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“I think it’s nice to have an Australian in charge again,” said new Socceroos captain Mark Milligan this week as the national team prepared for their first match on home soil in 12 months.
Following a brief few months under Dutchman Bert van Marwijk – who helmed the side at the World Cup – we’ve got a true blue Aussie at the helm once again.
Graham Arnold is the man to steer the Socceroos at the Asian Cup and beyond having been rewarded for his dominant tenure at Sydney FC. And it appears the players are pleased to have one of their compatriots masterminding their international exploits.
“Bert [van Marwijk] was wonderful from a footballing point of view, but when you get an Australian coach in who understands the culture, and the way that we do things naturally, it’s an easier transition,” Milligan added.
While teammate Mathew Leckie also weighed in this week.
“With an Australian coach, they’re there for the love of the country,” Leckie said.
“They’re representing Australia as coaches just as we are as players. I think it’s extra special.”
But is there actually a tangible difference between having a local coach in charge as opposed to a foreign one?
According to the statistics, it doesn’t appear so.
Looking back at the success rates of the side from when Frank Farina took charge in 1999, it’s just about a dead heat.
In that time, four Australians have taken charge of a match – Farina, Aurelio Vidmar, Ange Postecoglou and Arnold. While six international bosses have also taken the reins – Guus Hiddink, Rob Baan, Pim Verbeek, Han Berger, Holger Osieck and Van Marwijk.
The Aussies oversaw 123 matches in total, winning 64, for an overall win percentage of 52.
Comparatively, those that came to us from abroad took to the dugout 99 times, winning 52, for a win percentage of 52.5.
To give a good idea of just how close those rates are – should Arnold guide the Socceroos to a victory over South Korea tonight, the Aussie percentage would move ahead onto 52.8.
So does it really make a difference to have an Aussie in charge? According to the statistics, no.
But obviously a range of factors contribute to those figures such as difficulty of opposition, personnel available and more.
Following a brief few months under Dutchman Bert van Marwijk – who helmed the side at the World Cup – we’ve got a true blue Aussie at the helm once again.
Graham Arnold is the man to steer the Socceroos at the Asian Cup and beyond having been rewarded for his dominant tenure at Sydney FC. And it appears the players are pleased to have one of their compatriots masterminding their international exploits.
“Bert [van Marwijk] was wonderful from a footballing point of view, but when you get an Australian coach in who understands the culture, and the way that we do things naturally, it’s an easier transition,” Milligan added.
While teammate Mathew Leckie also weighed in this week.
“With an Australian coach, they’re there for the love of the country,” Leckie said.
“They’re representing Australia as coaches just as we are as players. I think it’s extra special.”
But is there actually a tangible difference between having a local coach in charge as opposed to a foreign one?
According to the statistics, it doesn’t appear so.
Looking back at the success rates of the side from when Frank Farina took charge in 1999, it’s just about a dead heat.
In that time, four Australians have taken charge of a match – Farina, Aurelio Vidmar, Ange Postecoglou and Arnold. While six international bosses have also taken the reins – Guus Hiddink, Rob Baan, Pim Verbeek, Han Berger, Holger Osieck and Van Marwijk.
The Aussies oversaw 123 matches in total, winning 64, for an overall win percentage of 52.
Comparatively, those that came to us from abroad took to the dugout 99 times, winning 52, for a win percentage of 52.5.
To give a good idea of just how close those rates are – should Arnold guide the Socceroos to a victory over South Korea tonight, the Aussie percentage would move ahead onto 52.8.
So does it really make a difference to have an Aussie in charge? According to the statistics, no.
But obviously a range of factors contribute to those figures such as difficulty of opposition, personnel available and more.