Graham Arnold explains Aussie football’s place before World Cup game

On the eve of Australia’s biggest World Cup game in 16 years, coach Graham Arnold gave a lesson to the global media.

Graham Arnold hopes Socceroos success can help grow the game in Australia.

Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has explained where football sits in Australia’s pecking order before the do-or-die World Cup match against Denmark.

The Socceroos need a draw against Denmark to advance to the final 16 for the first time since 2006, unless Tunisia pulls off an upset against world champions France.

Arnold said the scenes back in Australia after the 1-0 win against Tunisia proves that football is “alive and well” in Australia.

“Something that’s been proven right, is that there’s one sporting team that unites Australia and it’s the Socceroos,” he said before the Denmark match.

“It just shows you that football is alive and well in Australia.”

But Arnold is realistic about where football is in Australia compared to other football codes and cricket.

When asked by a British reporter if advancing from the group could mean young Australians wanted to be the next Mitchell Duke or Mathew Leckie rather than Shane Warne or Brad Fittler, he had a simple response.

Graham Arnold speaks to the media a day before the Socceroos face Denmark.

“That’s the whole purpose,” he said. “My goal is to put a smile on the faces of Australians.

“If you’re not Australian and you don’t know, football in Australia is probably the fourth or fifth main sport.

“After AFL, rugby league, rugby union, cricket - then it’s football, they call it soccer. To leave a legacy is huge.

“In 2006 and what that generation did, I was very fortunate, I was there as assistant coach with Guus Hiddink and experienced that as well.

“This generation (of players) was 10 years of age watching these guys do what they did in 2006. Those guys were the inspiration

“This generation is talking about emulating the 2006 squad and achieving the same goals they saw as 10 year olds.

The Socceroos before the Tunisia game.

“It’s about putting football a bit more on the map in Australia, (but) there’s so much more work to do - it’s crazy.”

In 2006, a Socceroos squad dripping in talent progressed to the second round in Australia’s first World Cup in 32 years.

Then that tournament Australia had only won one game at three World Cups before the breakthrough against Tunisia.

But Arnold said his team wanted to do more than the 2006 squad, which included the likes of Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka, Tim Cahill and Mark Schwarzer.

“In 06 we got one win (against Japan) and one draw (against Croatia) - our ambition is to get two wins and have the most wins at a World Cup,” he said.

Socceroos winger Leckie talked about growing up in an AFL environment, and how the World Cup could change football’s fortune.

“It could be one of those things that clicks in their head, and says I want to be a footballer rather than an AFL player,” he said.

“When I was younger in an AFL environment, one thing that did bring my family to follow football was the national team and the World Cup.”