Josep Gombau has been announced as the new coach of the Olyroos and will also take up a role on Ange Postecoglou’s Socceroos coaching staff.
The Spaniard, who made a big impression during his A-League stint as Adelaide United coach, takes over the Australian Under-23 team after Aurelio Vidmar was axed in March in the wake of a failed Rio Olympics qualifying campaign.
“I am excited by the standard of young players in Australia,” Gombau said in a statement on Tuesday.
“We will have a target to qualify for the Olympic Games but we will always be looking to prepare the players to play for the Socceroos.”
Gombau, who departed Adelaide United last July, was a coach with Barcelona’s youth team for six years from 2003 and is renowned as a shrewd developer of talent.
The 40-year-old will be based in Sydney in his new role, an appointment welcomed by Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou.
“The Olyroos is a direct feeder into the Socceroos and we feel Josep will assist in ensuring the next generation of players are ready to step into the national team but importantly also give them the best possible opportunity to qualify for the next Olympics,” Postecoglou said.
“He will play a broad role within our structure as we look to build on the good work that has been done to provide a smooth transition for younger players through the national teams.”
Gombau became a firm favourite with Adelaide United fans over his two seasons with the club and is associated with introducing an attacking brand of football.
Successor Guillermo Amor built from this attacking base, but added a steelier quality to his Adelaide side, delivering the Reds their first Premiership and Championship double.
And Gombau admits it’s a side of his game he’s now worked on.
“In this moment I am now better coach than when I left Australia one year ago because I work a lot on myself.
“And sometimes I take too much care to play beautiful and I don’t care about win or lose ... it’s also important to try to win.”
“Ange has found the right balance – we need to play good football and also to be competitive,” Gombau told reporters in a teleconference on Tuesday.
“I like this kind of football, it’s the only way I understand football – to have the ball, to try to play football, to try to be the owners of the game and try to make the people that come to see us enjoy.”
Gombau said he would bring many fresh ideas to the job but was reluctant to expand before meeting further with Postecoglou and Football Federation Australia hierarchy when his term starts in August.
The 40-year-old has been given a four-year contract with the Olyroos.
