 Nyorai mberi kweiyi ndima - Venables akava maneja weAustralia munaNovember 1996, zvichitevera kusiya basa kwaEddie Thomson. Mumakwikwi eConfederations Cup 1997, Venables akatungamirira Australia kusvika kumagumo vasati vakundwa neBrazil. Chikwata chake chakapinda mumakwikwi eOceania World Cup, asi chakakundwa muplay-off neIran pazvinangwa zvekuenda. Sezvo chikwata ichi chakanga chakarova 11 muTehran, Australia yakatungamira mutambo wechipiri 20 pakutanga kwehafu yechipiri, asi vakatambira zvibodzwa zviviri zvekupedzisira kuti varege kukwanisa kuenda kuNdebe yeNyika ya1998 pazvinangwa zvekunze. VaVenables vakasarudza kusiya Socceroos sezvo Dare Rinodzora reNyika rakanga raita kuti sangano reSoccer Federation riite zvekuvimba kuti raizokwikwidza muNdebe yeNyika yokutanga kubvira muna 1974. 