After announcing earlier in the week that Hayden Foxe, Paul Okon and Frank Juric would be joining Subway Socceroos Head Coach Tony Popovic’s staff, our new coaching trio are champing at the bit ahead of next week’s all-important clash with China in Adelaide.
Okon (Assistant Coach), Foxe (Assistant Coach) and Juric (Goalkeeper Coach) - all former Socceroos and ex-national team colleagues of Popovic - were welcomed to Football Australia HQ on Tuesday with their first game in the dugout coming up on Thursday 10 October.
We caught up with all three coaches during their first day in the office to get their initial reactions after being appointed by Popa.
Here’s what they had to say.
On how they’re feeling after returning to the Socceroos set-up
Foxe: Really honoured and proud. As a young kid, you always dream about playing for the Socceroos. I was able to experience that, and then going into the coaching side, you always dream of someday being involved with the national team. And I'm very proud and honoured to be given the opportunity to work with the Socceroos, and, in particular, Tony Popovic.
Okon: It was very unexpected, but I’m delighted and excited. There's one thing, as a player, whenever you were selected or had the opportunity to represent Australia, it was a massive honour. And this is no different. And again, it came at a time when I certainly wasn't thinking about it. But the moment I spoke to Popa and he asked if I was interested in coming on board, I didn't need too long to say ‘yes’.
Juric: Everything has happened so quickly. I haven't had too much time to think about it, but it's a real honour to be back in the Socceroos set up after so many years in a coaching role this time.
On receiving the phone call from Popa and whether or not it was an easy decision to make
Foxe: He [Popovic] told me about his vision for the national team and how he wanted the environment to look like. I've worked in the environment with him before, so I know how he works, and he didn't have to convince me. I was really like ‘OK, what does the role consist of, and when do we start?’
Okon: He asked if I wanted to help. Basically, if I had the time - obviously, the last four years I've been living in Europe. I have four boys of my own that are quite busy playing football. So it was essentially, ‘are you interested? Do you have the time?’ And, of course, like I said, it didn't take me too long to answer his question.
Juric: Popa, we played with each other obviously with the Socceroos so many years ago, as well as with Foxy and with Paulo. So we've known each other for a number of years. The chat was short and sharp. It was an easy decision to make when I was in Croatia at the time, at the top of a ladder painting, actually! So it was an easy decision to come back to Australia and to be the Goalkeeper Coach for the Socceroos.
About what it means to play for the Socceroos and how they can convey that message through their coaching
Foxe: Everyone will prepare and look at it in their own way, in what type of character they are. Some are more vocal. Some hide things. That's the nature of the team set-up. But it's something you dream of when you're a kid. And whatever football you’re watching, you always try to imitate and emulate someone that you're looking up to, to be part of history. And I had that as a player, the beauty of the Socceroos when we were coming through is it didn't matter if you started, if you were on the bench or if you were in the squad, we all had the same type of camaraderie - we wanted to do really well and work hard for each other, and that's what we were able to do during the many years of success, especially at the back end of our generation.
Okon: Ever since I was a young kid, it was always my dream to play for Australia. I got the opportunity at a very young age and did it 37 times. Every time it always felt special. There is something about that jersey. There is something about that Green and Gold jersey, standing there listening to the national anthem, knowing that you're out there representing yourself, your family, but also millions of Australians that are out there watching and supporting you. It doesn't get any better. And I think if you ask any footballer in the world, they'll probably give you the same answer, to play for your national team, for your country, there's no bigger honour, and it comes with a lot of responsibility. And I always tried to bring my best every time that I was selected for the Socceroos.
Juric: It was always an honour, always to go into camp and to meet up with all the players and to catch up with them and to play for your country. The number one priority as a player is to play for your country. And it's always been a great, great thing for me to do so.
On what excites them about the current playing group
Foxe: There are a lot of young players and freshness there, which is great. There's some experience too which is fantastic to have that good blend. You can see the players that have come out of the A-League system and gone into the European system, and they're improving, they're playing at some big clubs. If you have a look at this crop of players now, a lot of them are playing in the top leagues around the world, and they're playing at good clubs at a good level, and that can only help. So it's exciting times for the Socceroos, for sure.
Okon: It's a young playing group, maybe a little bit of inexperience, and it comes with the territory, I guess, when you're trying to make the team younger, when you have that turnover of players, a new cycle after the World Cup. And unfortunately in the first two games, the results haven't been what a lot of people expected. Nowadays, every time Australia plays, I guess certainly in Asia, we're the favourite and we should win. But at the same time, when you are using a lot of young players, that little bit of inconsistency can be there, and that's our job now to try and find a way to use these young boys that have formed this new group, but get results at the same time.
Juric: Australia has always produced world class goalkeepers. We've got Paulie [Izzo], Joe [Gauci] and Maty [Ryan] there. At the moment, there's a few others too - younger boys, who are pushing them as well from underneath. We'll see what happens in the next week during training and take it from there.
Foxe, on moving from club to national team coaching
Foxe: Well, it's very different. Obviously I haven't experienced it, so it's going to be a different challenge for me, but a challenge that I really want to experience. I think we can do a really good job. It's not so much about what you're doing and working on the players each day, it’s now about watching and seeing how you can manage them, and seeing what best fits for the country, and for the Socceroos. So that's a little bit different from what I've been used to, but I'm looking forward to a different challenge.
On Okon’s previous experience with national team football and his work with some of the current crop of Socceroos
Okon: I’ve worked with a lot of them, actually. So, I know them personally. I've worked with them at Young Socceroo and Olyroo level, and I'm looking forward to working with them again. And I do think that's an advantage when you know the environment, you know the expectations - you've lived it before. I've lived that as a player. I've lived that as a coach, albeit at junior level, and now to have that experience and use that at such a crucial point, because I think that's where we are in these next two games. Hopefully, we’ll help players and improve performances and get results.
On what the new environment could look like and any messages that the new coaching staff will deliver
Foxe: He [Popovic] just coaches in a lot of detail, and he coaches not only the technical and tactical side of the game, but really the mentality side of the game and what it means to be a professional footballer, and how he can create an elite environment, not only for the playing group, but also for all the staff. And that's what he does very well. He's got detail of all aspects of the game, not only technically and tactically, but also psychologically as well. So it's a big asset. It's a big job. He's ready for that job, and I'm happy to be able to support him.
Okon: Yeah, absolutely. I think you can never take it for granted. Every time you have that opportunity, my advice is always treat it like it could be the last time that you get that opportunity to wear that shirt. It's that special and never, never expect it, and I think that's probably the best way to approach it.
Juric: Well, number one is confidence. Always bring confidence, especially for a goalkeeper. It doesn't matter if you make a mistake, you can't change that. Just to keep on going and just focus on the next action, that's the most important thing, confidence in a goalkeeper. The mental side of things with the goalkeeper is extremely important. Hopefully I can bring that into the goalkeepers that I train during the camps.
On the immediate challenge that awaits us in Adelaide against China
Foxe: I think first and foremost, we prepare for China and we prepare well. We put a good performance in, and then the results will take care of themselves. So that's number one. But the vision - I wasn't able to do this as a player - to be able to go to a World Cup is there and I envision myself standing on the sideline preparing, getting ready to play at a World Cup - that really motivates me, excites me and gives me goosebumps. Looking at that final goal, you know, in two years’ time, but first and foremost, we need to prepare for China. That's it.
Okon: I think it's probably going to be to our advantage as a staff that we all know each other pretty well, so we don't need time to feel ourselves into the job and into the task that’s in front of us. And we have two very, very important games, starting with China in Adelaide. And in this business, unfortunately, certainly in international football, often you don't get much time, and you need to come up with results and that's certainly what we need in the next two games. So, we will immediately start to work and have a look at where we need to improve. First with China and then Japan.
Juric: It's our first day, but we've already started to look at the game against China and Adelaide. We just have to bring belief back into the squad at this stage, that's the most important thing, and confidence.
On whether Foxe’s and Popovic’s experience in Japan could prove useful when we face the Group C leaders in two weeks
Foxe: Definitely, because I spent two years in Japan. So I know a little bit about how the Japanese think. I know their mentality, their vulnerabilities, but also their strengths. And that doesn't change. That culture doesn't change. It's pretty rigid, and everything's by the book with them. So there's going to be some good insight for us, the fact that we've played there and experienced the Japanese culture and playing style that we can hopefully take advantage of.
Subway Socceroos v China PR
Thursday, 10 October 2024
Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
Kick-off: 7:30 pm ACST (8:00pm AEST)
Tickets: Start from $15 Child, $20 Concession, $29 Adult, and $58 Family. Tickets from Ticketek.
Broadcast: 10, 10 Play and Paramount+