Arnold voices future fears

‘We need more kids’

GRAHAM Arnold has revealed his “massive concerns” for the future of football in Australia, and the competitiveness of the Socceroos, while calling for a major overhaul of youth development systems.

Australia’s success in Qatar – where they broke a 12-year drought with their brilliant victory over Tunisia – is a credit to the tireless efforts of Arnold, his support staff and every player who featured throughout the qualifying process.

But as Arnold says, the real work happens in every tier below the Socceroos and Matildas, and this is where Arnold’s fears lie.

“The Socceroos are just the icing on the cake – and whatever that icing, whether it tastes good or bad, the most important thing is the ingredients,” Arnold said.

“The ingredients are junior development, junior national teams. If that’s not right, the icing will not taste very good.”

Arnold also coaches the Olyroos – the nation’s under-23 side, which he guided to last year’s Tokyo Olympics and an unlikely win over Argentina. Nothing has come easy, however.

Arnold was in Russia four years ago when Bert van Marwijk took the Socceroos to a group stage exit. And what Arnold saw concerned him – an ageing squad, spearheaded by the 37-year-old Tim Cahill.

“I could see straight away that Cahill, (Mile) Jedinak, (Mark) Milligan, (Robbie) Kruse… (it was) an ageing squad,” Arnold said.

“I’d already taken the job, I needed to find players. And when I started looking, there was nothing coming through.

“We need more kids given an opportunity in Australia. For me, there’s massive concerns for the future moving forward, unless it’s fixed.”

Asked about his goals for this team, Arnold has repeatedly said he simply wants to put smiles on the faces of Australians. The fact that likely comes with victories is simply more icing on the cake. But there’s more that can be born from this World Cup run: a legacy, like that which the Golden Generation’s 2006 delivered.

“To leave a legacy is huge – 2006, and what that generation did, all the kids that grew up… that’s these kids, this generation,” Arnold said, with 31year-old Mat Leckie sitting alongside him.

“They were 10 years of age watching these guys do what they did in 2006. Those guys were their inspiration.”