Osieck - We have to be at our best

Qantas Socceroo coach Holger Osieck is determined to put Australia’s performance against Scotland last month to one side and focus on the important job at hand in Jordan next week.

Qantas Socceroo coach Holger Osieck is determined to put Australia-s performance against Scotland last month to one side and focus on the important job at hand in Jordan next week.

Much has been made of Australia-s showing in Edinburgh, but the Qantas Socceroo boss has preached understanding and perspective ahead of tomorrow-s friendly hit out against Lebanon.

“So far, I think it (the camp in Lebanon) went pretty well, I have the opportunity to have a bit more time than on previous occasions, so we could work pretty efficiently,” Osieck said.

“We still keep doing that, the game against Lebanon is an additional help for me to get the boys ready for the Jordan game.

“Referring to what we had in August when most of the boys were not ready, they were in pre-season, most of the major leagues hadn-t started so you couldn-t expect a lot.

“Right now we-re in the position that three weeks after that, they-ve improved, they could work on their fitness, their playing, their technique, so I we-re going to have a different team than what we had in that game in August.”

Friday morning's clash at the Saida Municipal Stadium - a picturesque arena some 45 minutes south of Beirut that overlooks the Mediterranean Sea - will give Osieck his best opportunity yet to gauge the progress of his charges since last month-s clash in Edinburgh.

Australia-s hosts, Lebanon, are preparing for a crucial FIFA World Cup qualifier of their own - at home to IR Iran on 11 September - and will provide the Qantas Socceroos with a formidable test, not dissimilar to what they can expect from Jordan next week.

“It-s definitely a good situation to rehearse here, conditions are similar, the team plays a similar style, so that helps to get an idea of what we have to expect in Jordan,” said Osieck.

“Jordan is a situation where we have to be there, we have to be at our best in order to gain the points that we need.”

The Qantas Socceroos face Lebanon in an international friendly at Saida Municipal Stadium, Saida, at 8.45pm local time (3.45am AEST, Friday, 7 September) *Note changed time.

Following that, the Qantas Socceroos resume their FIFA World Cup qualification campaign against Jordan in Amman, at 7pm on Tuesday, 11 September (2am AEST, Wednesday, 12 September).

The Qantas Socceroos return to Australia in 2013, for the FIFA World Cup qualifier against Oman at Sydney-s Stadium Australia at 7.30pm, Tuesday, 26 March, followed by Iraq, at 7.30pm on Tuesday, 18 June.

Tickets for both matches at Stadium Australia are on sale now through Ticketek or via phone, 132 849.