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Graham Arnold has banned celebrations and social media for the Socceroos after their incredible win over Denmark that saw them emulate the star-studded 2006 cohort and reach the round of 16 and a match up with Argentina [Sunday 6am AEDT] at the World Cup.
That 2006 team was brimming with players of international reputation – Champions League winner Harry Kewell, and Tim Cahill, mercurial Mark Viduka, Premier League stalwart Mark Schwarzer and La Liga striker John Aloisi.
On the surface, Arnie has no players in the quality of seven or eight of that 2006 team, but his side has now surpassed their one win, one draw and two loss record from Germany – with back-to-back wins following victory over Tunisia in their second group game.
Australia has only ever won four games at the World Cup finals – Arnold has overseen half of them.
“It’s first time ever an Australian team has won two games of the World Cup in a row,” Arnold said.
“Maybe we’re talking about a new golden generation now because we’ve been listening and hearing about the golden generation of 2006 who got four points – and now we’ve got six.”
But the Australian coach, who endured calls for his sacking when the qualification campaign went of the rails with draws against Oman and China earlier this year, was not popping the champagne corks for reaching the second round – although doing so likely means he will receive an upgraded contracted offer to stay in charge.
“I’m just so proud of the effort by the boys. A short turnaround [after Tunisia on Saturday AEDT] but their effort was incredible,” Arnold said.
“Both a lot of belief, a lot of hard work. These boys come in with a great mindset. We’ve been working on this for four and a half years about the belief, the energy and the focus and I could see in their eyes they were ready tonight.
But, he added: “No celebrations. As I said to the boys, that’s why we won after a great win over Tunisia. No celebrations, no emotion, sleep, no social media.”
In February, Arnold’s former teammate Mark Bosnich was his loudest critic and accused Arnold of producing “robotic” footballers.
Bozza’s laugh at the final whistle was verging on maniacal this morning. And he put his hand up in praise of Arnold.
“During the qualifying period, he did come under a lot of criticism, including from myself and at that time, it wasn’t looking good for him and he only got two points from a possible nine,” said Bosnich.
(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
“He stuck through it and a lot of credit must go as well to Football Australia and James Johnson, and his board for sticking by Graham Arnold.
“It would have been very easy to let him go at that time. They didn’t. And kudos to all of them. It’s an absolutely fantastic victory.
“We all saw what the 2006 lot did for the whole game. For the whole generation. There will be young kids watching this right now – and they’ll be doing exactly the same for those next generation of young kids. And for Australian football. “
Bosnich’s fellow SBS pundit Craig Foster also lavished praise on Arnold and his team.
“That last 30 minutes was just extraordinary. But that’s just a bunch of heroes there all of them,” said Foster.
“Graham’s at the centre of it,” said Foster as he watched the Australians huddle at the end of the game. Arnold was addressing the team while hugging injured striker Martin Boyle.
“He did an amazing job today. An amazing job in the last couple of days. He made all the right decisions against Tunisia and he’s done it again.”
After Australia took the lead through Mat Leckie – his first goal in his record-equalling ninth World Cup match for Australia – Arnold switched to a back five with Bailey Wright entering the fray.
“[That] was the moment when we said ‘okay, this is Australia’s game’, because they’d thought it through,” said Foster.
“They had the plan for when they were 1-0 up.”
He also called out Arnold’s decision to bring on Keanu Baccus at halftime for Craig Goodwin, who looked below par.
“Bacchus was absolutely brilliant as well. Managing those situations, making the right calls, putting Jackson Irvine up into number 10 where he still did well.
“But Bacchus was absolutely brilliant in this game when he came on.”
Foster shared in Australia’s joy for Leckie and his “amazing” counterattacking goal.
“The amount of work he and all of these heroes got through in these three games is unbelievable,” Foster said.
“Unbelievable. It’s a beautiful moment for the game. Congratulations for these guys. And once again, it just proves that you never know when you get to World Cups – as long as you’re brave enough, as long as you back yourself enough when you’re wearing that shirt, anything can happen and it’s an historic moment.”
Leckie was spent when replaced late in the game. Early n the Danes had got joy in behind him, but as the game wore on he lifted his intensity tracking back, to better protect Milos Degenek.
“Proud, exhausted, everything,” said Leckie afterwards.
“It’s hard to describe the emotions right now. We always knew we could do it. We believed as a group. We had our doubters but with our spirit, our belief, our work ethic, and how close we are as a group, it shows on the pitch. That last 15-20 minutes we battled it to the end, and it didn’t matter what they threw at us we weren’t conceding.
“You see how much emotion there was. I’m just so proud. We’ve worked so hard and you know, this is my third World Cup now and I’ve had my chances in previous World Cups to score. It wasn’t meant to be.
“As the ball was rolling in, I saw it going in, I was so excited and so happy.”
(Photo by Shaun Botterill – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
That nerve-wracking final half hour saw a brief moment where Tunisia overtook Australia in second by scoring against France, where they ultimately held on for a 1-0 win.
Arnold’s assistant René Meulensteen knew about the goal but did not pass on the news to Arnold between that goal going in a Leckie scoring moments later to bring Australia back into second on the live table.
“It was just information, there was no reason to jump at it,” Meulensteen told reporters.
“The great thing was, it happened and then a minute later, we scored.
“That’s when I told Arnie, to say, Tunisia’s winning 1-0.”
The coaches told Milos Degenek to relay the message to the team to keep them focussed but Jackson Irvine said he didn’t believe him.
“I didn’t (believe him) anyway. In the back of my mind I was actually like ‘well done Milosh, that’s a good idea. tell the boys we need to win, absolutely, and then you find out later on.
“…After you see (that) you play out all those nightmare scenarios in your head and you just get to sit back and take a deep breath and thankfully that’s not what happened.”
Australia march on as the 2006 team did. That cohort lost to Italy 1-0 in a gut-wrencher. This opponent was due to be set later Thursday.
Where the 2006 team had a golden generation of talent this is more a gritty generation.
“A phenomenal moment for Australian football and it’s very different to 2006,” said Foster. “That is the beauty of this generation right now.
“That was a celebrated generation and an amazing group of players, whereas this is a different set of qualities. And that’s great because Australia needs to learn from that. They don’t all have to be playing at the top level. If you’ve got this level of togetherness, this level of spirit anything can happen.”