Holger Osieck has been named head coach of Australia by Football Federation Australia (FFA).

His first impressions will not be great after watching his new side get thoroughly beaten by the home side 2-0 in an international friendly match against Slovenia.

Despite enjoying a lion’s share of possession it took Slovenia 78 minutes to break the deadlock when Zlatko Dedic scored with a powerfully taken header.

The Slovenes doubled their lead when Zlatan Ljubijankic sealed the result in the first minute of stoppage time with a strike from outside the area that too good for Adam Federici.

It was a deserved finish for the home side, which dominated proceedings with 27 shots on goal to just nine from Australia in front of a sold-out Sportni Park.

Caretaker coach Han Berger admitted Australia struggled in the match.

“It was a difficult game for us and we were not able to create too many chances,” Berger said.

“Our main problem was that we turned the ball over too much, too early, too quickly and too often and then you’re under pressure and in certain moments you pay for that.

“The second (goal) Lucas gives the ball away – you get punished for that on this level and that happened a little bit too much during the game.”

Osieck said he was looking forward to working with the national team and on the development of football in Australia in general alongside FFA Technical Director Han Berger.

“I am excited about working with the Qantas Socceroos and building on the team’s impressive results in Asia and around the world,” Osieck said.

“Taking over at a stage of natural transition as we start our preparations for 2014 is an ideal opportunity to influence the future direction of the young players and coaches from Australia.”

Osieck has demonstrated his ability to win major tournaments. He was assistant coach to Franz Beckenbauer with the German team that won the FIFA World Cup in 1990, head coach of the Canadian national team that won the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2000 and the head coach of the Urawa Red Diamonds, the largest club in Asian football, when they won the AFC Champions League only three years ago.

Osieck has worked at the coal face of youth development as a youth coach of the German Football Federation (DFB) and has worked at the forefront of technical development as the Director of the FIFA Technical Department.

FFA Chairman, Frank Lowy, AC, said: “Our coaching selection committee set out a number of very clear objectives from the outset to measure the prospective coaches against.

“Holger comes highly recommended as he has worked at all levels of the game and will combine his coaching expertise and experience with an ability to contribute to the future development of young players and in particular will act as mentor to Australian coaches as we develop our own national coaches for the future.

“This is a legacy that we believe Holger will leave for football in Australia. To that end we will be appointing a second Australian assistant coach who can work alongside Holger and Aurelio Vidmar.”

Lowy also added that: “Holger has extensive knowledge of Asian Football having won the AFC Champions League with Urawa Red Diamonds. He has experienced what it takes to traverse Asia and win tournaments and this will be invaluable experience as he leads our team into the AFC Asian Cup in January 2011 and as we prepare for another challenging campaign to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

“Holger has also worked in a nation where football is not the number one sport and proved that he can win a major Championship against nations who have football in their veins when he won the CONCACAF Gold Cup with Canada.”

In welcoming Holger to Australia, Lowy said: “Holger has had a lifelong passion for developing football not only as a coach but as an educator and he will impart a winning philosophy to players and coaches alike.”