Ange Postecoglou is in typically forthright mood. Over coffee in Sydney’s inner west, the Socceroos coach has a lot on his mind as he prepares to unveil the squad to play World Cup qualifiers in Adelaide and Sydney at the end of this month.

Win those games and Australia is into the final phase of qualifying for Russia 2018 — lose them, and the future is very different.

But Postecoglou has much more to consider, as he reveals why promoting A-League players is “a double-edged sword” for the competition, why players moving to earn mega-deals in China are leaping into the dark — and why this squad will put his established pool of players on notice to keep fighting for their spots.

The A-League

Postecoglou was partly given the role because of his belief in young Australian talent, and he’ll defend it to the hilt. But giving A-League players an international chance can also affect the competition.

“Over the last four or five years the A-League has grown, but it’s a double-edged sword,” he said. “I’ve picked a lot of guys in the last 12 to 18 months who have now moved overseas on the back of their international recognition. The more you select them, the more they get noticed overseas.

“In my mind, I had been thinking about 40% of the squad would be A-League based. But if 15% of that goes overseas because they’ve got onto the international radar, it gets a little bit tricky. But in terms of the international standard I’ve said so often — I will watch 20-25 games a week, all around the world. The A-League on a weekly basis stacks up for the most part.

“I’m not watching Barcelona v Real Madrid — I’m watching Ross County play Partick Thistle, QPR v Nottingham Forest, Roda v Utrecht. For the most part, our better games compare really well. Tempo, intensity, atmosphere, it all stacks up well.”

The hunt for talent

It’s clear that Postecoglou isn’t satisfied with the pool of players he calls on regularly — and he knows that the last phase of World Cup qualifying will be a hugely demanding assignment.

“What’s served us well is the fact we’ve been very aggressive in team selection, which has created depth that we might not have had otherwise,” he said. “But I’m still not comfortable with where we’re at, from depth and performance perspectives. We have to still look at some players.

“Is that a risk? Well that’s the way I coach. I always thought this first phase of qualifying and the friendlies, with Greece and England, would be the last chance to stay aggressive in terms of squad selection. We’re top of our group with two games at home, if we can’t (win these games in March) there’s an issue anyway.

“But this squad may well be my most aggressive in terms of team selection. I want to make sure I have left no stone unturned.”

media_camera Socceroos goal keeper Mat Ryan is currently playing in Spanish football.

The bar is rising

For all Postecoglou wants more options, though, those in the frame have to really convince him that they’re worth a look, whether coming from the A-League or overseas.

“I’m constantly looking at everything,” he said. “But we do have a core group of players who’ve been through various phases of international football — I’m at the point now where solid is not enough in potential players. There’s got to be something in them that tells me that if it’s not there at the moment, there is the potential for a bigger upside. I’m also looking at their style of game.

“It doesn’t mean you rule out anyone — for all intents and purposes Aaron Mooy is a late bloomer. In the last 12-18 months he’s gone from solid to outstanding. That’s what you’re looking for.

“The areas I’m most looking at are the forward line and at the back. I’m not entirely convinced about everything we’re doing in a defensive sense, and the fullback positions are still lacking depth.”

media_camera Aaron Mooy has been a ‘late bloomer’

China is a leap of faith

With so many of the Socceroos now taking the new riches on offer in the Chinese Super League, especially those in their 20s, Postecoglou has some fairly brutal words about the standards they have to maintain to remain part of his plans.

“There’s been a lot of garbage written that I’ve told players where to go — I’ve never advised one,” he said. “But what we do know is that if you get to the top leagues in Europe with performance, it means you’re at the highest level. Getting a move to the Chinese Super League at the moment is not necessarily a reflection of performance, it’s about opportunity.

“That opportunity could in fact create the same sort of trajectory in terms of improvement as staying in Europe. But we don’t know, because it hasn’t been tested. If Trent Sainsbury went from Zolle to say a Bundesliga club or a La Liga club, like Maty Ryan has, we know it will be at that upper level of performance.

“Right now he has a move to a league where we’re just not sure. So you’ve got him, Matt Spiranovic, James Troisi, Gianni — and Tim Cahill, but he’s a different case at his age. At the back of my mind, I’m thinking that if they don’t develop like I want them to, because all should have their peak ahead of them, then I want to make sure I’m looking elsewhere just in case.

“There’s no reason why they shouldn’t. But we’ve seen plenty of transfers to the Chinese Super League. We haven’t seen many from it.”

Socceroos v Jordan

Allianz Stadium, 8pm

Tuesday 29 March

Tickets from: www.socceroos.com.au/tickets