Get off the Socceroos' backs! One training session, a win against Lebanon and still people fail to understand Asian football

As surely as the sun sets and rises the next day, the Socceroo critics were out in force after Australia’s 2-0 win against Lebanon last Thursday night.

“Not good enough” they said, “Worrying performance”, they mumbled.

To the critics, I say simply, show a little more respect to a Lebanon team that has been steadily improving over the last decade and now looks like a consistent Asian Cup participant in the medium term.

Toss in the fact that the Socceroos were together for one session before the match, lost two key players during the contest through injury in Riley McGree and Jordan Bos, and the team potentially deserved more pats on the back than it received.

Certainly less unjustified criticism from people lacking in reality and a contextual understanding of the world game.

Blessed with a saloon passage through to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America barring an utter disaster befalling the team along the way, the Socceroos are perfect thus far in their qualification campaign.

Australia should maintain that record tonight in Canberra in front of what looks likely to be a bumper crowd in the nation’s capital.

Join me on the Roar for a live call of all the action from 7.45pm, as Graham Arnold’s men try to chalk up another three points on the way towards the third round of Asian Confederation qualification and a subsequent spot in the newly structured 48-team World Cup.

The injuries to McGree and Bos are concerning for the Socceroos, yet there is plenty of cattle to step into the void and opportunity continues to lie at the heart of Arnold’s young and developing squad.

The coach did stick with a mostly predictable eleven in the opening match last Thursday, with captain Mat Ryan, Harry Souttar, Nathaniel Atkinson, Kye Rowles, Keanu Baccus, Jackson Irvine and McGree forming the basis of what was a strong starting team.

There was also scope for the much-anticipated return of Adam Taggart and an opportunity for Kusini Yengi up front alongside him.

Baccus will miss the Canberra clash due to suspension and the win against Lebanon could be interpreted as calamitous considering the aftermath.

Yet the glass-half-empty crowd will not tip this judge onto their side of the scales.

Like many, I know just how difficult Asian football has become and the Socceroos are doing little wrong off the back of the stunning performance in Qatar 2023.

The return of Ajdin Hrustic on Thursday was simply brilliant. He is the finest and most polished footballer Arnold has access to and what he provides the team, despite slowly coming back into form after a year of frustration and inaction, cannot be understated.

To see the excitement seated on the bench last week; some of it likely to see minutes tonight, should be something celebrated at the expense of some rather unflattering and disappointed commentary around an overall performance that was far from awful.

On the pine last Thursday were Patrick Yazbek and Samuel Silvera, two players hopeful of becoming key members of the squad that is eventually chosen to travel to North America in 2026.

Joel King has been called into the squad to cover for the injuries suffered and Central Coast Mariner Josh Nisbet could well be set for a Socceroo debut that most expert judges would have thought unthinkable thanks to his physical size.

Should Nisbet grace the surface tonight, I’ll be somewhat emotional; having written about his struggles and eventual arrival in the A-League some years back and due to a personal hatred of near-sighted NPL coaches still judging players on size and little else.

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Nisbet has a touch and tank not possessed by many in the domestic competition and whilst a Ballon d’Or might be beyond him, the career he has carved out is something of which he should be very proud and those who rejected him should be ashamed.

Lebanon is currently 92 places below the Socceroos on the latest FIFA rankings at #115, yet those who exclaimed in disappointment around the Socceroo performance in the opening match had best understand the historical struggles Australia has had against teams of the same ilk as them.

They would do well to think about the match-up as something far more complex than a numerical mismatch.

Syria, Thailand, Bahrain, Oman and Jordan have all pushed the Socceroos at times and Lebanon could well do so tonight.

If they do and the post-script is more doom and gloom from sections of the media and public, Arnold will have even more nonsense to ignore; focusing more on the national team’s best-ever performance in a World Cup just 15 months ago, and building on it.

It appears some have forgotten that stunning effort and the fact that this is far from the strongest Socceroo squad.

It is a young team, full of opportunity and development; one designed to build the foundation for another World Cup appearance and hopefully, a better Asian Cup campaign the next time around.

If the Socceroos scrap their way to a narrow win, don’t be alarmed. Asian football is a mighty challenge and will continue to be so.

Arnold seems to understand that better than most and throwing the baby out with the bath water in search of perfection is misguided and disrespectful to gutsy and talented opponents.