The Lowedown: What does it take to be successful and why winning is the bottom line

It's good to have a great goalkeeper? Football can be cruel? How about it's all about winning at the top level, full stop.

I must admit to feeling a touch hypocritical last weekend, enjoying, nay relishing Western United's approach to the A- League grand final, and hating Real Madrid's method a mere 12 hours later in the Champions League final.

It's a fact that we have tended to ignore recently - winners are grinners and those that want to play prettily or the "right way", dominating or controlling, have no divine right to success.

Take the comments of Melbourne City coach Patrick Kisnorbo, by all accounts a decent coach and by deeds an excellent and uncompromising defender.

I understand City group policy encourages a certain style but, by saying pre-game that you will let the "processes" take care of the result when you have lost twice and drawn once with your opponent during the season and won only once against a top-four opponent all year, invites a valid question.

Are you good enough to play a certain way and get results? Regardless of whether that was successful last year, rivals should be aware and good enough to nullify the norm in the passage of time.

This is not a criticism of Kisnorbo. He is entitled to set his team up how he wants, rather an examination of ambition and ability and whether we as a nation can accept where we sit in the grand scheme of things.

John Aloisi certainly did, when earlier in his coaching career he might have paid more attention to curriculums and required attitudes.

Instead he came up with a formula to stymie City first and foremost, then find a way to hurt them with the qualities of his own squad.

Real Madrid certainly changed from the side that dominates 90 per cent of fixtures in La Liga to a passive, cagey opponent against Liverpool in the Champions League final, and it worked, albeit with a modicum of good fortune.

Certainly, Courtois had a fine game in goal but he also had a multitude of defenders in front of him cutting down angles, blocking and hurrying shots.

For me their triumph was in trusting Carlo Ancelotti's belief that they would lose if the game was an open contest against Liverpool's energy and mobility. That a number of his stars could put aside ego and self-belief to play with the caution required to squirrel a result is a lesson we could learn from.

You could argue that it was typical Italian caution, and I can admit to hoping for a better spectacle. I would also argue that Madrid still had more world-class players on the pitch than Liverpool, but recognised that age and experience would not prevail in an up-tempo contest

In the annals of history, Madrid's midfield combination of Modric, Kross and Casemiro will be deemed superior to Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago of Liverpool, but they spent the majority of the contest consuming time, passing square and backwards to frustrate Liverpool and keep the game compact.

Their goal came from a not unlikely source - Vinicius Jnr sneaking in behind a fullback.

At the top level it's about fine margins, detail, accepting strengths and weaknesses, and above all winning.

I hope the Aussies recognise that when we take on the UAE for a shot at Peru on the World Cup qualifying route. We don't need to dominate, or play with style. We need to win and give ourselves a chance a week later.

It's that simple.

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