The fact we got to the quarterfinals will overshadow how poor the results were. Losses to Jordan and UAE without scoring, and most of the time we just looked awful. This is the most prestigious tournament we stand a chance of winning and it's really disappointing to see such a lack of quality. We didn't even face any of the typical powerhouse sides, we were favourites for every match and just barely scraped through to this stage.

The only thing in Arnie's favour is the injuries, but even then the players we had should have put in a better showing. Respect to Arnie for his work with CCM and Sydney, but he failed dismally at international level 12 years ago with a better crop of players and it doesn't look like much has changed. I don't think his skillset translates well to international management and on this tournament I'd say it would be better for him to return to a domestic side and the FFA appoint someone else ahead of the World Cup cycle.

You gotta give Arnie a bit more of a chance, but this is a disappointing start. We've looked very sluggish and predictable this tournament. Reminds me of the worst of the late Ange period, except with more aimless long balls.  

Strikers are a massive problem, but damn it, we should have enough to score against these types of teams. Or if not score, at least create chances! We created absolutely nothing in the last 210 minutes against relatively poor opposition. Arnie has to wear some of the responsibility for that. 

Agree with your post in its entirety.

With no success outside of the A-League a huge risk was taken, and unfortunately it hasn't worked out.

No, we don't.

Can we please get out of this self-defeating attitude that each tournament is just a practice for the next one?

When are we planning on actually going into a campaign with the intent to stand up for Australia?

0-1 Jordan, 3-2 Syria by the skin of his teeth, 0-0 Uzbekistan and 0-1 UAE, add that to his failure in 2007 and you have a lot more chances than anyone deserves, let alone a certain other Australian national team coach in the news this week ever got.

13 goals in 6 games the last two tournaments

5 goals in 5 games this tournament

its a huge drop. Injuries excuse some of it but if we can rip the bandaid off sooner its better. Particularly if arnold goes back to the a league where he is great at lifting the standard

Details here https://bitedge.com/blog/socceroos-with-and-without-ange/

The important question is how can Arnie pin all this on Peacock?

:laugh:

With cahill and without would be better, no good blaming the waiter for the cooks issues

We had Cahill in the first 3 games after Ange. The coach was too stupid to play him which is relevant in a coaching comparison. Anyway a player change here and there is normal and does not invalidate the comparison, its pretty much the same group.

Still missing Ange... Despite how raw this defeat, I agree with Derider that it's a tad early, but into the WCQ cycle and if things don't change, then as Adelphi and Paladisious say, perhaps we need to look for greater experience and expertise abroad again. Arnie needs a tad more time and chance to show what he can deliver, but the early signs are not good, though key absences and how early this tournament is into his stint, are in his favour.

Interesting to see the vote split 50/50 at the moment. During this year we may see that change. I'm hoping he can surprise us and surpass expectations with the Olyroos in March and through Olympic Qualification too as that could alleviate some of the pain of how we went this tournament and perhaps provide some more promise of the next generation coming through, including Strikers. Though how he handled the group in 2008 doesn't bode well either.

Well I think he definitely deserves more of a chance than this, but we'd better start the wcq like a house on fire or my patience will wear thin.  

It's been a disappointing tournament, but there are some mitigating factors. We were missing half our starting 11 throughout and Degenek single-handedly screwed us over in the end. With no defensive brain explosion, we probably would have gone through to the semis and the tournament would have to be considered a success. Fine margins. Arnie hasn't covered himself in glory, but neither did he do all that much wrong to deserve a sacking at this stage. It is only right that he's given some more time. 

Very interesting read mate. Do you mind if I share it on twitter? 

😂 I want an apology!

Please go ahead :)

Arnie out really depends on who is to replace him....and with the current state of the FFA board....I wouldn’t trust them to hire anyone better right now.

I’ve never been a fan of Arnie and don’t think he is cut out for tournament football.....but I’d sooner sack the FFA board than Arnie right now....

Let’s see how he does once key players return from injury

I was thinking of Ange and how he did well to lead us to the 2015 Asian Cup, then remembered he had his start with the side with late Qualifying and the World Cup. I wonder really, not just hindsight, why we didn't just back the coaching appointment to see through the World Cup and Asian Cups - that is, IF they were intent on the local coach Post-World Cup, then why not back him as they did Ange (For 2014), for the 2018 World Cup gig too? Ange got to mould his team through that World Cup, familiarise with who was ready or not and implemented that information with his selections and approach to the Asian Cup. Arnie's regime comes in colder and while that may seem an excuse, it's a fact and set up to fail in a few ways. And as you say, it may be annoying that Asian Cups seem to be treated as practice for WCQ, I think that approach stems from beyond Arnie to the FFA and how they approached this. The World Cup coach should've been appointed to lead the Asian Cup too or even the full 4 year cycle as Ange had before. It also downgrades the 2018 World Cup in a way, as 'isolated' and 'practice' in itself. It's disconnected from the team today and while that can be a good thing some ways, others we see the detriment, with starting over soo much.

There just isn't the legacy these days with overseas coaches as it was in the days of Hiddink or even Verbeek. It was like Van Marwijk's spell was a waste of time and worse, it cut into the chance for the next cycle's coach to familiarise and mould that team.

All the games above were played in the middle east. With very little attacking option?

I rather the FFA Board sack Gallop and install a football person.
The new CEO wouldn't pick favourites like Gallop did.

Gollop can leave with them....after he hands over the keys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR_Ee8w5A4c

Maybe its best we sack him. 

I mean it won't solve anything, but maybe once we have a FOURTH coach face the exact same issues RE: goalscoring Australian fans will stop using Arnie as a scapegoat for larger issues relating to player development.

FFS, look where we r playing and against who.
We never do well in the middle east, we have minimal attacking outlets, we were against the host, who by the way came third at the last tornament, most teams played 8-1-1 to exploit our gaping weaknesses. And we made one costly mistake. People need to stop acting retarded and look at it with some perspective

Don't worry, it'll likely be Muscat next and it'll be your turn to whinge about unfair treatment and lay the blame on the quality of the squad.

Cheers. 

That video was made by a Sydney FC fan.

How would you personally assess the performance of the coach going into this tournament regardless of who it was?

I'm on record on here as not having Arnie as my preferred option going forward even if we won the Asian Cup as I don't feel he has the temperament for international football.

If he had succeeded outside of his comfort zone prior to his $1.4 million contract then that might have been somewhat justified but sadly it's now been proven that this is not the case.

I really, really don't like Sydney FC, but this is about the success of the national team and in many ways that comes first.

I wouldn't back Kev as national team coach without first proving himself outside of the domestic game, either.

Yes player development is a big problem and I'm hugely on record advocating with changes in our league structure etc for pathways to develop, but we still need someone with the temperament to get the win on the day, no matter the cattle.

My biggest concern about Arnold is that he has just taken his Sydney game plan and imposed it on the Socceroos without trying to work out whether it actually works.
The game plan worked for Sydney because he had among the best players in the league, Ninkovic and Adrian playing that inside left and right position. The players in the Socceroos are not at the same level compared to the opposition.

The plan also worked because he had Bobo up front, perhaps the best ever A-league striker. Instead the Socceroos have very poor strikers.

Brosque and Rogic are also extremely different players.

So if Arnold keeps his job I feel he has to make changes to his Sydney blueprint and adjust to the strengths and weakness of the Socceroos squad.