The national team boss believes his players have conquered their fears after matching up against the world's best
Having faced the world’s leading nations at the World Cup, Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou declared his side can move onto every challenge from now on without any fear.
Postecoglou revealed his first squad on Thursday since the Socceroos' exploits in Brazil, naming 20 players for next month's friendlies against Belgium and Saudi Arabia.
They are the first of at least six matches the Socceroos boss hopes to play before January's Asian Cup on home soil.
“From my perspective, and I said it to the players, when you’ve faced the likes of Spain, Holland and Chile at a World Cup with them doing their utmost to progress, there’s nothing to fear from here on in terms of the football we want to play,” Postecoglou said on Thursday.
“If we were prepared to take it to countries like that in a World Cup arena under that sort of pressure, there’s no excuse for us to not do it moving forward.
“Whatever challenges we’ve got ahead of us, I don’t think any of it will be as daunting as what we’ve faced.
“It will hopefully give the players the confidence, it’s certainly gives me the confidence, that we can push on now and tackle every game with the same sort of endeavour and same belief in the way we want to play our football.”
Postecoglou said the two friendlies, which will be played in Europe, were about building on their performances in Brazil as well as broadening the depth of his squad.
Given the way the team performed at the World Cup, Postecoglou is aware expectations have certainly increased.
But he rejected the notion his players will be over-confident heading into the Asian Cup.
“The Asia Cup is going to be a massive challenge for us. It’s out third crack at the tournament and we haven’t won it yet,” Postecoglou said.
“We’re not underestimating the challenges ahead of us in the Asian Cup. We’ve got some advantages in that it’s at home and I’m hoping we’ll have some strong home support to help us but the challenge of winning an Asian Cup against the sides we’re facing is enormous
“Our recent form shouldn’t give anyone the idea we should be arrogant, certainly not from my perspective.
“I know the results at the World Cup weren’t great for Asian sides but that’s even more ammunition for all those teams and the ones that missed out, they are going to come pretty determined in this tournament.”
Click here to watch an exclusive video interview with Ange Postecoglou