Having dragged Australia to a fifth consecutive World Cup, we owe Graham Arnold an apology

After guiding the Socceroos to a fifth World Cup against all odds, Graham Arnold has been vindicated. And many owe him an apology.

Graham Arnold has dragged the Socceroos to their fifth straight World Cup. Picture: Mohamed Farag/Getty Images

Australian football fans, we owe Graham Arnold an apology.

It‘s not unusual for football fans to blame the coach, but Arnold has been the scapegoat for the Socceroos since taking over after the 2018 World Cup.

But now, the former Socceroo has had the final laugh after guiding Australia to the World Cup after a penalty shootout victory against Peru.

And it was Arnold’s gamble to substitute captain Mat Ryan with reserve goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne that proved to be the difference.

Redmayne – doing his trademark Wiggles dance – saved the vital penalty that sent the Socceroos to a fifth straight World Cup.

But Socceroos fans weren’t happy with how Arnold was managing the game before the win, with many questioning his lack of changes.

Still won’t bring on fresh legs. No matter what happens, Arnold still has no clue #AUSvPER

— ….. (@alfi589) June 13, 2022

Graham Arnold is the Scott Morrison of Football, not a Proactive bone in his body! Game needs Tillio ,D’Agastino or Maclaren NOW #Socceroos#AUSvPER@simonhill1894@TheRealBozza

— Football Pundit (@ToffeesOntop1) June 13, 2022

Please make a sub Arnie for the love of christ.#AUSvPER

— Luke (@Boycey1105) June 13, 2022

Tilio & Genreau should be coming on now. Maclaren needed to be changed with Duke too. Arnie losing it for us here … #AUSvPER#AllForTheSocceroos#Socceroos#AsianQualifiers

— Mace Caruana (@macec88) June 13, 2022

Australia celebrate their victory seconds after their dramatic penalty shoot out against Peru, evoking memories of their famous win over Uruguay in 2005. Picture by Mohamed Farag/Getty Images

Despite now making a fifth World Cup in a row, the 2006 squad still looms large over Australian football.

The Golden Generation squad made it to the final 16 and proved a lot of the world wrong.

And that team under master coach Guus Hiddink qualified after a penalty shootout victory in Sydney against Uruguay. It remains Australia‘s only competitive win against a South American nation.

Which is what makes Arnold‘s achievement even more special.

While not an outright win against Peru, Australia has qualified by beating the fifth best South American team via penalties just like 2005.

But this isn‘t a squad filled with the likes of Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka, Mark Schwarzer and Tim Cahill.

You could argue this is the weakest Socceroos squad in decades, and yet Arnold has managed to drag them into the World Cup.

And Australia had to do it the hard way, with 16 away games out of 20 during a qualifying campaign that spanned more than 1000 days.

It could have easily gone so wrong for Arnold. Had Redmayne not been the hero, the coach’s substitute would have been blamed for the loss.

Having been assistant to Hiddink in 2006, Arnold knows about making big calls in big games. Hiddink wasn’t afriad to do the same, even dropping Kewell for the Uruguay second leg.

But football is about those fine moments, and during the biggest match of his coaching career Arnold was willing to trust his instincts.

And he proved the doubters wrong. Not that he cares.

Graham Arnold has weathered fierce criticism since taking over the reigns as head coach. Picture: by Karim Jaafar / AFP

When asked about his critics after the game, he simply said: “The doubters don‘t bother me, I only care about the players”.

Former NSL striker Andy Harper said there had been a “queue of people waiting to take a baseball bat” to Arnold.

And Redmayne saves the team, the campaign and now Australia is off to a fifth consecutive World Cup.”

“A massive acknowledgment to Graham Arnold. What he has had to endure as a coach to get to this point over many years, what a crowning glory for him.
“People have got opinions on this and that on the other, but when you come to the end of a penalty shootout, if they didn’t win that they would be the other side of the coin, but the fact of the matter is the team under him prevailed, he guided the team to World Cup football, the biggest sporting event on the planet, and massive congratulations.”

But this morning, after qualifying against all the odds, many football fans owe an apology to Arnold.