Many teams will adopt the same formation and play largely on the counter attack, most of us will therefore hope that a proactive nation will take the trophy.

But the lesson from Mourinho’s serial title acquisition in the three major clubs he has coached is not that cautious football prevails, because the success of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and AC Milan in the last decade proves that greater success comes from dominating matches.

The lesson that holds greater promise for Australian football, and for our team about to start its second consecutive campaign, is the importance of team.

Mourinho’s tactical qualities are exceptional in their attention to detail, but it is easier to, as Ruud Gullit stated last year, “demolish a house than to build one”, meaning it is a simpler matter to defend and counter than to dictate the play.

The Portuguese master’s primary weapon that has led to his ascension to the peak of world football, is his capacity to unite a group of disparate, highly paid, and often selfish footballers into a united group with a fierce common focus.

In short, he creates a team ethic where none exists.

He accomplishes this through a phenomenal ability to create a rapport with each individual, to make every player believe in his methods, and by creating a division between his team and the rest of the world that produces a powerful driving force for each of his groups.

His players love him because he protects and supports them, except for those that break team ranks, and his leadership is strong.

He leads, and the playing group believes, and follows as one.

In essence, (taking away Mourinho’s ability to engineer a result through sound game insight and suitable tactics, albeit rarely easy on the eye) the ‘special one’ is paid somewhere up to $20 million Australian dollars per season to create a strong team ethic under the most difficult of circumstances, with a squad of players of different nationalities, quality and ambitions.

Take his move to Real Madrid last month.

Even before he had taken the reins and signed the deal, Mourinho had a message for the stars of Madrid, delivered, as always, through the press.

When asked how he would handle the massive egos of the group, he stated that “the players are not the star, the coach is not the star, the team is the star”, and left no one uncertain that each Madrid player would be expected to commit fully to the group and the team project.

Now, what’s the message out of this for Australia?

Simply this, that what Mourinho is paid millions to create, and the core skill that has created his achievements, is already our strength.

Australia has the greatest team ethic, culturally speaking, in world football as we are a country that frowns somewhat on individualism or selfishness in sport, we prefer that every player is seen to be a solid team member. This is what will carry Australian football onto great heights in future decades.

Each nation is different, and has varying expertise in the four necessary football fields, physical, technical, tactical and psychological, but for many the last quality is the hardest.

Whether being able to perform under sporting pressure, being able to overcome insecurity at the top level of the game, or the ability to pull together as a group rather than try to fulfil personal interests, most countries have difficulties when it comes to being able to compete as a strong collective group.

Australia does not, nor will we ever.

It is one of our greatest qualities that will one day see us win the holy grail, the World Cup itself, and is the exact quality that some coaches are being paid incredible amounts of money to create.

Many countries have technical qualities and superb tactical preparation, but lack a winning mentality and team ethic.

Australia is the opposite, and the good news is that whilst the first two can be ‘bought’, that is, knowledge and expertise imported and applied, the latter are the most difficult to acquire.

In international football, it is cultural, and with limited time in charge of a group relative to club football, it is harder for a coach to change the internal dynamics if they do not already exist.

Our boys always have a chance to achieve great things at any World Cup because they are, Australian, and this team ethic is vital, irrespective of how a team plays.

To attack or defend is a philosophical or tactical choice.

To play as a genuine team always a significant determining factor, and once again the Socceroos will show the world that it is a quality that Australia has in abundance."

Forward that shit to Fink. I don't think he'll even be supporting Australia at the WC given the lack of Carle, Oar and the pressence of Verbeek.