Tim Cahill insists Australia are suffering without Ange Postecoglou at the helm.
The Socceroos are on the verge of missing the World Cup for the first time since 2002 and will head into June’s playoffs on the back of a 1-0 loss to Saudi Arabia in Jeddah on Wednesday.
Australia now face the United Arab Emirates in a sudden-death playoff on June 7 in Doha.
The winner of that match will progress to another do-or-die playoff against Peru for a spot in the World Cup.
But they go into that on the back of wretched form with boss Graham Arnold winning just one of their past seven matches.
And former Everton star Cahill - who scored in Postecoglou’s first ever match in charge of Australia, a friendly win over Costa Rica - believes they are missing the Celtic manager’s methodology.
The Parkhead gaffer led the Socceroos to the 2014 World Cup and Russia four years later, although he quit before the finals.
And Cahill said of his nation’s problems: “The solution is to go into detail and put people that understand the game better in the areas they need to be in because when you had Ange Postecoglou there and his set up, you saw a change in the game, in the style of play, a methodology, a philosophy the fans were familiar with, whether they were happy or sad.
“He is one of the biggest Australian managers ever. So how do I feel about it? I want to qualify. With this squad, it is going to be difficult but I am fully behind Australia.”
