Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou has repeatedly shown he is never afraid to tilt at windmills or think the unthinkable when it comes to analysis of individual players, teams, matches or the state of the game.

The former Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory boss has, to a large extent, got to where he is by being prepared to step outside the square of conventional thinking and, having done so, put in place solutions that get the best possible results.

Adelaide teenager Riley McGree. Credit:Getty Images

His Asian Cup triumph in 2015 with a Socceroos squad that, if we are being honest, was probably not the best in the tournament (South Korea, beaten in extra time in the final by Australia's greater will on the night might have claims on that score) is a case in point.

He was prepared to effectively use the 2014 World Cup as a warm-up tournament for that Asian Cup, reasoning that a series of games against the toughest opponents imaginable (world champions Spain, Chile, who were to win the Copa America the following year and The Netherlands, semi-finalists in Brazil) would be the perfect opportunity to sift his players and identify who could be depended on, who couldn't, what their strengths and weaknesses were and who needed to be replaced.