Does Graham Arnold sleep with a horse shoe?

Con, from the sentiments I get on the Roar, maybe Mr Arnold should consider sleeping with something that offers a bit more protection than a horseshoe? Maybe hes considering jumping to another sport from futbol, basketball, water polo, hockey? Could explain him sticking around the Olympics.

BTW Djite could have had some international experience if he had been picked for the Olympics...yeah? :)

Jeez, with all this insurance you proclaim Pim to have, we'll be lucky to resolve this rabble of 50+ "socceroos" into a cohesive unit by 2010. Graciously, The Bear

Bear Djite is still learning the game and has next to zero international experience. I'm sure Pim sees him as a potential player for 2010 - but I don't think he is going to turn to Djite if all of a sudden our overseas stars fall over during the qualifying phase - that's where Arch is a bit of an insurance policy (not to mention that he can play wide if need be). I can imagine a scenario where Pim might choose Arch to partner 2m jesus if Macca was injured - that's the sort of insurance policy I'm talking about. The truth is, neither are likely to feature much - but it's a bit too early to start putting Djite up the pecking order. This is nothing against Djite mind you, I reckon he'll be in the 2010 squad if he keeps developing.

Pip, if Archie plays more games than Djite from here to South Africa, i'll eat my furry ears in astonishment. If Graham Arnold is anywhere near the technical area, then i'll eat his too, while i am at it. Which is more likely, i wonder? Graciously, The Bear

Bear I agree that Arch may not play too many games, if any, but I'm confident that Pim wants him somewhere near at hand as a just-in-case player, that's all, it's just part of the overall team planning (that's why Pim would have been happy to have him in the Olyroos as one of the over-age players). I"ve already said a few times, look to the first half against South Africa for our starting line-up in Tashkent. North might yet make it into the team alongside Neill, but that might be it for the A-League.

Forget the horse shoe Con . . . maybe we should get one of the disgruntled football mafia from out west to put a horse's head in his bed. Then he might get the message . . .

I knew i forgot someone.....Aloisi. And i don't rate Holman, either. But Pim does, and over Archie. I still feel your Puppet-master theory is a little thin, based on the Archie selection. This coming round of WC qualifiers won't be having as many "feel good" A League inclusions. I guarantee it. Graciously, The Bear

Well Dukes has been injured for a while, and Kewell is only slowly working his way back to fitness. I don't know too many people that would want Holman in their starting line up (the worst first touch in the whole of the Eredivisie). Holman's sole role in Pim's squad is, as we call it in AFL, to play as a defensive forward - you'd never rope him in to your line-up in the hope that he will give you a goal (think of how Uruguay played against us in the first leg in 2001). The first half against Sth Africa tells us that Sterj, 2m Jesus and Macca will all start (I certainly hope so). It's possible that Arch will not make it to Tashkent, but what about the next qualifier, or the one after, or when some overseas players can't make a particular game?

Seriously, 30 yo Archie as a back up striker??? Would that mean Dukes, Kewell, Sterjovski, Holman, Kennedy, MacDonald and would all have to be injured before HE would ever be called into action. The smart money would have been to invest in Djite, at international level, at these Olympics, for the future AC and WC campaigns. And i'd say Archie's inclusion at the Olympics had little to do with keeping him fit and sharp for Pim, and everything to do with a smash and grab tactic from FFA and GA to "steal" a goal and medal in China. I know i won't sway you. Graciously, The Bear

Con I thought your title read sleeping with a horses head for a minute there...

Bear I wouldn't call it a conspiracy, I would simply say that Pim is calling all the shots (not surprising considering that he is the NT manager). Pim doesn't see himself using Djite in the next 6 months, and has rightly advised him to nail a starting spot in his new team, and he's making a fine fist of it. It was no problem recalling Djite for a mid week game in Europe. Pim does see a role for both North and Arch, even if just as back ups - and that's why they were in the Olyroo team. Similarly, Pim is probably tossing up between Chippers and Carney for the LB possie, and gave Carney a bit of a go in the Olyroo team as well. As we've both said above, to have two good candidates for that possie is only good for the team. So once again, look to the first half line-up as providing at least 9 of the 11 players in the same positions. Think of Emo coming in for Wilkshire if fit and either North or Spira coming in for Coyne (Pim has already hinted they will have to fine tune the defence). Clearly, Pim's biggest question will be who to pick out of Chippers and Carney, both playing reasonable games but both involved in each of the South African goals (both came from that wing). I can't help thinking that Pim might be leaning towards Chippers, thinking that Carney still has to learn the full back craft. Nevertheless, Carney remains a good option for coming off the bench if we need a more attacking formation.

Ahh, a conspiracy!! Pip, how does selecting Archie Thompson for the Olympics, fit in with your grand master plan? Surely Djite, would have been the more obvious choice, for the good of the NT development and Tashkent game. But we were told by the FFA that he couldn't handle the heat, and lacked maturity. Graciously, The Bear

I would have thought we were good enough to beat a team like South Africa who has progressively been tumbling down the rankings for the best part of a decade. But: 1. I didn't think our performance was all that bad; and 2. Pim made something like 6 changes in the 2nd half - so this game was all about trying a few things - I'm sure that to Pim the draw was neither here or there. South Africa's two goals were certainly quality; their keeper was atrocious; Australia should be judged more by its first half - the South African coach is a dill. This whole Arnie business is clouding everyone's judgement about what is really happening. Take note: 1. Compare the make up of the Olyroo team and the starting XI last night - tell me what you notice; 2. Pim's formation (something along the lines of a 4-2-2-1-1) was quite riminiscent of what we went out on the park with against Argentina. In other words, there is a master plan, and it's Pim who is pulling all the strings - Arnie has nothing to do with it, except following orders. What are we building up for? The opening qualifier in Tashkent in what will be a very tough game, and to be honest, a far more important game than anything we did during the Olympics. People may not like the manner in which we end up tackling the Uzbekis on their own dung heap, but my bet is that that will not matter one iota to Pim.

I assume GA knows what's good for him, and that the FFA are trying to work their way out of a fine mess. The best thing we can hope for is an attitudinal change from the media and coaches. I could not help but pick my jaw off the ground this week, when Rob Slater, on Fox FC, encouraged HAL players to dribble and run at players!? I wonder what his 'mate' Graham Arnold thought of that, after years of ignoring players like Carle, and recently, Burns? Baan put it ALL in writing. Make the FFA accountable. Graciously, The Bear

Arnold is gone. He will be gone when the olympics is over. The final straw is when he didn't turn up in the Socceroos vs South Africa despite the olympics tournament is finish. Expect a resignation press conference soon