Graham Arnold has guided Australia to the unlikeliest of World Cup knockout dates against Lionel Messi and the heavily favoured Argentina.
Imagine uttering that sentence six months ago? Imagine uttering that sentence one week ago following defeat to France in the tournament’s opening fixture? It’s inconceivable and yet, it is the reality at hand.
Add to this the fact that no manager has secured more points for Australia at a single World Cup, or guided Australia to two consecutive victories on world football’s Broadway. In addition to becoming the second man, behind Guus Hiddink, to advance the Socceroos beyond the group stage, Graham Arnold joins Rale Rasic in 1974 as the only men to orchestrate clean sheets in the tournament. Arnie orchestrated the first open play Socceroos goal since Ange Postecoglu watched on in the Brazilian sun as Tim Cahill’s left peg thundered that infamous volley beyond Jasper Cillessen in 2014.
All these feats achieved by a squad of 26 underdogs guided by a man whose head was on the chopping block eight months ago, following a dreary loss to Japan at a soaked Stadium Australia. Arnold surfed wave upon wave of criticism levelled at him but now emerges on the other side with greater pedigree than any man to lead Australia to the promised land before.
This isn’t to say the criticism levelled at the Socceroos’ manager, particularly during a qualification process Australia floundered in – saved by the skin of their teeth and theatrical heroics from ‘Grey wiggle’ Andrew Redmayne, wasn’t warranted or justified.
No, this is to suggest that vocal opponents of Arnold need to bite their tongue, retreat to the periphery, and gaze on as Australia’s most divisive manager in recent memory takes charge of the second round of 16 match in Australian football history.
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Two of Arnie’s greatest critics, SBS duo Craig Foster and Mark Bosnich, heavily praised their former national teammate. Speaking on this morning’s post-match coverage, emotions of the victory still running high, Foster – one of Australian football’s sharpest minds and most respected figures – credited Graham Arnold for his ‘amazing job’ in the past couple of games.
“He made all the right decisions against Tunisia and he’s done it again today,” said Foster.
His sentiments were shared by the former Manchester United keeper.
“During the qualification period, he came under a lot of criticism, including from myself,” Bosnich conceded.
“At the time it wasn’t looking good for him; two points out of a possible nine.
“He stuck through it.”
Stuck through it he has. An unsurprising defeat at the hands of the world champions, France, saw criticism of the coach swiftly return, mainly around his tactical decisions and defensive structure following Craig Goodwin’s early strike.
Arnold was condemned for sitting off the French and allowing them the lion’s share of possession; his lack of tactical aggression was denounced. But as if pressing a side containing Kylian Mbappe, Antonie Griezmann, and Ousmane Dembele would have nullified the threat further?
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Similar tactical plans – holding a mid-to-low block, defending intensely, pressing intelligently, and utilising slick and decisive passing counter attacks – were repeated against Tunisia and Denmark, achieving the same outcome in both instances, 1-0 victories. Goals courtesy of two of Australia’s most divisive selections, Mitch Duke and Matthew Leckie.
Following Thursday morning’s victory, Graham Arnold posited if Australia were in the midst of a new golden generation. That remains to be seen. Post match, he called his men ‘heroes,’ but that perhaps sells himself short.
The task ahead for the Socceroos – a Sunday morning (6am AEDT) date with pre-tournament heavyweights Argentina and their diminutive talisman Lionel Messi – is no walk in the park. Should the showdown with La Albiceleste prove the final match of Graham Arnold’s Socceroos tenure, he has earned enough social credit to last a lifetime, and an even longer period of reprieve from his critics.
But more than that, he has further ratified his once heavily doubted football pedigree to a point beyond questioning. After all, how can you examine the stature of a man with his resume? And with his recent comments about the state of Australian football – where he heralded the Socceroos as ‘the icing on the cake’ before calling for reviews of junior development and junior national teams – fresh on fans’ collective consciousness, perhaps a non-coaching role at the FFA would prove worthwhile.
Now, more than ever, it seems Australian football fans would warm to the idea of Arnie sticking around. He’s earned that much, if not more.
