On a week when too much football was not enough – A-League, FFA Cup and senior internationals – arguably the most significant results came in the stifling humidity of Yangon, where the under 20s failed to qualify for next year's World Youth Cup in New Zealand. It is only the fourth time in history that Australia will not be involved in the WYC. Paul Okon's position as coach will come under review but, on this evidence, that could be a short discussion. More on that later.

Why this impacts on Postecoglou's hopes and dreams is obvious. A generation of players who need to be fine-tuned in a world championship will now miss that priceless opportunity. This is a group of players who, by rights, should be heavily represented in the 2018 World Cup campaign.

Without the experience of the WYC, and without the opportunity the tournament provides to catch the eye of foreign clubs, there's a real danger the progress of these players will stagnate. It doesn't mean they won't become bona fide Socceroos, but it makes the process that much harder. The big worry is we might never find out.

And there's potentially more clouds on the horizon. In the next few months, Aurelio Vidmar will gather the under 23s together to continue their preparation for the Olympic Games qualifying tournament, to be held in January 2016. Let's not forget the Olyroos failed to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics – incredibly failing to score a goal in the process.

It goes without saying how crucial it is the Olyroos don't make the same mistake twice in a row. A quarter-final finish at the Asian under 22 tournament early this year suggests there's plenty of ground to make up to fill one of the three qualifying positions for Rio de Janeiro. Fingers crossed.

The failure of the under 20s is bad enough, but any failure by the under 23s would give the Socceroos boss every right to wonder whether the universe has conspired against him.

Postecoglou needs to regenerate the Socceroos, he wants to regenerate the Socceroos, but if the under-age teams aren't stepping up to the plate his task becomes infinitely harder.

As it stands, the likes of Chris Ikonomidis, Peter Skapetis, Scott Galloway, Hagi Gligor and Stefan Mauk have been involved in the under 20s and under 23s. If they consistently figure in teams that fail when it counts, how does that reflect on their own ability? Does it suggest they might not be up to the pressures of international football? Perhaps. Either way, Postecoglou would be much more hopeful if these players, and these teams, were developing on a platform of success.

Which brings us back to Yangon, and the demise of the Young Socceroos. Seared in my memory is the last 15 minutes of the second group match against Indonesia, when Australia were leading 1-0 against rapidly tiring opponents. The advice from the bench to the players? "Head for the corner"; "take it easy". In other words, waste as much time as possible, and slow down every stoppage. Players went down with cramp and the stretchers came out. The small crowd booed, and had every right to do so.

That two players (Mauk and Jaushua Sotirio) were booked for time-wasting was an embarrassment. That the Young Socceroos were eliminated from the tournament on goal difference was the ultimate ignominy. A more positive approach and Australia might have grabbed a couple of more goals. A more positive approach and they might have been looking forward to an eminently winnable quarter-final against either Myanmar or Thailand, where victory would secure a place in the WYC. Instead the Young Socceroos are back home and Okon will have to face the music.

It's not that the team failed, but the way they failed that makes Okon especially accountable. The Young Socceroos might not have lost a game, but rarely did they look organised enough, spirited enough or adventurous enough to win one. And that, more than anything, is what Postecoglou is all about as he tries to rebuild the Socceroos. He could do with some help.