One of the hallmarks of Graham Arnold’s time in charge of the Socceroos has been the puzzling squad selections that have confounded pundits, ex-players and supporters of the national side.
The recent announcement for the friendly against Jordan and World Cup play-off match against UAE has thrown up yet more questions rather than answers.
Jason Cummings was a player many people were hesitant to even have in the discussion of national team duty. I even wrote a piece on him late last year.
However, after arriving on Australian shores in January 2022 and showcasing his talent, it appeared unthinkable that Cummings would not be selected.
Coach Graham Arnold shared some insight into his decision, during a recent press conference.
“Jason Cummings, I look at him as a player and he’s very similar to Jamie Maclaren,” he said.
“He’s very different to Tag (Adam Taggart) and (Mitch) Duke and (Nick) D’Agostino, but I look at him as very similar to Jamie and Jamie is the leading scorer in the A-League.”
Arnold’s response was stunning, and a more confident journalist may have followed up and disputed this claim with the coach, who has become well known for outrageous remarks to the press during his time in charge of the national team.
To put it plain and simple, Jamie Maclaren and Jason Cummings are two completely different kinds of strikers.
Maclaren is your prototypical ‘fox in the box’ striker who will stay level with the last defender before making a darting run across the area or anticipating a defensive error in the hope of being in the right place at the right time for an easy tap in
Cummings is equally adept in the box and is also capable of hitting the target from long range, but it’s his work rate that separates him from Maclaren.
(Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images)
Besides being comfortable and having the strength to hold the ball up with his back to goal, Cummings is very underrated out of possession, chasing down defenders and making an absolute nuisance of himself while still adhering to the rigid Mariners defensive structure this past season.
There is no disputing Jamie Maclaren is the best local striker in the A-League, regularly winning the golden boot, including this past season, but his 2021-22 stats compare very favorably with the Cummings campaign.
Maclaren played 27 games and finished with 16 goals at an average of a goal every 154 minutes.
He took 85 shots, with 38 on target for an overall conversion rate of 18.82 per cent.
Cummings played fewer games (21), finished with fewer goals (10) and took nearly 20 minutes extra to score, at a goal every 172 minutes.
However, he took far fewer shots (43) and had a higher number on target (29) for a better overall conversion rate of 23.26 per cent.
Both players showed ill-discipline throughout the season, with Cummings leading the stakes in fouls conceded as well as won, but that ledger evens up when it comes to the card count
Cummings also leads the pass percentage completion category at 81 per cent to Maclaren’s 71 per cent.
The Edinburgh-born hitman’s off-field behavior regularly made the tabloids in his native Scotland, but in the family-like culture that the Mariners are known for he’s matured into a role model for the team’s young up-and-coming strikers.
Graham Arnold played it safe with his squad selection in preparation for a World Cup qualification match that could require some X factor.
Jamie Maclaren has had enough opportunities and chances to become Australia’s No. 9. It’s a position that still hasn’t been adequately filled since the days of Mark Viduka
Jason Cummings might not be good enough for that position either, but his stats alone this season deserved a call up to be part of the camp at the very least
It looks like we will never know if he’s the answer to the problematic No. 9 position due to an archaic national team coach sticking to his tried and tested methods, which have Australia on the cusp of elimination from World Cup qualifying.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Secret Scout, I was wondering what you knew about Milos Ninkovic. As a football supporter I see him as the greatest or in the top 3 greatest A League players. Yes, he's past his best, but surely if he wants to play on Sydney should be able to sign him and have him as a sub for the last 20 minutes of a game. And they should be looking at keeping him in the club with a view to having him as a youth coach in the near future. It sounds like Corica has really upset him and he won't be back with Sydney. The interesting thing is most FC supporters would prefer to keep Ninkovic than Corica!
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
Don’t think viduka to duke is a fair comparison, - in his prime viduka was capable of playing in any of the big 5-euro leagues for any of the big secondary clubs. (milan, Valencia, Dortmund) – im not sure he would’ve made the cut at Barcelona, real madrid, Juventus, bayern at that point in time though lol People forget there weren’t that many big men with the deft technical skills of a diminutive #10 like viduka had – this is something that Mitchell Duke does and will never have. Mitchell duke is a trier, but unfortunately way too one dimensional for international football – he can be effective against the smaller Asian sides, however when it gets to even half decent Asian sides (let alone the really strong ones) – hes way out of his depth. prijovic played for serbia and switzerlands youth teams, but never for either senior side - so he had the options there, he chose serbia. can’t change allegiance now, it was different for fornaroli - as he never made a senior appearance for uruguay (only there under age teams) and has been living in australia for several years now as for the ‘dutch style’ It was never going to work in Australia, it was not the right part of Europe Australia should’ve based their curriculum on.
Sheffield WesDay
Roar Rookie
Agree completely. Dukes was amazing at what he did, but that is my point exactly. He did not score regularry, but we recognized the other elements he brought to the team as a N0.9. But everyone is so quick to tunr on Mith Duke who provides more off the ball thn I think the mainstream realise. And yes we have had goals scoring No.9s, you mentions some greats, but that was 20 - 30 years ago. The game has change so much since then, and our style of national play relies on the centre forward who can be a target, hold the ball, turn a player, get a head on it, bring others around them into the game.....We either need to find a striker like that or dare I say it...actually develop our own style of ply rather than constantly trying to copy everyone else (by the way, what happened to all those Dutch TDs that were supposed set up our curriculum and turn us into giant beaters?). As for Prijovic.. we got FIFA to change the international law to let Timmy play for Australia after he had been blooded for Samoa at youth level, and it seems we were also the first to "benefit" from the newest change allowing for Fornaroli. I reckon we should just push for Prijovc anyway.... ;-)
Sheffield WesDay
Roar Rookie
I would suggest that throwing Kuol in at such a high stakes time as this would not be the best way to nurture him into the national set up. We do this all the time, see some really great performances from our younger players, a great goal here, an awesome assist there, a creative run, a splitting pass, a couple of good appearances in a row and we are ready to name them our next Harry Kewell. We did it to Tomy Oar, Danny DaSilva, Danile Azani, Musti, even Tom Rogic to some extent. And then we get angry at them when they dont light it up. These kids need regular game time here, week in week out before we start to expect them to deliver over seas or on the international stage.
Aiden
Guest
Sadly Arnold has turned out to be worse than all the (ultimately correct) pessimists told us he would be. No tactical agility, bonkers selections, total fear and conservatism at every step. He seems to play to not lose rather than win. My kid has a ball signed by him after he turned up at training once. I feel like kicking it over the fence sometimes.
Marcel
Guest
So the fans are illegitimate if they weren't born in the correct postcode ....but we are cool with the players just being mercenaries. I'd hate for football to end up in the farcical position the Olympics has found itself in. When I was a kid the Socceroos were mostly expats...I remember feeling a great sense of pride when we started fielding sides that were actually representative of Australian football.. For me there's no value in qualifying if we can't do it with our own players.
Melange
Guest
Garang played well that day, he provide that lovely through hell for Ballard to set up Mariners goal
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
none of the goalies selected should even be going, the 3 that should be there are young, birighitti and gauci i have a theory why arnie has continually picked the same 3 goalkeepers (besides out of his blind faith to loyal soldiers) it has to do with continuity - in terms of the GK coach and the 3 GK's who are all incredibly good friends, I don’t think he wants to break up that little group
At work
Roar Rookie
It shows that Arnie hasn't been watching Cummings play in the A League and is just lying when asked, or he doesn't know what he's talking about, I'm thinking it's gotta be the former. Just a big a problem with Arnie's selections are his absolutely clear and obvious selection's of people that he's close with who do not deserve to be there. Even though Redders as 3rd choice isn't a chance to get on the field, he shouldn't be anywhere near the national team with his form. And continually picking Duke who offers nothing, or if it's workhorse in the forward line he likes with Duke then Cummings shouldn't taken that spot, because as you say he's nothing like Maclaren as a player. What we've found with Maclaren is that he'll go completely missing quite often and can produce nothing for himself. A great finisher yes, but if he's not getting service or being marked well then he'll be non-existent.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
thats football these days though. even powerhouses like italy 'naturalize' players, theyve got 2 brazillians (jorginho and emerson) in thier most recent squad and have had players with african descent (ballotelli and kean) also wear the blue shirt. fans dislike this as they're not 'true italians' but thats life unfortunately. - no different for australia china have had 3 brazillian born players in there world cup qualification side this year all i would like fifa to alter is the rules and regulations (regardless where your mum/dad/grandparents are born) you should be required to live in that country for several years and know the language i've said multiple times on here by world cup 2026, i expect half the australian starting XI to be players with african heritage
Marcel
Guest
There are already too many flags of convenience in the Socceroos squad.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
"He’s very different to Tag (Adam Taggart) and (Mitch) Duke and (Nick) D’Agostino, but I look at him as very similar to Jamie and Jamie is the leading scorer in the A-League." I would say Taggart is most similiar to McLaren but has turned lazy. DAgostino is harder working but less capable then them. Duke is the one scoring the goals at international level , Taggart and McLaren their international records are poor full of goals against the low ranked asian teams. The problem with the A-league is weird stuff happens and defensive discipline doesn't exist in some matches. J-league 2 I did watch a little bit its a lot more disciplined and harder to score than in a lot of games in the A-league. Look at the J-league 2 table and they have 22 teams yet you dont see bottom teams giving away goals and bending over.
Full Time NSD
Guest
Fornaroli got a start so why not Cummings?
Full Time NSD
Guest
Yeah Garang in an attackive mid role with with Tilio behind Cummings.
Full Time NSD
Guest
Arnie achieved a lot as A League club coach so there would be some teams that he would be good for. Media eating him for breakfast? I doubt it matters if the FA have kept him for the final games.
fabian gulino
Roar Rookie
Greame Arnold is totally wrong.Jason Cummings is an Excellent striker and a fierce competitor and should ve been picked for Australia.he could ve come off the bench if Maclaren wasn't having a good match etc.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
The mark viduka line was a combination of my personal belief as well as to spark a debate lol People will always undermine his time as the national teams #9 due to a lack of goals, but its everything else he did on the field that makes him so revered as a player for the national team Theres been out and out strikers over the years who were scoring regularly for Australia (mori, kosmina, abonyi etc) but it is still a problematic position. prijovic has already played for Serbia’s senior side, so he can’t change nationality - people forget and don’t realise he played a part at the world cup in 2018
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
cummings does have his limitations (heavily reliant on his left peg) and bigger bodied defenders will outmuscle him. then you also have to factor in how he performed in a cut throat match (elimination final against adelaide) where adelaide closed off the passing lanes, so cummings didnt even have a sniff at goal. its like i said, he might not be the long term answer to the #9 position - but at the very least his form should've seen him given a chance to audition for it. Koul i believe purely wasnt selected because arnie sticks to his tried and tested formula of players he knows and who are 'reliable' - its part of the reason australia are where they are now right now
Sheffield WesDay
Roar Rookie
I thought your comment "become Australia’s No. 9. It’s a position that still hasn’t been adequately filled since the days of Mark Viduka" was an interesting one. We really have struggled to produce effective No.9s for the national team. Correct me if I am wrong, but the bulk of our goals as a nation have traditionally come from midfield, with the exception of Aloisi and Thompson (but the 13 goal haul vs American Samoa skews the data a little). I would argue that is why we have had no joy there in recent years other than Timmy (who is a midfilder come striker). We keep expecting or No.9s to score, but even Mark Viduka only hit a couple at National level. The bulk of our goals were, Emerton, Kewell, Jedinak, Bresciano, Cahill. Even Scotty Chiperfield hit 12 over Viduka's 11. Viduka style of No.9, big, strong, fast, powerful, intelligent target man, allowed our stable of competent midfielders around him to either work off him or use him to occupy defenders in order to get on goal. Our expectation of the No.9 role within the context of OUR national team set up needs to be seen through accurate lenses. As much as I love JMAC, he will never be successful in the Socceroos, because his “poacher” style gets results but does not do enough to relieve pressure off our goal scoring midfielders. Cummings definitely adds more than just poaching goals, which should fit in well with how we traditionally score. When does Prijovic becomes eligible for Socceroo selection?? ????
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Jmac has a worse international scoring record than Dukes, neither is worth writing home about. McLaren he has one goal against Oman, one against Vietnam as his highlights. 5 against Nepal and Chinese Taipei. The other Duke , Mitch Duke has has 7 goals in 17, and 5 of those are against better sides than the majority of goals scored by the original Dukes ,and McLaren.