Graham Arnold and the Socceroos: heavenly game or impending disaster?

Over a week ago, the Australian national football team managed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, taking the last train to Qatar, after beating Peru in a pretty boring game where she didn't really dominate or impress. These Socceroos performances are something that the majority of football fans in the country have become accustomed to.

In the end, a miraculous save from the most unlikely hero, Andrew Redmayne, in the penalty shootout was necessary for the Socceroos to travel to the Promised Land and earn the right to play on the greatest of scenes for the fifth consecutive time.

Art by Charbak Dipta

Overall, it's really hard not to appreciate this team and admire their efforts, considering what they went through to qualify, and t e makes the goalkeeper of third choice was the eventual hero adds to the feel-good factor. Yet the sudden change in narrative surrounding the team feels somewhat premature.

Not too long ago the majority of fans and media wanted to see head coach Graham Arnold go, with some even saying he should be sacked before the crucial World Cup qualifier against the United Arab Emirates. And they had their valid points.

Following last year's impressive record winning streak of 11 straight wins - a new world record for most consecutive wins in a single World Cup campaign - the Arnold collapsed in the final stages of the AFC Asian Qualifiers. Australia picked up just one point from the 12 available against their direct rivals Japan and Saudi Arabia in Group B, while failing to win against Oman and China. Both teams currently rank at least 30 places below Australia in the FIFA World Rankings.