Australian soccer already a winner, says Hiddink

OEHRINGEN, Germany, June 21 (Reuters) Australia can already count themselves among the big winners of the World Cup regardless of how far they progress in the tournament, coach Guus Hiddink said today.

The Socceroos can reach the last 16 by winning their final Group F match against Croatia tomorrow and will probably go through with a draw but Hiddink said the result should not be used as the decisive measure of whether they had succeeded.

He said Australia have already exceeded everyone's expectations just by qualifying for the tournament, beating Japan in their opening match and raising the profile of the sport back home.

''Of course, we want to go further on and qualify for the next round but the big win for Australia is that in a few months the sport has gone from number four to number one,'' Hiddink told a news conference.

''I don't want to talk about failure because even in the bad-case scenario (losing) it's not a failure of Australian football because of what we have achieved already.

''I think Australia have impressed the world already. We have gone beyond that point (of failing).'' CUP MOMENTUM Hiddink was hired by Australia at great expense to mastermind their World Cup campaign and, although he will leave after the competition to take up a new job with Russia, he was confident Australia would build on their success in Germany.

''It would be damaging now if Australian football goes down and they don't use the momentum of this World Cup to get better structures and organisation,'' he said. ''That's the biggest win for me, regardless of the result tomorrow.'' The Football Federation of Australia (FFA) have not decided on Hiddink's replacement yet but defender and former captain Craig Moore urged the federation to choose wisely.

''Obviously, the FFA have probably got their man for the job but personally I believe it has to be someone with a lot of experience.

It is important for the future of Australian soccer that we don't go backwards and (we) continue to improve,'' he said.

''It's massive just being here. Normally this time of year, the Australians (players) are on holidays watching the World Cup on television.

''It's huge to be here but we're not here to make up the numbers.

We're ambitious as players and we want to be here as long as we can.'' Reuters DH RN1905