Glen AtwellDefeated Socceroos proud of MCG efforts
September 12th 2007 00:58
The undermanned Socceroos may have been defeated by near full strength Argentina last night at the MCG, but proud coach Graham Arnold said the 1-0 loss helped bury demonising memories of a woeful Asian Cup campaign.
"I've seen something in football tonight that I haven't seen in 30 years," he said. "Bresciano's free kick, hit the cross bar twice and bounced out off the back of the keeper's head. It's incredible"
"I'm very, very proud, Tactically, what we set out to do worked perfectly. The boys carried the game plan out very well. It was such an honour to see the boys compete against such a world-class side like that and push them the whole way and have the possibility to have occasions to score. By no means were we outplayed."
If not for the freak deflection that denied Mark Bresciano a goal, Graham could have instead been celebrating his last match as head coach of the Socceroos.
"I've had a lot of difficulties in my time as coach in unavailabilities and older players retiring. I'm very proud of the fact that I've introduced young blood into the team. I've introduced A-League players into the team because the emphasis on the A-League is going to be big going forward. I can proudly say, I can now hand over 30 names to the new manager, who I know can play at this level."
Australia conceded the goal scored by Argentina's Martin Demichelis from a Lionel Messi free kick mid way through the second half.
It was a terrible defensive effort from the Socceroos, who left Demichelis completely unmarked in the goal mouth.
"The free kick they gave away for the goal was naive. I keep on saying, set-pieces, win and lose you games. We practice set pieces, for and against," Arnold said.
"Maybe I should take a leaf out of Raymond Domenech's book, who says he doesn't practice set pieces, he just blames the guys when they let 'em in. I'm gutted, because, it was such a good performance, and to concede from a set piece is a killer."
The Socceroos missed the finishing touch of Mark Viduka, Harry Kewell, while the absence of Tim Cahill and Brett Emerton, both back in England, also affecting the result.
A goal to Argentina's Martin Demichelis, who connected with a Lionel Messi free kick, meant defeat for the Socceroos
"I've seen something in football tonight that I haven't seen in 30 years," he said. "Bresciano's free kick, hit the cross bar twice and bounced out off the back of the keeper's head. It's incredible"
"I'm very, very proud, Tactically, what we set out to do worked perfectly. The boys carried the game plan out very well. It was such an honour to see the boys compete against such a world-class side like that and push them the whole way and have the possibility to have occasions to score. By no means were we outplayed."
If not for the freak deflection that denied Mark Bresciano a goal, Graham could have instead been celebrating his last match as head coach of the Socceroos.
"I've had a lot of difficulties in my time as coach in unavailabilities and older players retiring. I'm very proud of the fact that I've introduced young blood into the team. I've introduced A-League players into the team because the emphasis on the A-League is going to be big going forward. I can proudly say, I can now hand over 30 names to the new manager, who I know can play at this level."
Australia conceded the goal scored by Argentina's Martin Demichelis from a Lionel Messi free kick mid way through the second half.
It was a terrible defensive effort from the Socceroos, who left Demichelis completely unmarked in the goal mouth.
"The free kick they gave away for the goal was naive. I keep on saying, set-pieces, win and lose you games. We practice set pieces, for and against," Arnold said.
"Maybe I should take a leaf out of Raymond Domenech's book, who says he doesn't practice set pieces, he just blames the guys when they let 'em in. I'm gutted, because, it was such a good performance, and to concede from a set piece is a killer."
The Socceroos missed the finishing touch of Mark Viduka, Harry Kewell, while the absence of Tim Cahill and Brett Emerton, both back in England, also affecting the result.
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