Football
AAP 8y

Former Adelaide boss Josep Gombau appointed Australia under-23 coach

Spaniard Josep Gombau says the challenge of rejuvenating Australia's youth football and a symmetry in style with Ange Postecoglou lured him to the Olyroos' coaching job.

Gombau on Tuesday was announced as Australian men's under-23 coach, replacing Aurelio Vidmar who was axed after the Olyroos failed to qualify for the Rio Olympics.

Almost a year after Gombau suddenly quit as Adelaide United's coach after two seasons at the helm of the A-League club, the 40-year-old has been given a four-year contract with the Olyroos.

Gombau, a former youth academy coach at Spanish giants Barcelona, says he has a footballing philosophy "very close" to that of Socceroos coach Postecoglou.

"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.

"I have a lot of ideas I would like to put in place," he said.

Gombau, who has been working with Spanish superstar David Villa's coaching academies across the United States, said he was an improved coach since departing Adelaide United.

"In this year I don't coach, I have time to think of my philosophy, to think of what I did right, what I did wrong, in the past," he said.

"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."

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