Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold says clubs should be honoured U23 players are being called up for national duty

SYDNEY FC boss Graham Arnold has sent a sharp message to clubs complaining about the call-up of young players for national duty.

Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold at training on Tuesday.

SYDNEY FC boss Graham Arnold has sent a sharp message to clubs complaining about the call-up of young players for national duty, saying he “can’t understand what the fuss is about”.

Suggesting he had purposely modelled his squad to avoid losing players to U23 national call-ups, Arnold scorned the idea of the A-League as “a development” competition.

The call-up of a clutch of players for the Asian U23 Championships this month has sparked an angry reaction from the A-League clubs, who sought in vain to have it ruled illegal last week.

While some players are believed to be seeking permission from FFA to miss the competition, fearing for the effect of being absent on their club careers, Arnold said national duty should be seen as an honour for the clubs.

Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold at training on Tuesday.

“Because I was maybe the only coach who looked at the international program before the season started,” he said in response to the fact that Sydney avoided having any players selected in Ante Milicic’s squad. “I don’t understand what the fuss is about.

“I did a hear a comment about the young players going, but I didn’t know the A-League was a development league. I worked at the Mariners with kids because that’s what the budget and the mantra was.

“I won a championship with kids, then sold $6m of talent for the owner. They probably haven’t sold one since but they’re still getting money (from sell-ons).

“At the end of the day I didn’t blow up when I lost kids (to international call-ups) - it’s an honour to have them play for their country. There’s been a lot of talk around the senior players because of the international windows but I don’t see the A-League as a development league.

“It’s a meaningful competition in which clubs expect to win trophies.”

Pressed on why his regular Sydney starting XI had no young players in, Arnold claimed that would change in a year’s time.

“The youngsters here are coming through,” he said. “At the Mariners they were ready and I’d put a lot of work into them - Rogic, Ryan, Sainsbury, Amini, the list goes on. The ones I’ve got here you’ll see in the next 12 months.”

Originally published as Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold says clubs should be honoured U23 players are being called up for national duty