Graham Arnold’s appointment as the long-term Socceroos coach following the World Cup has been met with a surprising backlash.
There is general disappointment that Arnold represents a move away from the ‘never take a backwards step’ culture of Ange Postecoglou.
Postecoglou’s era was about changing the mentality of Australian football. He wanted the side to take the game to their opponents – no matter who they were – and always encouraged positive, attack-minded football, an attitude he felt was more reflective of the typical Australian culture, as opposed to previous, underdog approaches.
By contrast, Arnold is a safety-first, cautious coach. This, however, is a simplistic analysis.
To understand how the Socceroos have and will be shaped by the predecessor and the successor, it is important to acknowledge the differences, and appreciate the similarities, between Postecoglou and Arnold.
Both coaches have similar long-term goals, but different mentalities in how to reach that goal.
One of Postecoglou’s great strengths is his ability to sell a vision. He paints a clear picture of where he wants his team to go, and importantly, how they will get there.
In his first press conference as Socceroos coach, he said he wanted to win the World Cup, and in the process of doing so, to restore pride and belief to the national team, and ensure they represent the core values of the country. Throughout his tenure, his decision-making process was based upon ‘never taking a backwards step’. This meant pursuing world-class infrastructure, playing a modern brand of football, and implementing best practice match and squad preparation.
The goal was to win, but it was the way in which they won that mattered to Postecoglou. That vision, and emphasis on process, is significant.
Image: AAP/Joe Castro
In an interesting parallel, Arnold outlined similarly lofty goals in his own initial press conference as Socceroos boss.
“I dream of winning the Asian Cup and the World Cup. That’s what I’m going for. That’s what we’re here for,” the Sydney FC coach said.
“We’re not going there to make up numbers and I know there’s a high expectation level in Australia and it should be because we have a winning mentality.
“And that needs to continue.”
That it needs to ‘continue’ is a curious choice of wording, because it shows that Arnold considered Postecoglou’s Socceroos possessed this quality. It also shows that it is something Arnold himself values.
This is much is evident in the way his current Sydney FC side (as well as his Championship-winning Central Coast Mariners) are driven by a desire for continued excellence. It is a ruthless, resilient mentality, and one shared by Arnold and Postecoglou.
Where they are different (and only subtly) is in how they approach this outcome.
Postecoglou is driven by winning, in his eyes, “the perfect game”. He wants to win with a specific style of football, and by the dream of dominating the opponent through this style.
Arnold, by comparison, is more pragmatic, less driven by the style of play. That is not to say he doesn’t have specific tactics and strategy (he certainly does – Sydney FC, for example, have a strikingly discernible playing style) but they are not wedded to the idea of executing that style perfectly in order to win.
Winning, in itself, is enough. The style of play is a byproduct. For Postecoglou, it is the product.
AAP Image/David Moir
Yet in terms of some aforementioned aspects of a high-performance environment, Arnold and Postecoglou are again strikingly similar.
When Postecoglou got the national team role, he brought Peter Cklamovski on board to introduce video and athlete monitoring systems that were otherwise non-existent. Arnold did the same at Sydney, appointing Doug Kors to implement one of the most comprehensive analysis departments in the A-League, working alongside the A-League’s foremost sport scientist and strength and conditioning coach, Andrew Clark.
Postecoglou and Arnold both appreciate the value of quality backroom staff and systems.
The greatest and perhaps most obvious difference between the two coaches is in their style of play.
Whereas Postecoglou’s approach was about quick, incisive attacking play, aggressive positioning high up the pitch and high pressing, Arnold is more structured – the side builds up slowly, ensures they are protected against counter-attacks and focus on getting talented attackers on the ball where they can be effective.
Assuming Arnold continues with his usual template, in his first game in charge, the Socceroos will be structured and organised defensively – straight lines and rigid collective movement. Postecoglou’s first game was about going forward, fluidity and diagonal running.
Regardless of what you consider the ‘right’ way to play, or even what the ‘right’ way for an Australian team to play, there are still core values that Arnold and Postecoglou share that can be considered Australian.
While there can be debate and discussion about whether Arnold’s tactics are truly suited to an international level, it is difficult to see logic in some arguments that have suggested he is the antithesis of the previous regime.
Graham Arnold may not be Ange Postecoglou, but he is still Australian.
Johnno
Guest
harsh
reuster75
Roar Rookie
"If this is accepted then surely it is with more hope than fact that a country can ,almost overnight, challenge that dominance and go on to play such opponents on what could be deemed a “level” playing field." Very good point and this is what so much of the commentary in the media about Ange (and the FFA themselves) failed to grasp was that Ange knew it would take time and that it's very difficult to do this with a top down approach. Ideally this process would've started a long time ago at underage level but Ange felt he had no choice but to take this top down approach because there was no adequare structure in place at the lower levels. He was also willing to risk his reputation for the benefit of progressing the game in this country by doing this so will be interesting to see if GA will be willing to take the same risk.
Worried
Guest
Graeme isn't Ange ! Wow is that it! Obviously, Ange is a popular football identity in Australia. Arnold.... well. Ange has had success. Arnold being given the national role just lowers the overall standard. We need the BEST coach available, not just the best Australian Coach, although Arnold doesn't qualify under either standard. Is Graeme Arnold really the person we want representing the face of Australian Football ????
Buddy
Guest
I haven’t enjoyed watching the Socceroos for quite a while now. In short, the style of play is boring and lacks enterprise and a desire to get forward and attack. I have to assume that style is developed by the coaching staff so I guess that suggests I am not an Ange fan of late although I used to enjoy watching Brisbane play under his tenure. I will be watching to see if things change when GA takes over. I get the whole results necessity and sometimes the result is more important than how you get it. There again, what happens when you play dull negative football and don’t get results a la Jose yesterday morning? What gets said in press conferences requires a pinch of salt taken to it really. It is such an unrealistic set up that has been put in place across the sporting globe and coaches, managers and players are expected to come along and perform like circus animals. Consequently, we consume an awful lot of total drivel. After all, when a game has recently finished, irrespective of the result the team - including the off field staff have routines to go through and they probably want to wrap things up with the players and then go home or out somewhere. Instead, they have to sit in a room often answering totally inane questions and they don’t want to reveal what they are really thinking or what they said to players but have to play charades as it is now compulsory. I long for the day when someone walks in and just says “ we lost, I’m really xxxxxx off about it, now why don’t you lot just xxxx off and leave us in peace. Make up whatever you like, more so than what you usually do”. Even the pre match conferences are pretty awful affairs. Better to use a recorded message. Thanks for attending our pre match wc qualifier press conference. I won’t be giving away any secrets or just how we have prepared. We will be fielding 11 players and a 5 man bench. If we play well and our plan works, we will win and I will smile for the cameras after the game. Thankyou for your attendance.
Kangajets
Guest
You are entitled to your opinion But the Asian cup will live long in my mind. Korea were excellent opposition and you can’t blame Ange for Japan going out .
Johnno
Guest
ps: Correction, Arnie as Olyroos coach got a 1-1 all draw in Pyongyang in that Olympics qualifer, but still no easy task to get a draw in tricky away games. To me, that is the strength of an International coach, to get draws in tricky away games thrown in with the odd win. Ange had that ability to get draws in tricky away games..
Johnno
Guest
Ange may of played champagne football and appear to have very thing defence, but whatever else his sides were extremely resillient and sonehow did display good dfence, yes a bit of luck thrown in but it happened to many times that they used the get out of jail card or heart attack roos, that that resilience and closing matches was no fluke eg 2015 asian cup final vs south korea, the qualifers vs syria and honduras the tough away leg draw to Thailand in opporesive conditions in the week the King of thailand died and thailand side lifted so much to a draw in saudi arabia in the world cup qualifers, the point is Ange could get draws or wins from extremely tricky and high pressurised games, so he has to be comended there, he was an excellent manager to have in a crisis as the results proved. Is Arnie the same sort of guy eg dealing with tricky away legs and getting a draw or even a win? From memory when coaching the Olyroos he did get a tricky 1-0 ayway win in freezing conditions vs North Korea in Pyongyang in an 2008 olympics qualifer, that was far from easy.. Be an interesting ride, one thing is Arnie is vastly experienced he has been around the socceroos now for over 30 years
LuckyEddie
Guest
Try again we are talking about club football. When big Ange coached the Roar if Broich did not play big Ange did not win the game. He had Broich at his absolute peak. As for the Asian cup Ange got a huge lucky break and avoided Japan, who would have slaughtered us. His team in Japan is third bottom and if his international or youth records are anything to go by he'll be out in about 4 weeks. He is a bit of a con job who got lucky and plays the media. I mean if he was so great why did he run away from the WC. That's right to spend more time with the family in -- Japan?.
Kangajets
Guest
Yet without Broich , Ange won the Asian cup .
LuckyEddie
Guest
Ange needs another Broich to make him look good.
Will
Guest
Marcelo Bielsa would have been a revelation to Australian football, he would teach new concepts that we haven't learned before and the occasional sledge at the media lol. A shame the FFA don't see his vision.
Will
Guest
Arnie's tone does worry me a bit, if he continues in the same raign with the same cocky mindset with the Asian countries then it would to lead some interesting press conference and chatter on social media if things don't go his way!
Angry Kossie
Guest
You're right he's been acting like a clown! I didn't like it when he called out Adam Peacock last season and definitely didn't like the disrespect of Adelaide. I'm a Sydney & Jets member so maybe I haven't noticed the level of his arrogance due to the wins of Sydney and Newcastle this season as too busy celebrating wins! He wont win any fans from his press conferences, but I don't think most of the other Aussie AL Managers would either unless they changed their spots (e.g. Muscat, Poppa)!
Kangajets
Guest
Kossie I understand the logic behind Arnold appointment and I will always support Australia even with Arnold as coach ,and certainly admire his work at the mariners . His scouting of marquees at Sydney has been excellent, but any A league coach with that budget and talent at sfc should be winning, so he is doing only what can be expected. Like I said , that the 4 years at sfc he has not brought young players through is disappointing, but that is a problem through the whole A league. As punter would know , my whole anti Sydney, anti Arnold thing is to create a bit of us against them dialogue , good versus evil , which the A league desperately needs to make it interesting sometimes, with only 10 teams . For god sake , we need more teams ASAP . Long term Socceroos coach ....i would love to see a more ambitious project from the Ffa . How hard did they look for a highly skilled technical coach from overseas, surely we can learn from the Japanese coaches who are 20 years ahead of us in development. I realise that money prohibits the Ffa from a big name European appointment also , so why not invite our Asian counterparts to knowledge share and development our football and overall it’s better for Asian football too . Food for thought.
Griffo
Roar Guru
Well Arnie had a few months so not so soon I think. A couple of wins for Yokohama F. Marinos will quieten that down. At least Degenek is getting game time there...
Griffo
Roar Guru
Foster is coaching FNSW youth teams I believe so time will tell how that pans out. I think it is a setup like Germany's where the players are technically good and tactically flexible that helps allow a good coach to get the best from them. See Confederations Cup win. Ange had a national teams role to put an 'Australian style' over our U17 and up youth teams but how much of this was cemented, and how much will now be forgotten, remains to be seen. It's up to Eric Abrams now I believe to take on the full Technical Director role rather than U16 development, so a big expectation in a back-to-the-future sense of what that position once was before split on his and Ange's appointments. And Arnold to get the best out of players he selects which is a minimum.
Ry
Guest
Let's hope that's not the case!
Kangajets
Guest
Very true abt ccm , And makes it disappointing that with a catchment area like Sydney he has not used his 4 seasons to bring through youngsters
Kangajets
Guest
Very true abt ccm , and makes it disappointing that with a catchment area like Sydney he has not used his 4 seasons to bring through youngsters
Kangajets
Guest
# however ( not hospital). Spellcheck arghh