“This next game we’ve got to come out and fight,” reckons Arnie – which makes you wonder why the Socceroos didn’t simply do that the first time around.
“I’ve seen the hurt after the game and I’ve seen the motivation,” Socceroos coach Graham Arnold told Vince Rugari of the Sydney Morning Herald following Australia’s 1-0 loss to Jordan.
“They’re on the edge, they’re ready to go,” Arnold added. “I expect a reaction.”
He could have added his preferred recipe for chicken tikka masala for all anyone cares, since we’ve all heard the same sentiment at least a thousand times before.
Must get better, show some fight, blah blah blah.
Footballers stopped trusting journalists long ago, but the same is surely increasingly true of the public and their attitude towards our footballers.
There are only so many blandishments you can take before you eventually tune out and stop listening.
What the Socceroos actually need to do is let their actions speak for themselves, and in doing so alleviate some of the pressure on a coach still finding his way in international football.
Mind you, it wouldn’t hurt for the general public to harbour some slightly more realistic expectations for the national team as well.
Social media is an unhinged bubble of hyperbole at the best of times, but you’d think Arnold had just lost the Socceroos the World Cup final by fielding a fourth substitute, such was the level of anger over Australia’s loss to Jordan.
Here’s an idiom perhaps worth remembering – you win some, you lose some.
(Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
One of the more tiresome aspects of the game – particularly in the online world – is fans absolutely losing their collective minds any time their team of choice suffers a defeat.
We get it – you want the Socceroos to win, but what good is a #SackArnie hashtag honestly going to do?
About the only person whose proclamations I’ve paid any attention to in the build-up to tonight’s must-win clash with Palestine is Chris Ikonomidis.
“I felt I added energy,” Ikonomidis told AAP after his cameo appearance against Jordan – and it’s pretty clear the Perth Glory playmaker is an obvious answer to the Socceroos’ ongoing lack of urgency.
It will be interesting to see what role Tom Rogic plays in Dubai – broken hand and all – after his ponderous performance against Jordan.
If Rogic starts in central midfield and Andrew Nabbout is supposedly fit enough to lead the line in attack, then where does that leave Ikonomidis?
Arnold can’t exactly drop Awer Mabil, after the right-sided attacker proved one of the few direct routes to goal against Jordan.
He’s hardly an out-and-out striker, but surely it’s worth gambling on starting Ikonomidis at the point of attack and saving Nabbout for the final group stage game against Syria?
Even Apostolos Giannou might be a better option up front than goal poacher Jamie Maclaren, given how isolated the Hibernian striker looked against Jordan.
Ultimately this is how Arnold earns his salary, although his players could do him a favour and take some responsibility for their own performances on the pitch.
But as the tournament has reminded us in spades over a thoroughly enjoyable group stage to date, winning the Asian Cup isn’t easy.
It’s not supposed to be, and all the things that can go against a team – injuries and refereeing decisions and hostile crowds – are the sort of obstacles a champion team will overcome.
That’s precisely the task that awaits the Socceroos.
If they can’t beat Palestine – a team that literally personifies the phrase ‘playing for pride’ – then they simply don’t deserve to defend their Asian Cup title.
But what everyone back home in Australia wants to see is a decent performance.
Enough talk. If actions speak louder than words, then it’s high time the Socceroos started proving it with a vastly improved display against the Palestinians tonight.
BWM
Guest
Tired platitudes are stock in trade for pre & post match interviews. How many ways to say we will try harder? And as it transpired, they did!
BWM
Guest
What the heck Cruyff??? "He ain't no Oscar Wilde but then Oscar aint no Lionel Messi" Alan Partridge
BWM
Guest
I doubt very much that GA was hired because he was cheap. He was hired for the same reason as AP... success with A League sides & international experience (yes they do) & Australian coach. I'm all for it & I don't care whether there are better coaches elsewhere in the world. Let's work with what we have & be realistic. Even Italy didn't qualify for the last WC. Nothing is guaranteed anymore in the world of football & FIFA rankings are not always meaningful. Why don't you ask the players what they think instead of thoughtlessly throwing crap at Arnold. I imagine he still has their support.
EJ
Roar Pro
yes, but for that happen we have to hope Japan beat Uzbekistan, if we win and Japan draw or lose, I believe Australia will play Japan first up in r of 16 as r/u of B play r/u of G
Punter
Roar Rookie
So its there a difference. A country, with enough players in the top leagues to fill 5 quality national teams, with some of the world best players ranked no 1 & were the world champs losing out to teams with a sprinkling of players playing in the top leagues. Up against a team with a sprinkling of players in the top leagues (which BTW 1/2 of them were out injured) losing to a team of PROFESSIONALS, but none in the top leagues. Ummmmmm. Don't get me wrong, Australia should not lose to Jordan, it's a disgrace, but neither should Germany not qualify out of group stages or Italy not qualifying into World cup, it's also a disgrace, but hey it happens, shows you the strength of the world game. Socceroos can lose a tight one in the World cup to the eventual world champs & then lose to Jordan in the Asian cup. Amazing depth.
Stu
Roar Rookie
"It's time the Socceroos did their talking on the pitch".. Yes, that would be nice, but with Australian football's currently very limited vocabulary, we really shouldn't expect the conversation to be much chop.
Nemesis
Guest
Thoughts & prayers for Mr Aussie Rules. Your team from Palestine tried valiantly but our team from Australia just too good on the night.
Nemesis
Guest
"and might help explain the socceroos’ paucity of goals, which goes back a while now" This is an assertion based on a false premise. Let's review the "goals per game" of 2 National Teams, over the past 10 competitive matches: ARG & AUS. So, lets see if AUS has a "paucity of goals" as opined by Mr AFL. Past 10 competitive matches, goals scored ARG: 11 AUS: 12 Remember, the ARG National Team is filled with attacking superstars. The best of the best in the world, including: Messi, Higuain, Aguero, Lavezzi, Di Maria, Tevez, etc.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
How can a reference to A-League clubs having foreign players amongst their attacking stocks be viewed as negative or back-handed? It's simply a statement of fact, and might help explain the socceroos' paucity of goals, which goes back a while now.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Always a question of degree, but there are some very good teams in the 30s with players playing in quality leagues, but you drop down to 120 and not too many of them are appearing in the world's top 10 leagues on a regular basis (or in the next 10 leagues, for that matter). There's definitely a difference.
Punter
Roar Rookie
I wonder MF, is there a difference between a team ranked no 1 in the world & world champions losing to teams in their 40s, to a team in the 40s losing to a team rank 100, who are all professionals?
Punter
Roar Rookie
Do you know who Brian Clough is? The Doyen of coaches.
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
Tactics is very important. Otherwise the coach would have nothing to do but select the team.
Al
Guest
Are you seriously suggesting that Australia shouldn't be comfortably beating these minnows of world football? I don't care about what Korea or Japan did in their opening games, they still won, we lost to Jordan! Who the hell is Jordan in world football? We looked entirely toothless going forward and were done by a set piece. Arnold isn't an international manager, he is the cheapest option the FFA went with. There was nothing from that first display that suggested that he can put out a football side to actually win anything.
Kangas
Roar Rookie
Mr f Jordan won congratulations to you Good luck for your Palestine team tonight
Punter
Roar Rookie
AL-Manaseer Jordanian Pro League (Arabic: دوري المناصير الأردني للمحترفين) is a Jordanian professional league for football clubs and represents the top flight of Jordanian football
AGO74
Guest
Given the sheer volume of primarily negative and occasional back-handed compliments from yourself this week Mr F, I can see you are really enjoying yourself.....what's next for you to dissect? - Asian Cup ratings on Fox?
Matsu
Roar Rookie
Guess I need to learn how to count to 16 But as I said . . . the tournament doesnt really start until the knockout round.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
And look where Brisbane is. At the moment, you look across the top teams, the ones most likely to challenge for silverware, and it is indeed true that attacking stocks are filled with overseas players.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Brian But surely none of these winning teams met a foe as mighty as Jordan?