Australia

Time to ditch Socceroos preconceptions after Graham Arnold nails Peru match | Emma Kemp

15-Jun-2022 07:37:05 | Guardian

Australia are off to the World Cup. Now we must ask ourselves what we expect when they are in Qatar

It is an oft-repeated expression that “opinions are like arseholes, in that everyone has one”. Tim Minchin used this once during a speech to university graduates, and then clarified that “opinions differ significantly from arseholes, in that yours should be constantly and thoroughly examined”. The comedian-composer said we should be hard on our beliefs, “take them out onto the verandah and beat them with a cricket bat”.

It feels like an uncomfortable but worthwhile exercise after the Socceroos qualified for the World Cup, particularly when it comes to opinions regarding the coach. Today, a quick Google search of “Graham Arnold” brings up headlines such as “vindication for Arnold”, and “Australia, we owe this man an apology”. Less than three months ago an identical search returned results like “axe looming for Arnold” and “pressure is mounting”.