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Stubborn patriotism demands that we compare ourselves to the best of the world – often with humbling results.
Of course, this was the primary reason behind the Socceroos’ recent outings against Argentina, Ecuador and Mexico – to gauge the quality of the national team and ask the very honest question of whether the “platinum generation’s” Qatar campaign was a fluke or not.
The closeness of the results was encouraging and Aussies would be right to demand a competitive Asian Cup campaign just a few months away – for how many Asian teams, realistically, could achieve the same results we did against the aforementioned giants of football?
An observation of mine in recent months is the lack of want that many Asian teams have in arranging friendly matches with European or South American squads. Simply put, AFC nations appear to be protecting themselves from global humiliation.
For example, Iraq have played one (outcast) European nation in the post-COVID era – Russia, in March.
Syria, a dangerous team on their day, battled one non-Asian country in the same period – Mauritania (North-West Africa).
India, a self-proclaimed “sleeping giant” of football, have failed to challenge a non-Asian team in the last four years – a damning fact for a country of 1.4 billion people who harbour grand aspirations.
My point is this: for whatever Football Australia’s shortfalls are – and there are many – we are absolutely pushing in the right direction by targeting stiff opposition.
London this month presents a great opportunity to re-calibrate and determine Australia’s readiness; the Three Lions, followed by little brother New Zealand.
Graham Arnold will be given 180 minutes of insight; who will be the starters? Who makes the bench? Will there be formation changes?
The training camp itself will be an eye-opening: Mohamed Toure, Alex Robertson and Patrick Yazbek will have an opportunity to impress the Arnold-regime. Robertson, of course, has already earned first-hand experience in the green and gold.
Like all squad announcements, there are perplexities.
Garang Kuol had featured in most of the Eredivisie campaign, yet finds himself without a place.
Denis Genreau, the only midfielder who labours in a top five league, was also overlooked.
Belgium-based Aidan O’Neill may have dipped in form recently, but he has played more football than half-fit Irvine as of late.
Of course, their absence is not necessarily an indication of who Arnold will omit come January.
Socceroos midfielder Aiden O’Neill (Photo by Di Yin/Getty Images)
No matter how much promoters try to glorify the “Soccer Ashes” contest, the match against New Zealand will be less interesting, though just as valuable for Arnold. Naturally, he will play a less experienced team against the All Whites which will tick off any red-herrings remaining after the real challenge – England.
The Three Lions will not play their best squad. Regardless, any half-respectable squad selected by Gareth Southgate will be good enough for the Socceroos to truly test their skills.
Should the Socceroos make a good struggle against England, or even scalp a win, the Australian attitude should not be basked in good memories alone. The experience must further instill self-belief in a team already brimming with chemistry.
We don’t fly to London just for the highlight reels. It has to value-add to our ongoing story of winning within the world game.
Our next chapter may end with the Asian Cup in Qatar – but let’s start the journey in London.
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