If football was a popularity contest, Graham Arnold would arguably be up there with West Ham United’s newest manager Nate Shelly from the hit American TV show Ted Lasso.
Arnie is one of Australian great football’s great survivors. He’s earned the right to be after winning more than 50 caps for the Socceroos – at a time when travelling back from Europe was no easy feat – before stepping up for his second stint as national team coach in 2018.
The first spell didn’t go particularly well, but it says something about Arnold’s character that he even accepted the poisoned chalice of taking the Socceroos to the 2007 Asian Cup on the back of Guus Hiddink’s heroics in Germany a year earlier.
Since then he’s won two A-League titles as a manager – one with the Central Coast Mariners and one with Sydney FC – taken Australia to the Olympics for a second time, and now stands on the brink of World Cup qualification with the Socceroos.
(Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
But it won’t stop his detractors, and there are plenty, from bagging Arnie’s positive mental attitude and penchant for making bold statements that don’t always seem to reflect reality.
And despite winning a record-breaking 11 World Cup qualifiers on the trot – all but one of which came outside of Australia – the pressure has been ratcheted up a notch or two once again by Japan’s latest 2-1 win over the Aussies in Saitama.
So much the better. Qualifying for World Cups was never meant to be easy and the loss in Japan just means Thursday night’s clash with Saudi Arabia will be the most meaningful game the Socceroos have played on home soil in years.
Ticket sales have been flying, the New South Wales government has come to the party and provided a state-of-the-art stadium with a pristine surface and all things being equal, the Socceroos should run out in front of a boisterous sold-out home crowd in Parramatta.
And when they do, it will be a reminder once again to football’s staunchest critics that for all the issues of the past few years, the sport remains one of the most popular in Australia.
Say what you will about Australia’s domestic codes, but it’s still football that excites the masses and opens doors across the globe.
Which is why we should be poring over Arnie’s selections for the two upcoming games against Saudi Arabia and China.
The fact that there’s no Aaron Mooy, Tom Rogic or Aaron Taggart will surely throw a spanner in the works, but it might also help answer the question of whether the Socceroos are a balanced line-up with Mooy and Rogic in the same starting side.
Meanwhile, Jamie Maclaren, Mitch Duke and Andrew Nabbout have all been knocking on the door for a starting role up front for a few years now, while Nikita Rukavytsya has earned a recall after scoring a boatload of goals in the Israeli Premier League.
Mat Ryan is on the verge of taking over as Real Sociedad’s number one after Alex Remiro’s horror show in the Basque derby, Trent Sainsbury and Harry Souttar are both playing regularly, Aziz Behich will be keen to make up for his nightmare in Saitama, while Ajdin Hrustic and Martin Boyle are genuine game-breakers.
Mat Ryan has forced his way into Real Sociedad’s line-up. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde Colomer/Getty Images)
And it’s Hrustic the Socceroos will be sweating on after the Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder missed both the 2-1 win over Olympiacos in the Europa League and a clash with Greuther Fürth in the Bundesliga through what Eintracht called “a heavy ankle knock”.
Despite his goal Hrustic was kept quiet in Saitama, but he’s the player most likely to bust open the Saudi defence in the absence of Rogic and Mooy.
The Saudis have some injury concerns of their own, with Yasser Al-Shahrani, Abdullah Madu and Mohammed Al-Kuwaykibi all missing out.
But more than squad personnel or Arnie’s latest match-day mantra, there’s one thing we should all be genuinely excited about.
Football is back. Now it’s up to us to turn up, tune in and remember why we love this game.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Towser, One sign is one step forward. I might be wrong, but with Mr Johnson at the helm, who is a man of experience, I believe he can see what's need to advance the game here. My belief is that the Women's WC is his is target/pivot point. In the lead up to the WC, the advertising is slowly going to ramp up. Post WC the advertising will continue because there'll be more funds available for advertising. Couple this with Paramount's game plan to make 10 and Para + the football channel, things are going to change. You don't posture your business this way without promotion. I am just like every other A-League die hard, I want stuff to happen quicker, but in stark reality, it's a bit like building a house, now that we have a good builder, bit by bit he's going to get that house to end up as the best in the street, and I hope the neighbours are so envious it's ridiculous
Towser
Guest
FIL Regarding Channel 10 and coverage of the Socceroos, Matildas, A-leagues etc. Occasionally during the week I drive past one of those large electronic advertising signs on a busy road. This morning I saw an ad by Channel 10 for the Socceroos vs Saudi’s match tomorrow night. That advertising sign has been there for many years and that is the first time I’ve seen Association football advertised on it. Just about every other sport, but not ours. Visibility and consistent visibility to the general public, is for me as one brought up in a city where football is part of the furniture, been one of the more glaringly obvious items lacking when following football in Australia. So far Channel 10 has been a breath of fresh air in that respect, it now needs consistent visibility over a number of years to make up for lost time. I will now observe that advertising sign with more interest.
josh
Guest
The RBB put it best, you can't put a crown on a clown and expect a king.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
it used to be Arnie's verbal efforts that annoyed me no end, but he's gone away, learned, polished his comms and media skills and now he acts and speaks like you would expect a National Gaffer should.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
it's a shame that the Roar doesn't have a fishing forum. It would be tailor made for you NM. Your're always fishing for a bite,
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Good call. Initially, I can say I wasn't the biggest fan of Arnie, but the guy is as tough as old boots. Knock him down and he will get right back up again and get straight back into it. I reckon you have nailed it. The talk is that the game will be a sell out tomorrow night. I hope the Green and Gold Army are there in force, that there's the singing and the drums and the volume is turned up to 11. You would have to be comatose, or emotionally dead as a player if you weren't pumped up by the prospect of what tomorrow night could be. I also believe those lads are on a mission. They are not happy with the outcome at Saitama, and they are going to give the Saudis a game they are going to remember.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Rob, totally agree with the potential for a reverse trend. Have a look at the League's teams across the board. This season presents itself as a potential feast of good football. I agree that with the recruitment that e.g. WSW and MV have put together, the crowds will be back. You might also agree that since James Johnson took the helm, that there is a feeling positive activity, an initial step towards a united football in that everyone wants the progression that has been long talked about, in fact you can almost reach out and touch it. Good stuff is happening and the other codes know it. By the way, just talking about other codes, thanks for your support over on Stu's article yesterday. The boofheads that jumped on there I want nothing to do with. You see, when I was a kid, it was the status quo that the league kids would go around belting the living daylights out kids who didn't play league. The standard explanation was "my Dad said that if you don't play league you're either a p#*f or a w*g. Trust me they messed some kids up. I detest rugby league, the culture it breeds, the people it attracts and everything associated with it.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
In that regard the lads need to take a leaf out of the Matildas book and start taking a few shots from the edge of tge box. Is it me or us ygere a lack of shots in that regard?
Justin Mahon
Roar Rookie
Agree. I am prepared to give some of 10s shows ago, and even just have the news on in the belief there could be, not must be, some football content. I only want our game treated with respect, not belittled, locked out or actively undermined. I think that is reasonable. I am also of the view that Ch10 are, somewhat fortuitously, a better cultural fit for the world's game.....
The Other George
Guest
Great points Nick. One would hope Arnie looks at the post game analysis from some of these games and says to himself "what was I thinking?" but I doubt it
The Other George
Guest
Japan lost to Saudi's in SA. Hardly minnows! I look forward to late March to see if we can beat the Saudi's on their own turf and particularly Thursday to see how we go against the 'minnows'. If we lose either game against them and we will definitely be looking over our shoulder. Most of our 'great' run of 11 victories came in the second round Para. China and Vietnam are only making up numbers in this third round. Long way to go, time will tell if Arnie has the nous
chris
Guest
Haha FIL not sure if I'll be doing that. But yes it should be a crackin atmosphere and a full house you would think. Like I said before - Im thankful Im in Sydney! :)
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
What we are struggling with is that the greater proportion of the adult paying football public are parents and older. If they are around my age bracket e.g. 45-55 they have grown up with English football. A proportion of them are like me (age 51) who strongly believe in supporting the growth of Australian football but a large proportion are not. They're Eurosnobs. When their kids grow up, just like my nephews, they would have grown up with A-League and the longer we persist the better things will get. At a family lunch on Sunday, the concensus of opinion is that we are in the midst of a generational transition. That's what we are waiting for, the generational transition to take effect.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Australia has been under that bar already, 2nd in the group in 2019 Asia cup and eliminated in the quarter finals, penalties in the round of 16. So Arnies performance in the Asia cup was 7th to 8th.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
totally understand, but if you have Leckie and Mabil out wide, with Nabbout and Macca in the middle with Boyle in behind, that's a tidy construct.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
would not start either, they're in pre season - a league players shouldnt be selected at this stage until theyre playing week in week out
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Chris, You have no idea how envious I am that you will be at the game. Enjoy. If you are going to be in the active support section, do football a favour and get the active supporters mimicking Celtic and singing that new football advert. It sounds freakin' awesome when you hear the Celtic fans singing. Google it.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
so you're saying that the Nabbout - Maclaren combination will not stretch the Saudi defence?
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Mike, Thanks so much for this. This is an article that wont errupt in a textual brawl akin to the one that's broken out in support of Stu T's article. Your comments re: Mooy, Rogic and Taggart are spot on. Nabbout and Maclaren have been shredding opposition defences together for a while now. When you chuck in the experience of Matt Leckie and it brings a smile to your dial. Now slide Boyle and Hrustic in behind them and wow, if they really begin to get some collaboration and cohesion going it's a tasty prospect. I know that Arnie has started Taggart consistently to try and get him back into form, but by gee Mitch Duke has been dangerous in the last couple of years. Add Awer Mabil (who is being looked at by clubs in England and Germany) and Riley McGree (who is white hot with Birmingham right now) and Ruka is also firing at the moment, and it's good times. I have to ask, was it me, or was Behich a little slow off the mark in Saitama. Maybe it was the humidity? And I still l have not mentioned Irvine, Karacic, Elder, Dougall, Stensness, Souttar etc. Football is back, embrace it, support it, and if you need motivation, just get that football add on Channel 10 going a few times.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
Geez, I thought we may have pinched a point under Ange back in 2014. The question is: do you see qualifying for Qatar as a threshold for deeming Arnie's 2nd reign a success? If so, it just seems like a pretty low bar.