Postecoglou and the art of the tinkerman In the days when Claudio Ranieri was coaching Chelsea, he was known as The Tinkerman, such was his penchant for chopping and changing his line-up, trying out this player or that, or experimenting with a new formation and team structure. Under Ranieri, Chelsea became a powerful force - hard not to when fuelled by the war chest of Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich - although he could not lead them to their ultimate target, the premiership title. That did not come until shortly afterwards, when Ranieri had been sacked and Jose Mourinho installed in his stead. Whatever Ranieri's predilections, Socceroo boss Ange Postecoglou might give him a run for his money in the tinkering stakes, although it is to be hoped the national team boss manages to get the sort of success he is tasked to achieve rather than suffer the fate of Ranieri, axed before the Blues reached their current heights. Postecoglou has chopped and changed, mixed and matched and sought inspiration here and there as he looks for the right blend, not just to make Australia competitive in the Asian Cup but to build a squad that is capable of qualifying for the next World Cup, due to be held in Russia in 2018. Some have been critical of the coach for casting his net so far and wide and, with the opening game of the 2015 Asian Cup not two months away, still not appearing to have settled on his first-choice team. Others have bemoaned the fact that he has handed out international caps to players who haven't earned their stripes, youngsters playing at lower levels in the English or European game or coming through at A-League clubs and finding their way against stiff competition. I'm not one of them. Postecoglou has a massive job on his hands, as results during and, particularly, after the World Cup have made clear. He needs to rebuild the Socceroos from top to bottom, and do so at a time when he is also expected to be challenging for honours, certainly in the Asian Cup which Australia hosts. While he should not be immune to criticism - results do count, even in friendly matches, as they have such an impact on determining how the non-soccer public regards the national team - he also needs to be cut some slack. He is right to try out as many players as he can: how do you know that a youngster or even a seasoned veteran will cope with the psychological pressure and expectation of wearing the national team shirt until he gets first-hand experience. Some players thrive on the challenge and play better for their national team than they do for club sides. Others who might be playing at a good level in club soccer never seem to take to the very different demands of the international game. A perfect example is the case of Scott McDonald, the Celtic striker who was able to score against the likes of AC Milan and Manchester United in the Champions League but never hit the target for Australia in 26 appearances for the Socceroos. That didn't make McDonald a bad player, but there was clearly something about the international game, or the way the national team was set up, that didn't suit him. But before he was discarded he was, correctly, given a number of chances to show what he could do. Luke Wilkshire in the 2006 World Cup provides an opposite case. Back then he was a little-known midfielder with third-tier English side Bristol City. Guus Hiddink saw something in him and gave him a chance alongside the several Premier League players that Australia had in its side at that time, and Wilkshire took it with both hands. He eventually became a permanent fixture in the national squad until he fell out of favour under Postecoglou and was axed from the World Cup party in Brazil just before the Socceroos began their campaign. The point is, both these players were given chances: one became a key man, the other didn't. Who knows which of the myriad players Postecoglou has chosen in the four games since the 3-0 loss to Spain will go on to become regulars? But until he gives each of them a handful of chances we won't know. The suspicion, from the results in the past few months when Australia has lost to Belgium and Qatar, drawn with the UAE and narrowly beaten Saudi Arabia, is that many of those selected are flat-out trying to reach the level needed to be competitive against the best in Asia. But if that's where they are, then that is what Australia must work with. The coach has to be sure who can and can't perform for him, and he needs to see players in difficult circumstances. The upcoming friendly fixture against Japan in Osaka on Tuesday week is the last big test before the Asian Cup and a good opportunity for Postecoglou to run the rule over his men once more - while still leaving the door ajar for any late bolters to put their hands up. As he says, should the national team ever be settled with regulars guaranteed a place?