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Socceroo coach Graham Arnold has to win the Asian Cup in July to have any chance of keeping his job. Football Federation Australia president Frank Lowy has reiterated his desire to install a foreign coach after the Asia Cup. But what if Australia won? Surely then there would have to be a rethink.
Arnold took over from World Cup coach Gus Hiddink and has faced considerable problems. Tony Vidmar, Zeljko Kalac, Stan Lazaridis and Tony Popovich, have all retired. Craig Moore, Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka, Marco Bresciano and Scott Chipperfield are a just a few players who have missed recent games.
A horror defensive show against Denmark in February, in London, was followed by a strong performance by a Viduka led Socceroos in China. Uruguay won the game on Saturday, but with so many Aussie stars missing most football fans were delighted with the teams performance.
Arnold is clearly keeping with Hiddinks style. And why not?
Hiddink succeeded with South Korea in World Cup 2002, and club side PSV Eindhoven in 2005 and 2006, because his teams play a fast offensive game. This mobility, matched with technical skills, allows teams of lesser individual skill to out perform more able opponents.
Arnold, who was assistant to Frank Farina, and then Hiddink, has shown a desire and ability to keep a highly mobile Australian side.
Arnold produced a side good enough to beat China, in China in March. Although it must be said the Chinese side seemed in awe of Viduka. He inspired the team to a 2-0 win. Viduka’s dominant performance was exceptional even by his standards, but it contrasted sharply with tighter, less respectful, World Cup sides last June.
On Saturday against Uruguay there were promising signs. Carl Valeri was composed, Ryan Griffiths produced pace, and Nicky Carle gave us moments of real beauty. He also gave us one of the most bizarre moments any footballer in any code could produce. When attempting to cross the ball to square the game in the last minute, he tried the audacious and collapsed in a heap. It was almost worse than Brad Jones’ error at the other end.
Australia had mobility, and skill, and plenty of enthusiasm for the green and gold shirt. But it’s in the final third where games are won, and Australia showed little to encourage its fans.
Evidence suggests that Australia doesn’t have a Kewell or Viduka coming through its ranks, it can still perform strongly in 2010 World Cup qualification games against Asian sides
Interestingly, current Asia Cup champions, Japan, have already discarded almost of all of their 2006 World Cup side. They now have a youthful side who coach Ivan Osim will have running all day, whatever the heat. Osim seems prepared to sacrifice a historic third in a row Asian Cup win to ensure 2010 World Cup qualification.
Arnold has looked to the future also, but he also wants to win the Asia Cup. He knows beyond the Asia Cup, Australia may see strikers Viduka and Aloisi retire, but the chance for glory cannot be missed. The game in Australia could do with a win to continue its rise. Arnold could do with a win to keep his job.
Viduka cannot go to South Africa, he’ll be 35. Aging strikers have no place in a mobile team. But who would leave Viduka out of the Asia Cup. Not Arnold. Australia has a chance to win a major international tournament. Seeing Mark Viduka at the pinnacle of his career, maybe lifting the Asian Cup, would be a dream come true for all long-time football fans.
In Arnold’s favour must be his price. He’s cheap. Well compared to Hiddink and or Gerard Houllier he would be. And cost may yet be a factor. The FFA has nine international teams to run, and there is a lot of travel for all sides. Joining the Asia Confederation is a dream for Australian football, but it isn’t cheap.
Arnold has done enough to compete for his job. Lowy should see how he goes in the Asia Cup and then decide.
If he wins the Asia Cup with style, then surely Lowy should be confident Arnold has the ability to produce a side capable of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. Asia has four, maybe even five places for the 2010 South African World Cup.
Can we achieve at the 2010 World Cup with Arnold? Well, it’s a long way off, but clearly we have no new Viduka or Kewell coming through. And maybe Hiddink realised that when he shot through.
Changing the coach maybe required down the track, but for now if Arnold wins the Asia Cup Frank Lowy can find many other things on which to spend the game’s money.
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