Take pressure off youthful Socceroos and enjoy the Asian Cup ride, says Robbie Slater

This is a thought to annoy a lot of people, but maybe we should take a leaf out of England’s book when it comes to the Socceroos.

Socceroos winger Awer Mabil has been a revelation at the Asian Cup. Picture: AP

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This is a thought to annoy a lot of people, but maybe we should take a leaf out of England’s book when it comes to the Socceroos.

I don’t mean in playing style (though what wouldn’t we give for an Australian Harry Kane). I mean the way the England team approached the World Cup last year.

After decades of expectation and grand designs, Gareth Southgate’s young side went to Russia with little fanfare, a lot of humility, and charmed a lot of people when the draw fell their way and they got to the semi-finals.

I know Australia are the Asian Cup holders, but sections of the team that has emerged to take us into the Round of 16 bear little resemblance to what you might have guessed would be the starting XI towards the end of last year.

Chris Ikonomidis has made a big impact for the Socceroos at the Asian Cup. Picture: Getty Images

Already we were the fifth best team in Asia according to the World Cup qualifiers, and now a whole bunch of senior players have been ruled out by injury.

So just as England ultimately benefited from finishing second in their group at the World Cup, our opening defeat to Jordan – calamitous though it seemed at the time – has opened up some interesting possibilities.

I said before the tournament started that second place might be a blessing as it would probably allow us to miss Japan in the Round of 16, and so it has proved. Absolutely no disrespect to Uzbekistan, but they won’t have the same aura that the Blue Samurai carry.

Not only that but Uzbek coach Hector Cuper has some things to ponder which he might not have much intel on. The emergence of Chris Ikonomidis and Awer Mabil, along with Rhyan Grant’s solidity, have been the best part of this tournament for me.

England manager Gareth Southgate with striker Harry Kane at the World Cup in Russia. Picture: AFP

It’s not just their skill and impact – it’s the fact that Ikonomidis and Mabil always want to be in the game and influence it, they don’t hide. Their natural instinct is to go forward, and they have the self-confidence of youth. Yes we have had some hairy moments, but only two teams have scored more than us.

Socceroos winger Awer Mabil has been a revelation at the Asian Cup. Picture: AP

But that’s also why we should take the expectation off these kids, just as the English media and fans were able to do. We came second in a group whose teams were ranked 74, 99 and 109 in the world, with a team shorn of several key starting players.

Let that team play with freedom and spirit, and see how far it goes from here. If we beat Uzbekistan, anything else will really be something of a bonus.

I know Graham Arnold will say that he expects to win every game, but sitting ringside, I’m interested to see what these players can achieve in the next days and (hopefully) weeks.

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