Qantas Socceroos manager Holger Osieck will wait until the last minute to name his team to face Japan in their AFC World Cup qualifier at Suncorp Stadium on Tuesday.
Qantas Socceroos manager Holger Osieck will wait until the last minute to name his team to face Japan in their AFC World Cup qualifier at Suncorp Stadium on Tuesday.
Osieck came under fire for leaving Tim Cahill and Josh Kennedy on the bench as the Qantas Socceroos played out a 0-0 draw with Oman on Friday but will not be rushed into making changes for any reasons other than his own.
Osieck will hold a last training session in preparation for the match but won't give special selection consideration to anyone.
"There is always the slight possibility for a change," Osieck said.
"I will have a close look at the other boys who didn't start the Oman game.
"If I make a change, I will definitely base my judgement on what I see this afternoon."
Osieck was guarded when asked about the possibility of Cahill being recalled.
"Everybody on our list could be on the pitch for us," he said.
"As I said I haven't decided yet but Tim is obviously always an option for the starting 11."
Osieck deployed Alex Brosque and Harry Kewell - and then Archie Thompson, who replaced Kewell after an hour - as the targets for the Qantas Socceroos attack against Oman.
All three were largely ineffective but Australian captain Lucas Neill has backed Osieck and his selections, even if it means Cahill again watches from the bench.
"Age and experience is good but the manager will pick his team on form and on his feeling," Neill said.
"He doesn't take into consideration age or caps or name, so everybody in our team always has a chance to play.
"The mentality in the team now is that we have to play well at club level and if we do that we get our chance in the national team."
Osieck has a long association with Japanese football which stretches back to his first stint as coach of the Urawa Red Diamonds in the J.League in the '90s.
The man who has also managed in Germany, Turkey and Canada believes a change of Japanese culture is behind the national team's rise.
Osieck says today's Japanese players are far more aggressive and less likely to suffer from stage-fright than those of the past.
"I have followed the development of (the game in Japan) for almost 20 years and the change that has taken place is significant," he said.
"The new generation is a free, open-minded generation - they are not afraid anymore.
"A couple of years ago the Japanese were a little bit reserved and maybe even frightened towards foreigners.
"But that has changed dramatically and the different mindset is reflected in the performance on the field.
"There is great potential in this Japan team."
Osieck said he could not find fault with the Japan outfit and would be hoping the strengths of his Qantas Socceroos would be enough to carry them to victory.
"I don't know about any advantages we have over Japan but I do know the strengths of our group," he said.
"We are very strong physically and very strong mentally. We play attacking, attractive football.
"(Japan) is a team which provides a lot of mobility, they all have high technical qualities and they play as a team which makes them strong."
With the rivalry Japan and Australia have built in recent years, Osieck is expecting to see the best of both sides.
"When the two top teams meet everyone can expect a very interesting and exciting game," he said.
"We are certainly going out there to win the game but I am sure Japan will be playing like they have nothing to lose."