Give Arnold a chance, insists McBreen

Former A-League striker Daniel McBreen has urged Socceroos supporters to give Graham Arnold a chance as head coach of Australia.

Socceroos coach Graham Arnold addresses the media Source: Getty Images

Arnold was named as the long-term coach of the Socceroos in March and officially took over the reins from Bert van Marwijk after the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The appointment of the former Sydney FC boss has been met with criticism by some sections of the Australian football community.

Largely because of his ill-fated spell as head coach at the 2007 Asian Cup, and his combative style during four years in charge of the Sky Blues in the A-League, some Socceroos fans have voiced their disdain at his instalment before he has overseen a single game.

But McBreen, who played under Arnold for three seasons at the Central Coast Mariners, believes the 55-year-old should be cut a break.

“Obviously people still hold a grudge from him being there 11 years ago,” McBreen told The World Game.

“He was basically a novice as a manager back then and I think he would be the first to admit when he took that job he was probably a bit inexperienced and didn’t have the credentials behind him to be in the role.

“He probably didn’t have the clout that he has now to say right, this is how I want to do it, this is what I want to have. Whereas before he would have just been happy to have the job and didn’t have that say.

“He’s got the runs on the board now. Him and Ange in the A-League have really been standing out head and shoulders above the rest for the past few years. He’s won the league with two different clubs, he’s broken all the records.

“I think people need to give him a chance. They need to let this thing from 2007, they’ve got to let that go and realise he’s matured and grown as a manager.

“He’s shown that he’s definitely progressed and got much better, so let's give him a chance. Rather than jumping on his back and being negative, let's see how things go.

“I’m sure everyone will crucify him either way!”

The Socceroos crashed out of the 2007 Asian Cup after being beaten by Japan in the quarter-finals on penalties. Afterwards Arnold told the media in a dramatic press conference: “There's some players who seem like they don't want to be here. I'm extremely disappointed."

But Arnold went on to rebuild his coaching career at the Mariners, winning an A-League premiership and a championship at the club. He then led Sydney FC to back-to-back premierships, a championship and the FFA Cup in 2017.

McBreen was part of Arnold’s grand final-winning Mariners side in 2013, where he won the Golden Boot and the Joe Marston Medal in the decider against Western Sydney.

The 41-year-old, who played for 14 different clubs and in six countries during his senior career, still rates Arnold as the best coach he played under.

“Totally, without a doubt,” he said.

“I used to tell the young boys – the Bernie Ibinis, the Mat Ryans, the Musti Aminis, all these boys – I used to say to them: 'take this in because you might not get a manager as good as this in your career'.

“You speak to some of those boys who have gone overseas and some of them say they still haven’t had a manager as good as him. For me, he was a great manager, he was a great tactician. He knew how to speak to the players.

“I used to constantly say I wish I had him when I was 18 rather than 33, then maybe my career could have been a bit better because I learned so much under him.”