Australia defender Lucas Neill believes Guus Hiddink is a "master" of coaching teams at the World Cup.

Had events taken a different turn, Hiddink might have been the next England boss as the Dutchman was being touted was one of the early front-runners to replace Sven-Goran Eriksson.

After taking Holland and South Korea to World Cup semi-finals and boasting a glittering club CV, he was still asked to attend a formal interview with the Football Association.

Affronted by that, the 59-year-old turned his back on the job and instead signed a lucrative contract to take charge of Russia.

And for Socceroos defender Neill, Moscow's gain is very much England's loss.

Hiddink has already proved he remains at the cutting edge of the coaching game by guiding Australia into the World Cup's knockout phase for the first time in their history.

And, as Steve McClaren prepares to get his feet under the table at Soho Square, Neill feels the FA have missed out on a master.

"Guus has this aura and charisma about him," said the Blackburn defender.

"He is one of those shrewd people who make big decisions in high-pressure situations and because he backs the boys who play for him so much, he pulls it off.

"The World Cup is his stage. He really is a master."

According to Neill, Hiddink's planning is meticulous.

"Before every game he gets all the questions ready and provides you with the answers so, in any given situation during a match, you know exactly what you have to do.

"You can see his work in the amount of time we switch formations during the game. All he does is give a signal and everything slots into place."

The contrast with England is stark. Not only that, while England have faded dramatically against Paraguay and Sweden, Australia have come roaring through games, scoring late against both Japan and Croatia.

Given over half the Socceroos starting line-up ply their trade in the Premiership, there seems no other reason for Australia's clearly superior fitness levels than the intensive training Hiddink put his squad through when they gathered Down Under in the middle of last month.

"Fitness is a huge factor in big competitions such as this," said Neill.

"It is draining just trying to get out of the group. But stamina-wise we feel as though we are the equal, if not better, than any team in this competition and it is something we intend to use to our advantage."

Australia's first World Cup campaign in 32 years has certainly ignited interest in the game back home.

Typically more interested in Aussie Rules, rugby league and rugby union than football, major cities have been overwhelmed by the number of people gathering in squares to watch matches on big screens even though the middle-of-the-night kick-off times hardly fit in with the daily routine.

Having reached this stage of the competition, Australia are anxious not to see their run ended by three-time winners Italy in Kaiserslautern on Monday.

Hiddink has already warned an expectant public the challenge posed by the Azzurri will be tougher than the one Brazil presented in Munich last weekend.

And Neill acknowledges the defensive strength of the Italians means Australia cannot afford to fall behind, as they have done in every game so far.

"Italy are a ruthless team," he said. "They are used to going out, getting a goal and protecting it.

"We cannot allow them a lead because there is every chance they will pick us off and get another one."

For Neill, the game offers another chance to show he is one of the best defenders in the competition.

After three outstanding performances - during which he has also avoided a yellow card - there rumours have surfaced that Barcelona may try to test the resolve of a Blackburn side still reeling from the departure of Craig Bellamy by making an offer for the Sydney-born defender.

However, Neill has made it clear he has no individual aims for the tournament.

"I am not thinking about personal success, I am thinking about personal sacrifice," said the 28-year-old.

"It is about the team. Each and every one of us has the same opinions and the same attitudes.

"No-one cares who gets the headlines. That is a great factor and one of the major reasons why we have been so successful."