Socceroos coach Graham Arnold says his critics are irrelevant.
“Who cares? They’ve by no means coached,” Arnold mentioned after Australia’s 1-0 victory in opposition to Tunisia on the World Cup in Qatar on Saturday.
“I have not seen who’s important. However I believe a few of them have by no means even been to a World Cup.
“So I do not take heed to them. They don’t have any impact on my life.”
Arnold is the primary Australian-born coach to steer the Socceroos to a World Cup victory.
However he has been stressing the Doha marketing campaign is not about him, however his nation and its soccer followers.
“It is a second they’re going to keep in mind for the remainder of their lives,” he mentioned.
“I simply need them to take pleasure in.
“That’s what I mentioned to the boys earlier than the sport: let’s put a smile on the nation’s face.
“There’s one or two groups that convey the nation collectively and that is the Socceroos and the Matildas.
“When the Socceroos play on the World Cups, AFL followers, rugby league followers, they may turn into soccer followers.
“I can think about the celebrations happening again residence … there will probably be a number of hangovers within the morning.
“I will not have one.”
Avoiding a sporting hangover is foremost in Arnold’s thoughts.
“After I obtained the boys in a circle after the sport, I informed them: ‘I am very proud however we now have achieved nothing for the time being’,” he mentioned.
“We will speak after a couple of win that hasn’t been carried out for 12 years, however we’re right here to go so far as we will go.
“That one recreation is finished and I do not need any notion from the gamers, I do not need them sitting up all night time social media and all that stuff.
“It is about sleeping nicely, recovering nicely and getting the mindset prepared for Denmark.”
The Australians meet the Danes on Wednesday at 1800 native time (Thursday 0200 AEDT) and a win will in all probability be enought to ship the Socceroos into the knockout phases for the second time in cup historical past.
