World Cup Analysis

Magic of Guus

By Matthew Day ⋅ July 25, 2006 ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Dutchman Guus Hiddink is an impressive magician; one who can conjure miracles more often than God himself. He roams from country to country, club to club, and for his habitually short stay provides unparalleled success.

Hiddink has never remained at the helm for more than five years anywhere, but from his first major managerial position at PSV it was predestined that the ex-De Graafschap midfielder would mature into a coaching maestro.

After spending time as an assistant manager at both his former playing club and PSV, it was in 1987 – at just 40 years old – that the club from Eindhoven, not yet amongst the giant Dutch clubs, began his global tour. And, just one year later, the European Cup was a rather large presence inside the trophy cabinet, dwarfing the three Eredivisie titles also acquired.

But it is with three different nations that Hiddink has created a legacy; one that has thrusted him unquestionably to the top of the world managerial rankings. His portly physique was employed fully when charged with controlling a typically belligerent Dutch squad and after a last-eight exit at Euro 1996, reaching the last four at the World Cup in France two years later was an immense achievement. After overcoming Yugoslavia and Argentina – with that eloquent and sublime Dennis Bergkamp goal - a penalty shoot-out defeat to Brazil was a cruel way for Hiddink to end his stint.

Just four years later, Hiddink’s Dutch success had been surpassed as he, against the odds, led co-hosts South Korea to a semi-final berth. The run included victories over Portugal, Italy and Spain before Germany halted their exceptional progress but not before a Guuseum was set up and the talent of the now 55-year-old had begun to be fully appreciated. Suddenly his services were hugely sought-after, but home was Hiddink’s favoured option and subsequently a return to the ‘Boeren’ (PSV).

And from nowhere, PSV returned to the fore of European football, nearly setting up a meeting with Liverpool in Champions League final of 2005 only to undeservedly lose out against Italian giants AC Milan. But, in his final year as coach of the now giants of Dutch football, he won the Eredivisie again to cap off an incredible eight years.

With less than a year to go until hosts Germany would kick-off the World Cup, he combined duties with club and country in agreeing to takeover another minnow: Australia. Perhaps he enjoyed the reduced pressure that comes with managing the likes of South Korea or Australia, but nonetheless he earned himself the ‘Houdini’ title once again as the Aussie’s qualified for the finals for the first time since 1974. It wasn’t as easy as beating the Solomon Islands.

For Uruguay, conquerors in the play-off of 2001, stood once again in Australia’s path. Hiddink’s first competitive match, having been coach for less than four months, would be in South America. There were few heroes in a 1-0 defeat except the improved defence, but four days later the nation would engulf football as it has never done before. In 1974 the national side had failed to score a goal and was made up of part-timers who struggled to get time off work but, as the squad of 2005 won 4-2 on penalties, euphoria and consequently optimism spread as quick as a forest fire, “Aussie Guus” seemed to have about every magical trick covered.

Despite Hiddink’s splendid record and a group containing Japan and Croatia as rivals for the second qualifying spot, faith in the ability of the Australian squad was not strong. Much was expected of Zico’s Japanese side as Asian football finally began to fulfil its potential; the Croats were the favourites for second spot; and Brazil, unsurprisingly, had only one plan: to pick up nine out of nine points.

The lack of belief seemed vindicated when Australia became overawed by the occasion in their opener against Japan. The loser of the game would almost certainly miss out on the opportunity to progress to the knockout stages, and so with less than ten minutes remaining the Aussie’s campaign appeared over, bar a miracle. Hiddink went all out for that sensation to occur – on came two forwards in John Aloisi and Josh Kennedy, and an attacking midfielder in Tim Cahill.

It was the Evertonian who saved face for his country once he netted Australia’s first ever World Cup goal after horrendous Japanese defending. But instead of settling for a point, the players acknowledged valuable momentum they had attained and seized the moment to secure their moment in Australian football history. Tim Cahill scored a wonderful 20-yard strike two minutes from time before John Aloisi surged forward on a counter attack and, absurdly, scored a third goal.

The deserved victory earned more accolades for Hiddink but the below par performance for the majority of the match against mundane opposition raised further questions over whether Australia could mix it with world’s best on the greatest stage. However all grains of doubt were eradicated in a battling defeat against Brazil when they acquitted themselves marvellously in their biggest competitive match.

The slice of luck that Australia in all probability required came as Japan courageously battled to a 0-0 draw with the main contenders for second spot, Croatia, who missed a first half penalty. So Australia needed a draw with Croatia to progress; if they lost Hiddink would record his worst World Cup performance. And draw they did. In a passion-driven performance, a 2-2 draw was hard-earned and the match warmed the hearts of football watchers across the globe. The game was riddled with controversy, but Harry Kewell kept his nerve to net with 12 minutes remaining and sent a nation that previously treated football with distance and aversion into ecstasy – not least Prime Minister John Howard, who along with all fans in Australia was up until the small hours.

And the growing band of supporters were up early again as Hiddink faced a rematch with Italy. South Korea had contentiously beaten them in 2002, and luck in 2006 was not favouring the Dutch coach or the Aussie team. Italian defender Marco Materazzi was sent-off early in the second half, but Hiddink was oddly restrained in contrast to what he had attempted in key group stage matches. He refused to send on attackers that could have taken the game to their opponents – instead the match lulled until an awful decision by Spanish referee Luis Medina Cantalejo. Fabio Grosso fell over, quite deliberately, the collapsed body of Lucas Neill and Francesco Totti scored with the final touch of the match. What goes around comes around; but that was no solace for the expectant fans across Australia, the players who had matched the eventual world champions, or indeed Hiddink who appeared disappointed not only for his team but for himself. He anticipated a quarter-final berth; instead it was a depressing end to a wonderful tournament.

Mark Viduka aptly summed up the narrow exit: “It is a sour way to finish. But everyone now knows we can match it with the big boys.”

Despite Hiddink not challenging his two previous World Cup endeavours, Australia’s performance was just as valiant and bold as Holland’s in 1998 and South Korea’s in 2002. It awoke a nation that had been void from international football for three decades, and Hiddink is the reason behind such a revolution.

Roman Abramovich will pay for his next contract, but Jose Mourinho’s job is not at risk. Instead, Hiddink takes the reigns of Russian football and despite the basic annual salary of $2.4 million; do not expect any less effort on his part. What’s more, the footballing world awaits a Russian revolution at the European Championships, 2008. It could turn out to be yet another miraculous chapter in his glorious novel.

Tags: Australia, Guus Hiddink

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