By Michael Church
DOHA (Reuters) – Australia coach Graham Arnold hopes to harness the confidence boost his side received from their successful showing at last year’s World Cup when the Socceroos launch their bid to reclaim the Asian Cup title in Qatar in January.
Arnold steered his team to the last 16 when the World Cup was hosted by the Qataris and he is now aiming to lift the continental crown nine years after Australia’s only previous success, which came under former boss Ange Postecoglou.
The Gulf state has been a happy hunting ground for the 59-year-old former striker, and Arnold is bullish about his team’s prospects after they were drawn on Thursday to face Syria, Uzbekistan and India in the championship’s opening phase.
“When you’re in the last 24 at these competitions every group’s got it’s hurdles,” Arnold, who received a four-year contract extension after his team’s World Cup exploits, told Reuters. “But I’m very happy with the draw.
“Uzbekistan and Syria, we’ve played them before. We know what they’re about and they’ve got a good fighting game and we’ve got to be ready for that.
“Playing India’s something new. We have to go in with the right mindset and get the job done.”
Qatar is hosting the finals after China withdrew due to the country’s COVID-19 restrictions and the event will mark Arnold’s third attempt to win the continental title.
His two previous efforts ended at the quarter-final stage, the defeat in 2007 coming against Japan when he was caretaker boss before his side lost to the United Arab Emirates in 2019, when Australia were the defending champions.
“My expectations are higher than they were four years ago,” Arnold said. “I could’ve easily walked out after the World Cup but I truly believe in the players and what they’re doing and it’s down to us.
“The mental aspect is everything and the boys have shown me their max, and I want nothing less from now on. I want that in every game.”
The World Cup performance continues to loom large for Arnold, who led his team to wins over Tunisia and Denmark after starting their campaign with a heavy defeat by France.
The Australians advanced to the last 16, where they were narrowly defeated by eventual champions Argentina.
“What I think the World Cup did for the players was give them the belief that they belong at that level,” Arnold said.
“A lot of times they’d be sitting watching Lionel Messi play or Kylian Mbappe play and say: what a player. But when they got on the field they felt like they belong, it’s not that they’re superstars who we can’t match.
“They players have gone back individually to their clubs and they’ve got the belief that they belong at this level and they’re doing alright,” he added.
“If you don’t strive for the stars you’re never going to get there.”
(Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Ed Osmond)
