View source for Australia men's national soccer team manager

{{Short description|none}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2017}}

[[File:Tony Popovic Managing Western Sydney Wanderers Training.png|thumb|200px|[[Tony Popovic]] (pictured in 2013), the current [[Australia men's national soccer team|Australia national team]] manager.|alt=Tony Popovic]]

The role of an '''Australia national football team manager''' was first established in 1965 with the appointment of [[Tiko Jelisavčić]]. Before this, the [[Australia men's national soccer team|Australia team]] was selected by a committee, a process in which Australia would select coaches and [[Athletic trainer|trainers]] to prepare the side for single games.

Twenty men have occupied the post since its inception; five of those were in short-term [[caretaker manager]] roles.

==History==

===Full-time era begins (1965–1969)===
Before 1965, the [[Australia men's national soccer team|Australia national soccer team]] had been under the leadership of a selection committee and a [[Athletic trainer|trainer]]. Appointed in 1965, [[Tiko Jelisavčić]] had been the first Australia manager. In his first game as manager,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Players/J/JA.html|title=Australian Player Database – Tiko Jelisasavic|website=OzFootball.net}}</ref> he led Australia to a 1–6 loss against [[North Korea national football team|North Korea]] at [[Phnom Penh Olympic Stadium|Stade Olympique]], [[Phnom Penh]] in the [[1966 FIFA World Cup qualification]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Socceroo/1965A.html|title=Socceroo Internationals for 1965|website=OzFootball.net}}</ref> with Australia failing to qualify for the [[1966 FIFA World Cup|World Cup finals]].

[[Czechoslovakia|Czech]] [[Jozef Vengloš]] was appointed in 1967 when he managed three games all against [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]], losing all three games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Socceroo/1967B.html|title=Socceroo Internationals for 1967|website=OzFootball.net}}</ref> The rest of the matches played in 1967, were managed by [[Hungary|Hungarian]] manager [[Joe Vlatsis]], where he managed 23 games, winning thirteen, drawing seven and losing three.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.socceroos.com.au/article/teams-of-the-decade--mens-1963-1970/15gwe4e644vel111n0jqpnv76v|title=Teams of the Decade <nowiki>|</nowiki> Men's 1963-1970|publisher=[[Australia men's national soccer team|Australia national football team]]|date=18 December 2013|accessdate=13 July 2017}}</ref> Vlatsis also failed to qualify for the [[1970 FIFA World Cup]] after losing to [[Israel national football team|Israel]] in the Final Round of the qualification zone.

===Rasic in World Cup (1969–1978)===
[[Rale Rasic]] was appointed as head coach in 1970 at just 34 years of age, and in 1974. After three failed attempts, he led [[Australia men's national soccer team|Australia]] to the [[1974 FIFA World Cup|1974 World Cup]] as coach. After the World Cup, the Australian Soccer Federation sacked Rasic, replacing him with [[England|Englishman]] [[Brian Green (footballer)|Brian Green]]. Rasic and others believe that he was dumped because he was not seen as being a real "Aussie." He has stated, "They took from me something that I was doing better than anyone else. I was a true-blue Aussie and nobody can deny that. I taught the players how to sing the national anthem."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame-member/rale-rasic/|title=Rale Rasic – Sport Australia Hall of Fame|website=sahof.org.au}}</ref>

Green was later coach for Australia in 1975 and 1976.,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Players/G/GR.html|title=Australian Player Database – Brian Green|website=OzFootball.net|accessdate=23 February 2010}}</ref> with him winning two, drawing three and losing three. At the end of 1976, [[Jim Shoulder]] went on to coach Australia in the [[1978 FIFA World Cup qualification]] from 1976 to 1978. After failing to secure Australia's qualification to the [[1978 FIFA World Cup|1978 World Cup]] in [[Argentina]], Shoulder was sacked,<ref name="proclamations">{{cite web|url=http://www.proclamations.com.au/proclamations-articles/1987/3/5/soccers-pommie-mafia-does-it-exist-or-is-it-just-fiction/|title=Proclamations &#124; Proclamations|publisher=proclamations.com.au|accessdate=18 August 2016}}</ref> and replaced by German [[Rudi Gutendorf]].

===Nations Cup success (1978–1989)===
[[File:Rudi Gutendorf (2011) (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|[[Rudi Gutendorf]] managed the Australia team that won the [[1980 OFC Nations Cup]].|alt=Alf Ramsey]]

Rudi Gutendorf was appointed in mid-1979, where his first game managed was against [[New Zealand national football team|New Zealand]] which Australia lost for the first time in 25 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Socceroo/1979A.html|title=Socceroo Internationals for 1979|website=OzFootball.net}}</ref> At the start of 1980, he managed three games against [[Czechoslovakia national football team|Czechoslovakia]] which had the opposition manager as former Australia manager, Jozef Venglos.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Socceroo/1980A.html|title=Socceroo Internationals for 1980|website=OzFootball.net}}</ref> This was also a time where Australia entered their first [[OFC Nations Cup|Oceania Nations Cup]], which was won in the [[1980 OFC Nations Cup Final|Final]] against non-FIFA affiliated team [[Tahiti national football team|Tahiti]] winning 4–2.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/80oc.html | title=Oceanian Nations Cup 1980 | publisher=[[Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|rsssf.com]] | accessdate=13 April 2020}}</ref> Gutendorf had only managed the First Round of the [[1982 FIFA World Cup qualification|1982 World Cup qualification]], both against New Zealand.

Former player [[Les Scheinflug]] managed the rest of the 1982 World Cup qualification and manage Australia for two more years, as Australia once again failed to qualify.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Socceroo/1979A.html|title=Socceroo Internationals for 1979|website=OzFootball.net}}</ref> As Scheinflug went on to manage the [[Australia national under-20 soccer team|Australia U20s]] in 1983, [[Frank Arok]] was appointed for Australia managing from 1983 to 1989. where he managed his first game against [[England national football team|England]] which resulted in a 0–0 draw. Arok also managed the [[1986 FIFA World Cup qualification|1986 World Cup qualification]], which was failed again at the final round.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=GGgVawPscysC&dat=19851121&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
|title=Scotland 2 Australia 0|date= 21 November 1985|work=Glasgow Herald (page 32)|accessdate=11 October 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=GGgVawPscysC&dat=19851205&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
|title=Australia 0 Scotland 0|date= 5 December 1985|work=Glasgow Herald (page 30)|accessdate=11 October 2012 }}</ref>

==Statistical summary==
The following table provides a summary of the complete record of each Australia manager including their progress in both the [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]], [[AFC Asian Cup|Asian Cup]] and [[OFC Nations Cup]].

:''Statistics correct as of 15 October 2024''

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!scope=col |Manager
!scope=col |Nationality
!scope=col |Tenure
!scope=col |P
!scope=col |W
!scope=col |D
!scope=col |L
!scope=col |Win %
!scope=col |Competitions
|-
!scope=row style="text-align: left;"|{{sortname|Tiko|Jelisavčić}} 
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Yugoslavia}}
|1965
{{WDL|decimals=1|7|3|1|3}}
|
|-
!scope=row style="text-align: left;"|{{sortname|Jozef|Vengloš}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Czechoslovakia}}
|1967
{{WDL|decimals=1|3|0|0|3}}
|
|-
!scope=row style="text-align: left;"|{{sortname|Joe|Vlatsis}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Hungary}}
|1967–1969
{{WDL|decimals=1|23|13|7|3}}
|
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Rale|Rasic}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Yugoslavia}}
|1970–1974
{{WDL|decimals=1|34|16|10|8}}
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1974 FIFA World Cup|1974 World Cup]] – Group stage
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Tony|Boggi}} ''(caretaker)''
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Italy}}
|''1975''
{{WDL|decimals=1|1|1|0|0}}
|
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Brian|Green|dab=footballer}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|England}}
|1975–1976
{{WDL|decimals=1|8|2|3|3}}
|
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Jim|Shoulder}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|England}}
|1976–1978
{{WDL|decimals=1|26|11|7|8}}
|
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Rudi|Gutendorf}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Germany}}
|1979–1981
{{WDL|decimals=1|18|3|7|8}}
|style="text-align: left;"|[[1980 OFC Nations Cup]] – '''Champions'''
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Les|Scheinflug}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Australia}}
|1981–1983
{{WDL|decimals=1|12|8|1|3}}
|
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Frank|Arok}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Yugoslavia}}
|1983–1989
{{WDL|decimals=1|48|22|14|12}}
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Football at the 1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Olympic Games]] – Quarter-final
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Les|Scheinflug}} ''(caretaker)''
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Australia}}
|''1983''
{{WDL|decimals=1|4|3|0|1}}
|
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Les|Scheinflug}} ''(caretaker)''
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Australia}}
|''1990''
{{WDL|decimals=1|1|1|0|0}}
|
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Eddie|Thomson}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Scotland}}
|1990–1996
{{WDL|decimals=1|52|21|11|20}}
|
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Les|Scheinflug}} ''(caretaker)''
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Australia}}
|''1992''
{{WDL|decimals=1|3|2|1|0}}
|
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Vic|Fernandez}} ''(caretaker)''
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Argentina}}
|''1992''
{{WDL|decimals=1|2|1|0|1}}
|
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Les|Scheinflug}} ''(caretaker)''
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Australia}}
|''1994''
{{WDL|decimals=1|1|1|0|0}}
|
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Raúl|Blanco|dab=footballer, born 1941}} ''(caretaker)''
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Argentina}}
|''1996''
{{WDL|decimals=1|2|2|0|0}}
|style="text-align: left;"| [[1996 OFC Nations Cup]] – '''Champions'''
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Terry|Venables}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|England}}
|1997–1998
{{WDL|decimals=1|23|15|3|5}}
|style="text-align: left;"|[[1997 FIFA Confederations Cup|1997 Confederations Cup]] – Runners-up
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Raúl|Blanco|dab=footballer, born 1941}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Argentina}}
|1998
{{WDL|decimals=1|5|3|1|1}}
|style="text-align: left;"|[[1998 OFC Nations Cup]] – Runners-up
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Frank|Farina}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Australia}}
|2000–2005
{{WDL|decimals=1|58|34|9|15}}
|style="text-align: left;"|[[2000 OFC Nations Cup]] – '''Champions''' <br /> [[2001 FIFA Confederations Cup|2001 Confederations Cup]] – Third place <br /> [[2002 OFC Nations Cup]] – Runners-up <br /> [[2004 OFC Nations Cup]] – '''Champions''' <br /> [[2005 FIFA Confederations Cup|2005 Confederations Cup]] – Group stage
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Guus|Hiddink}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Netherlands}}
|2005–2006
{{WDL|decimals=1|13|8|2|3}}
|style="text-align: left;"|[[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006 World Cup]] – Round of 16
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Graham|Arnold}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Australia}}
|2006–2007
{{WDL|decimals=1|14|5|4|5}}
|style="text-align: left;"|[[2007 AFC Asian Cup|2007 Asian Cup]] – Quarter-final
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Rob|Baan}} ''(caretaker)''
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Netherlands}}
|''2007''
{{WDL|decimals=1|1|1|0|0}}
|
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Pim|Verbeek}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Netherlands}}
|2008–2010
{{WDL|decimals=1|33|18|9|6}}
|style="text-align: left;"|[[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010 World Cup]] – Group stage
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Han|Berger}} ''(caretaker)''
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Netherlands}}
|''2010''
{{WDL|decimals=1|1|0|0|1}}
|
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Holger|Osieck}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Germany}}
|2010–2013
{{WDL|decimals=1|44|23|10|11}}
|style="text-align: left;"|[[2011 AFC Asian Cup|2011 Asian Cup]] – Runners-up
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Aurelio|Vidmar}} ''(caretaker)''
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Australia}}
|''2013''
{{WDL|decimals=1|1|1|0|0}}
|
|-
!scope=row style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Ange|Postecoglou}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Australia}}
|2013–2017
{{WDL|decimals=1|49|22|12|15}}
|style="text-align: left;"|[[2014 FIFA World Cup|2014 World Cup]] – Group stage <br /> [[2015 AFC Asian Cup|2015 Asian Cup]] – '''Champions''' <br /> [[2017 FIFA Confederations Cup|2017 Confederations Cup]] – Group stage
|-
!scope=row style="text-align: left;"|{{sortname|Bert|van Marwijk}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Netherlands}}
|2018
{{WDL|decimals=1|7|2|2|3}}
|style="text-align: left;"|[[2018 FIFA World Cup|2018 World Cup]] – Group stage
|-
!scope=row style="text-align: left;"|{{sortname|Graham|Arnold}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Australia}}
|2018–2024
{{WDL|decimals=1|72|41|13|18}}
|style="text-align: left;"|[[2019 AFC Asian Cup|2019 Asian Cup]] – Quarter-final<br />[[2022 FIFA World Cup|2022 World Cup]] – Round of 16<br />[[2023 AFC Asian Cup|2023 Asian Cup]] – Quarter-final
|-
!scope=row style="text-align: left;"|{{sortname|Tony|Popovic}}
|style="text-align: left;"|{{Flag|Australia}}
|2024–present
{{WDL|decimals=1|2|1|1|0}}
|style="text-align: left;"|
|}

:''Coaches in Italics were hired as [[caretaker manager|caretakers]]''

==Coaches by nationality==

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Country
! No.
! Competitions 
|-
|style ="text-align: left;"|{{flag|Australia}}
|6
|style ="text-align: left;"|[[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] Group stage: (2), ([[1974 FIFA World Cup|1974]], [[2014 FIFA World Cup|2014]]) <br />[[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] Round of 16: (1), ([[2022 FIFA World Cup|2022]]) <br /> [[AFC Asian Cup]] Champions: (1), ([[2015 AFC Asian Cup|2015]]) <br /> [[OFC Nations Cup]] Champions: (2), ([[2000 OFC Nations Cup|2000]], [[2004 OFC Nations Cup|2004]]) <br /> [[OFC Nations Cup]] Runners-up: (1), ([[1998 OFC Nations Cup|1998]]) <br /> [[FIFA Confederations Cup|Confederations Cup]] Third place: (1), ([[2001 FIFA Confederations Cup|2001]]) <br /> [[Association football at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]] Quarter-finals: (1), [[Football at the 1988 Summer Olympics|1988]])
|-
|style ="text-align: left;"|{{flag|England}}
|4
|style ="text-align: left;"|[[FIFA Confederations Cup|Confederations Cup]] Runners-up: (1), ([[1997 FIFA Confederations Cup|1997]])
|-
|style ="text-align: left;"|{{flag|Yugoslavia}}
|3
|style ="text-align: left;"|[[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] Group stage: (1), ([[1974 FIFA World Cup|1974]]) <br /> [[Association football at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]] Quarter-finals: (1), ([[Football at the 1988 Summer Olympics|1988]])
|-
|style ="text-align: left;"|{{flag|Netherlands}}
|5
|style ="text-align: left;"|[[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] Round of 16: (1), ([[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006]])
|-
|style ="text-align: left;"|{{flag|Germany}}
|2
|style ="text-align: left;"|[[OFC Nations Cup]] Champions: (1), ([[1980 OFC Nations Cup|1980]]) <br /> [[AFC Asian Cup]] Runners-up: (1), ([[2011 AFC Asian Cup|2011]])
|-
|style ="text-align: left;"|{{flag|Argentina}}
|3
|style ="text-align: left;"|[[OFC Nations Cup]] Runners-up: (1), ([[1998 OFC Nations Cup|1998]])
|-
|style ="text-align: left;"|{{flag|Scotland}}
|1
|style ="text-align: left;"|[[OFC Nations Cup]] Champions: (1), ([[1996 OFC Nations Cup|1996]])
|-
|style ="text-align: left;"|{{flag|Hungary}}
|1
|—
|-
|style ="text-align: left;"|{{flag|Czechoslovakia}}
|1
|—
|-
|style ="text-align: left;"|{{flag|Italy}}
|1
|—
|}

==References==
'''General'''
* {{cite book|first=Andrew|last=Howe|year=2018|title=Encyclopedia of Socceroos: Every national team player|isbn=978-0-648-13330-8|publisher=Fair Play Publishing}}

'''Specific'''
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090912104244/http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Socceroo/Socceroo.shtml Australian Managers]

{{Australia national soccer team managers}}
{{Australia national soccer team}}
{{National football team managers}}

[[Category:Australia men's national soccer team lists|Head coaches]]
[[Category:Australia men's national soccer team managers| ]]
[[Category:Lists of national association football team managers|Australia]]