Some good detail there from Reg22 on some stuff I wasn't aware of. Though yes Johnny Warren is a legend in Australian football.
But I still consider the 1974 side weaker than the 2022 version. Just like I consider the 1982 AWs weaker than the 2010 team.
Sure it was only a 16 team WC in 1974, but the strength of the sport worldwide has grown immensely since then, outside of Europe & Sth America. I still don't think the Socceroos would have been the 16th ranked team in the world in 1974 despite their WC qualification. Much like the AWs weren't world number 24, in 1982.
And on Arnold he's been around the Socceroos a long time in a coaching capacity - back to being Hiddink's assistant from 2005. It's been a far from smooth ride. Maybe we need to give our next AWs coach a 2 WC cycles for a change to see what they can do (as long as the first cycle goes okay).
Sorry for getting off topic. Must be due a Pragnell update.
But I still consider the 1974 side weaker than the 2022 version. Just like I consider the 1982 AWs weaker than the 2010 team.
Sure it was only a 16 team WC in 1974, but the strength of the sport worldwide has grown immensely since then, outside of Europe & Sth America. I still don't think the Socceroos would have been the 16th ranked team in the world in 1974 despite their WC qualification. Much like the AWs weren't world number 24, in 1982.
And on Arnold he's been around the Socceroos a long time in a coaching capacity - back to being Hiddink's assistant from 2005. It's been a far from smooth ride. Maybe we need to give our next AWs coach a 2 WC cycles for a change to see what they can do (as long as the first cycle goes okay).
Sorry for getting off topic. Must be due a Pragnell update.