Boss Arnold prohibits celebration as destiny calls for Socceroos
AUSTRALIA boss Graham Arnold last night banned his players from celebrating their first win at the group stage of the World Cup for 12 years.
Beaten by world champions France in their opening fixture, the Socceroos kept their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive after a first-half strike from unheralded striker Mitchell Duke sunk Tunisia.
After surviving a late onslaught, the Australia coach gathered his players on the pitch for a postmatch huddle, dragging crocked Hibs winger Martin Boyle into the centre of the throng on crutches.
Asked what he had said, Arnold stated: ‘At the end of the day it’s just one game. That’s what I said to the boys when I got them in a circle after the game.
‘I said I’m very proud of them and the nation is extremely proud, but we have achieved nothing.
‘We can talk after about one win after the tournament and the fact it hasn’t been done for 12 years and all that stuff.
‘But I am here and we are here to go as far as we can go. I don’t want any celebration.
‘Enjoy that couple of minutes with the Australian fans in the stadium, get yourself in the dressing room, recover and get ready for the next one.
‘I don’t want any emotion from the players, I don’t want them sitting up all night looking at social media and all that stuff.
‘It’s about sleeping well, recovering well and getting the mindset ready for Denmark.’
Forced out of the squad to undergo a ruptured anterior cruciate operation, Hibs talisman Boyle chose to stay with the squad rather than return to Edinburgh. Explaining why he placed the 29-year-old at the centre of the post-match huddle, Arnold said: ‘We have moved him on to the staff now as our OVM — official vibe manager.
‘He is just one of the most fantastic blokes you will ever meet in your life.
‘Even though he has that injury, the most important thing for him is the rest of the boys. There was no way he wanted to go home and no way I wanted to send him home.
‘He wants to stay, support and be part of it and he deserves it more than anyone for what he did through the qualifying campaign.’
Beaten 4-1 by France in their opening game, Australia came under fire from pundits Down Under, with Mark Bosnich and Craig Foster critical of their performance.
‘Who cares?’ responded Arnold. ‘They have never coached.
‘I haven’t seen who was most critical, but some of them have never been to a World Cup.
‘I don’t listen to them, they have no effect on my life.’