions into a compact block and gives up few goals, also not adverse to the dark arts.
 
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