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Much time has passed since the last Asian Cup. That is true in a literal sense – a COVID-enforced delay of the 2023 edition means five years will have gone when the Socceroos play the next instalment of the quadrennial tournament.
But it is also the case when considering what has happened since January 2019: the retirements of Tim Cahill, Mile Jedinak and Mark Milligan, a global pandemic that shut down football, near-failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, Graham Arnold’s near-sacking, Andrew Redmayne’s penalty-shootout spectacular against Peru, the World Cup in Qatar and all of its historic scenes, Arnold’s renaissance.
It is little surprise then that, less than six weeks out from the start of the Asian Cup in Doha, the Socceroos coach is far more relaxed. That, five-and-a-half years into his tenure, he sees the task in an altogether different light to the 2019 tournament, when a team he had been overseeing for only a few months lost in the quarter-finals to host nation the United Arab Emirates.
“Completely, completely,” Arnold said on Wednesday. “Last time, we came in [and] had to deal with an old playing group after Russia [2018 World Cup]. I didn’t know a lot of the players that well – obviously to say hello to, but coaching wise I had to completely change the culture after Bert van Marwijk. I had four months pretty much from when I took over in September or August to January.
“This time I’ve been working with these boys now for five years and [there are] younger players coming through with the Tokyo Olympics. Honestly, I do have one eye on the Olympics with this, for Paris it’s very important that [Olyroos coach] Tony Vidmar gets his best team ready – I think it’s been shown over the years how important the Olympic program is for the Socceroos. So for this Asian Cup, I feel a lot more relaxed.”
It feels somehow appropriate that Arnold is at CommBank Stadium to announce that the Socceroos will resume their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign against Lebanon on March 21. The last time Australia played Lebanon was also in Sydney, in his third match in charge. That night in November 2018 was Cahill’s international farewell, and also the night Martin Boyle announced himself with a brace. Boyle missed the 2019 Asian Cup and then the 2022 World Cup due to injury but now finally appears in with a chance to perform on the big stage.
Graham Arnold has a lot to consider when selecting his Asian Cup squad.Credit: Getty
These are all just pieces of the puzzle representing a complex few years for the men’s national team. And though Arnold has more certainty, there are still variables galore in this World Cup cycle, and most have to do with the side’s membership in the Asian Football Confederation. The Socceroos have just experienced the region’s unique geopolitical issues, having played Palestine in Kuwait instead of the West Bank last month.
Now the AFC’s schedule presents a selection conundrum as Arnold prepares to name his 23-man Asian Cup squad this month, and it has a lot to do with that “one eye on the Olympics”. The Olyroos will attempt to qualify for Paris 2024 at April’s Under-23 Asian Cup but, while clubs are required to release players for the Asian Cup, which falls in a FIFA international window, they are not obligated to do so for Olympic qualifiers.
It means Arnold has to consider the possibility that, should he select young stars such as Nestory Irankunda, Garang Kuol and Nectar Triantis for the Asian Cup, clubs may not be willing to release them to the Olyroos so soon after. Sandwiched between the two are the Socceroos’ next World Cup qualifiers in March, home and away to Lebanon.
“I’m working very closely with Tony to get everything right in terms of player selection for both,” Arnold said. “Because this Asian Cup was meant to be over six months ago, and obviously the Olympic qualifiers have been moved from January back to April, so it’s important that we get our planning and our preparation right.”
Nestory Irankunda may not get a call-up to the Asian Cup if Graham Arnold prioritises his presence with the Olyroos.Credit: Getty
The problem would not exist had it not been for COVID-19, concerns over which prompted China to relinquish hosting rights, which were snapped up by Qatar. The tournament was rescheduled for January-February – in the middle of the European season, where many of the current Socceroos play.
“It suits the Middle East nations but I can imagine [Hajime] Moriyasu in Japan and Jurgen Klinsmann at South Korea are probably having the same issues we’re having with clubs at the moment because all of our boys are playing in Europe,” Arnold said. “A lot of our boys, if they do come for the Asian Cup, they can miss eight club games, so it’s quite a period there.”
But the Asian Cup is important, and not just because Australia would like to emulate their 2015 home triumph under Ange Postecoglou. The 25th-ranked Socceroos have been gradually climbing the FIFA rankings since their World Cup round-of-16 appearance against eventual champions Argentina, and earning rankings points from a big tournament could play a crucial part in the third round of qualifying.
The third round of Asian qualifying for the expanded 2026 tournament will, for the first time, feature three groups of six, to be drawn from pots that split up the best-ranked sides so they don’t have to play each other. The top two teams from each of the groups will qualify directly for the 2026 finals.
Australia are Asia’s fourth highest-ranked side behind Japan (17), Iran (21) and South Korea (23), meaning they would not be the top seed in their group.
“With the way the World Cup qualifiers will be, at this moment we will be in pot two,” Arnold said. “One, two and three are all [pot] one, and then we are the best-ranked second-pot team. So it’s important, if we can, to do really well and get up to pot one.
“If you do well at the Asian Cup and your ranking goes up, it makes our World Cup qualifiers and draw better for us. That’s the message to the players.”
In terms of who he selects, Arnold said: “The time of giving chances is pretty much over – that’s what the last seven months have been all about.”
He will be without striker Brandon Borrello (foot) and defender Ryan Strain (groin), while midfielder Riley McGree (foot) is racing the clock. But Arnold would not be drawn on specifics, including naturalised Uruguayan Bruno Fornaroli’s revival as the A-League Men’s top goal scorer with Melbourne Victory.
“I’ve known Bruno and what he can do for a long, long time,” he said. “I don’t think they’re at their best at the moment, the A-League players, because they’ve only had four or five games. I think the best is still yet to come for the A-League players.”
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