Socceroos captain Mat Ryan says Australia must surf the momentum of their World Cup deeds and look to win the next Asian Cup.
Many of the squad representing Australia in Qatar returned on Monday evening, less than two days after their 2-1 loss to Argentina in the last 16 round.
Goalkeeper Ryan said he wanted to make amends for the costly blunder that gifted Argentina a crucial second goal, but he was looking forward rather than back.
He stressed the need for stability and trying to retain coach Graham Arnold, if he wanted to stay in the job with his contract expiring. The coach himself has been non-committal about his intentions.
“We want to be having success at this level as often as we possibly can,” Ryan said at Sydney Airport.
“I think it’s important now we take this momentum and run with it and that’s definitely the ambition of the group and what we want to do.
“There’s a bit of uncertainty around the organisation in terms of who’s going to be leading us. We don’t know what’s happening there.
“It will obviously be nice if Arnie continues given the momentum that he’s built up and what we’ve been doing.”
“The next big thing is the Asian Cup. We want to go ahead and win that, and before that comes along I think the qualifiers start for the next World Cup, so there’s plenty to look forward to.”
(Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
He was philosophical about his poor control which ended in Julian Alvarez knocking the ball into an empty net.
“Life experience has taught me it’s what you do, how you respond afterwards, and I was pretty happy with how I responded in the game, making a couple of good saves later on to try and help the team get back into it,” Ryan said.
“I’ve got to take from it and learn from it so it doesn’t happen again.
“I’ll be looking to make amends for that from here on out and be better for it. It still hurts, but on to bigger and better things now.”
Out of favour at his club side FC Copenhagen before the World Cup, 30-year-old Ryan suggested a move might be on the cards during the impending transfer window.
“My circumstances recently have been a little bit frustrating so we’ll see what happens on the back of a World Cup as well,” Ryan said.
“I’ve got my agent working and trying to look for options and we’ll see how it all works out.”
Ryan hoped the Socceroos success in Qatar would boost the A-League Men competition and said images of Australians celebrating their heroics “gives you a shiver down the back of your spine and makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.”
Emerging Socceroos star Garang Kuol isn’t beating himself up over his missed late opportunity in the World Cup clash against Argentina.
The highly-rated 18-year-old, who landed a spot in the squad without having started an A-League game, almost scored an equaliser in the dying minutes of the Socceroos’ round of 16 clash with the South American side..
A few metres out, Kuol saw his goalbound shot deflected away by Argentinian goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who secured a 2-1 victory and a quarter-final spot for his team, while ending Australia’s heroic campaign.
It was a classic ‘what if’ moment, but Kuol was philosophical about the missed chance.
“After the chance I was pretty disappointed in myself but then when I saw the replay, there wasn’t much I could do about it,” Kuol said at Sydney Airport on Monday evening.
The Mariners’ renowned game-changing super sub came off the bench to play second-half cameos against heavyweight nations France and Argentina
“It was unreal coming up against (Argentina’s Lionel) Messi and (France’s Kylian) Mbappe,” Kuol said.
He will join English Premier League club Newcastle United in January, but his next match is set to be against a team bearing the same name, when his Central Coast Mariners side host their local rival on Sunday.
Kuol said he was excited about playing in the derby, which looms as one of his last appearances for the Mariners before heading to England.
“I’m buzzing, excited, I can’t wait,” Kuol said of his impending move.
Suggestions are he may be loaned out to another club, but Kuol is still waiting to find out what the high-flying Premier League side will do.
“Nothing is clear yet but we’ll see what happens come January,” Kuol said.
He will be one of a number of players set to return to A-League duty when the domestic competition resumes later this week.
His Central Coast teammate Danny Vukovic and fellow goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne of Sydney FC, neither of who got any playing time in Qatar, will have little time to dwell on what the Socceroos achieved.
“Pretty surreal, right back into training at 8am, so back to reality,” said Redmayne, whose heroics in the penalty shootout against Peru secured Australia’s berth In the finals.
“A-League is back on and (I) encourage everyone to get out there.
“I think if we throw money in the right places I’m sure we can really grow a wave support of football in Australia.”
Vukovic revealed Mariners coach Nick Montgomery had already been in touch.
“I’ve got Monty messaging me. I’ve got to give him a call while we travel up the coast,” Vukovic said.
“We’ve got a big derby game against Newcastle so straight back into it.”
He trumped his teammates by getting Lionel Messi’s shirt, now Cam Devlin is looking forward to winning on-field battles against some of his Socceroo squad colleagues
While some of the Socceroos posted selfies with the peerless South American star, following the 2-1 World Cup loss to Argentina, Devlin, who didn’t play a single minute of the tournament, went one better, by getting the superstar’s jersey.
“I went on [to the pitch] and consoled all the boys first and then shook Messi’s hand,” Devlin said at Sydney Airport on Monday evening.
“No-one had said anything so I just tried my luck and he said, ‘I’ll see you inside,’ and that’s what happened.
“(I wanted) one of the other boys to have the opportunity first, but no one took it, so I thought why not?”
Devlin said getting Messi’s shirt for the Argentinian’s 1,000th game was super special but he had no illusions the universally lauded star would hold his jersey in the same esteem.
“I don’t know if it will be on his wall at home or maybe still on the ground in that changing room but I’m not fussed, it’s more that I got his,” Devlin said.
“I was surprised he even took mine.
“He definitely wouldn’t know who I am, but he’s a nice enough bloke and a humble enough bloke to show that respect still and that’s obviously super nice, but I wasn’t too worried about what my jersey was doing at that stage.”
Devlin didn’t have the shirt on him when he arrived in Sydney on Monday, saying it was with his father.
Asked if he could guarantee he would never sell Messi’s shirt, Devlin said “the jersey is going to be at my home and my dad has got it.
“I don’t think he’ll let me touch it anymore!”
Devlin is one of seven members of the Socceroos World Cup squad attached to Scottish clubs.
“That’s the best part I think, versing your mates and coming up against someone like Keanu (Baccus) in the new year will be super cool,” said Devlin, who plays for Hearts.
“We’ve grown up together and played against each other on the other side of the world.
“Kicking each other will be good fun!”
The tenacious midfielder confirmed banter flowed freely on the field between the Scotland-based Aussies.
“If anyone has seen me play, you know that’s how I play the game. I like to play with a smile on my face and throw a bit of chat around,” Devlin said.”
“I think [St Johnstone’s] Ryan McGowan is a big one, me and him. He played centre midfield against us and we were just going at each other all game.”
© AAP
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