Well done Socceroos, but improvement is needed For now. Australia might have made heavy weather of qualifying for the World Cup, but in the end all that matters is that Holger Osieck's men got there. Josh Kennedy's late winner against Iraq not only spared a nation's blushes, it kept the German in a job and probably prolonged the careers of a handful of veterans for at least another 12 months. It's time to celebrate, but realistic appraisal of the national team's campaign is needed sooner rather than later. But, save for their demolition of a poor Jordan in Melbourne last week and two terrific performances where they shared the spoils home and away with the best team in the group, Japan, they rarely impressed. Too often they failed to impose themselves on opposition which, when all was said and done, was rated thirty odd places, sometimes more, below them in the world rankings. Usually Australian sides can be relied upon to play with vim and vigour, brio and bravado, irrespective of the opposition or the circumstances. That wasn't always the case this time, and it worked against them. The team which took Australia to the World Cup is unlikely to be the same as the one that competes in Brazil. In the wake of the national celebration and the relief of actually making it to Brazil, it might sound churlish to point out the squad's shortcomings. But given the difficulties they had in getting there, even if we acknowledge that the conditions they play in are not helpful and that Asian opposition is improving, the questions are entirely valid. The statistics, now that the dust has settled, look quite impressive. Eight games, only one defeat, and no losses at home. On paper it looks as though qualification had been achieved in straightforward fashion. But appearances, as most of us learn through experience, are deceptive. The Socceroos struggled to put away what was an effectively an Iraq Olympic team, one stuffed with five teenagers. How on earth will they fare against the sort of serious opposition they will come up against in Brazil, an Argentina, perhaps, or a Germany, or an Italy. At this point there would be plenty willing to bet that they might struggle to match New Zealand's achievement in 2010 of simply avoiding defeat in all three group games. The Socceroos celebrate. The meandering pace with which Australia started against Oman in Sydney, for example, played into the visitors" hands and gave the Arabs the platform from which they could score two surprise goals to ultimately force a draw. Their approach in the shock loss to Jordan in Amman - perhaps the result which was the root of their problems - also caused eyebrows to be raised. While there might be a sense of entitlement amongst the group who got the Socceroos to Brazil, there shouldn't be. In a team such as this, with an average age close to 31, there can be no sense of ownership, no belief that anyone has any divine right to a place in the starting line up. Harry Kewell with his Melbourne Heart jersey. Much can happen in the intervening 12 months. After all, few regarded Luke Wilkshire as a potential Socceroo regular through 2005 and early 2006. It was only when Guus Hiddink put him up before the press the day before the Socceroos took on Holland in a pre-World Cup friendly in Rotterdam in May 2006 that most of the media realised the Dutchman was serious and that Wilkshire would be in his starting line up not just for the Dutch game (a 1-1 draw in which he was, ironically, sent off) but also in Kaiserslautern when Australia faced Japan. Wilkshire has been a regular feature since and is almost certain to be on the plane to Brazil. But his rise from seemingly nowhere seven years ago is illustrative of what can happen. Adama Traore at Melbourne Victory training in February. Osieck has tried and tested several playes during this campaign. Some have been retained and blossomed: Robbie Kruse and Tommy Oar are perhaps the two best examples, one aged 24 and one aged 21, both of whom should, injuries permitting, be keys to the national team for not just this World Cup cycle but the next. Ditto Tommy Rogic, who came off the bench to good effect on Tuesday night. Everyone knew the youngster was a future star when he made his Mariners debut in the A-League, and now that he is at Celtic he needs to play regularly and gain the experience so that he can be a creative fulcrum in the centre of Australia's midfield in 2014 and beyond. But they are already pretty established. Are there any other Wilkshires out there? Its hard to say. There are a number of players, including the likes of Nikita Rukavytsya and James Troisi, who have been flirted with, left out only to hover on the fringe as potential call ups should they strike a rich vein of form. Socceroo Michael Zullo. Utility Rhys Williams was a big favourite of Osieck's predecessor Pim Verbeek, but the Middlesbrough man has not made such an impression on Osieck. Most thought he would have established himself in the centre of Australia's defence after South Africa, but he wasn't even in the squad for these matches. Striker Matthew Leckie looked like a star on the rise in the A-League, but his move to the Bundesliga has not brought the same rewards as it has for Kruse. The ex-Adelaide man remains a prospect, but he would have to do something special to force his way into the squad from here. Left back remains a problematic position. Matty McKay provides yeoman service in the role, but the diminutive and busy ex-Brisbane Roar captain is much happier being played in a more forward spot. Wishful thinkers hope Melbourne Victory's Ivory Coast born Adama Traore could be given Australian citizenship in time to play in the next World Cup, but the immigration department will have the first say on that (as will the FIFA regulators) and Osieck would then have a difficult call to make on whether to include a player who might not have even appeared for the national team before the tournament. There is a chance there for a player like Michael Zullo (who is behind McKay in the pecking order) or Aziz Behich, the dashing former Melbourne Heart left back who has disappeared off the radar somewhat since his move to Turkey. If he can play regularly, then he might be able to force his way into the reckoning with a good season in Europe. Shane Lowry is another young left-sided defender who has been in and out but will see the next 12 months as a chance to state his claims. And of course there will still be a rump of fans who will advocate the cause of Harry Kewell, pointing out that the one time superstar is six months younger than Lucas Neill and the same age as Archie Thompson, both of whom have figured prominently in the latter stages of this campaign. Kewell remains the Australian player currently active with perhaps the most natural ability, despite his age. But he has barely played for 15 months and his stocks have dropped alarmingly. Still, were he to have a stellar year in the A-League for Melbourne Heart - perhaps mirroring the impact of Shinji Ono and Alessandro Del Piero for West Sydney and Sydney - there will certainly be some clamouring for his inclusion. Maybe the Under 20 World Cup, which kicks off in Turkey on Thursday, will provide some clues as to the identity of potential late bolters. Australia could use some youthful pace and mobility at the heart of defence, so the chance exists for Under 20 skipper Curtis Good, who signed a long term deal with English Premier League club Newcastle United last year, to make a big impression. But even then he would surely need to force his way into the Newcastle set up and be playing at Premiership level before he could be seriously entertained.