Socceroos coach Graham Arnold is thrilled with the efforts of Adam Taggart despite the striker’s failure to hit the back of the net for the national team in 2021.
Australia’s strict quarantine restrictions have created an opportunity for Taggart to lead the line for the national team in recent World Cup qualifiers, with Melbourne City pair Jamie Maclaren and Mathew Leckie not travelling for the past two camps.
Taggart started both matches against China and Vietnam last month and was again in the first XI for last week’s 3-1 win over Oman.
Despite Australia winning all three of those matches to continue their perfect start, Taggart has been unable to add to his six goals for the national team with his last strike being the winner against Jordan in Jeddah in November 2019.
Fellow forward Mitch Duke is pushing for a starting berth having replaced Taggart in each of the past three qualifiers and subsequently finding the back of the net against China and Oman.
Arnold says however he’s made it crystal clear to Taggart he’s more than happy with his contribution to the team’s 11-game winning run heading into Tuesday’s clash with Japan in Saitama.
“I’ve had a couple of conversations with him,” Arnold said.
“Sometimes he gets himself in a way that it’s all about the goalscoring side of it. For me it’s not.
“If you have a number nine who is working hard for the team, he’s the first line of defence, he’s making assists as well and helping with the combination play in-and-around the penalty box and leading by example up front then in my view he’s doing a fantastic job.
“Taggs, again, is doing that … he’s doing great.”
Tuesday’s match is a chance for Taggart to also show Japanese fans what he is about.
After a prolific stint with Suwon Bluewings in South Korea, Taggart joined J-League outfit Cezero Osaka last year but six months stuck in Australia due to the global pandemic outbreak and niggling injuries have limited his impact at his new club.
Taggart has scored just once in eight league appearances this season with the ex-Brisbane Roar, Perth Glory and Newcastle Jets marksman admitting there had been a significant step up from Korea to Japan.
© AAP
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