Graham Arnold insists his main goal is to be ‘the best Socceroos team in history’ ahead of Asian Cup

Socceroos boss Graham Arnold has stated that selection for next year’s Asian Cup is open as he aims to convince a large number of dual-eligible players to opt for Australia.

Football Australia announced on Thursday that the Socceroos will play two homecoming games later this month against Ecuador.

The games, at Sydney’s CommBank Stadium on Friday March 24 and Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium on Tuesday March 28, are billed as a celebration of Australia’s best World Cup result last year.

The Socceroos won two group stage matches for the first time, before being knocked out by eventual winners Argentina in the round of 16.

Arnold says he will reward World Cup players, but beyond the Ecuador games, he will give priority to next January’s Asian Cup in Qatar, where, unlike last year’s World Cup, Australia will be considered among the favourites.

“The message is for the fans to come out and celebrate what the guys did,” Arnold said.

“But from day one, when guys walk into camp, they’re going to be told that they have the first chance to get that clean sheet of paper in the future.

“Over the next three and a half years it’s all about achieving something more special.

“I said right at the start of my campaign in 2018, and was laughed at, that we will be the best Socceroos team in history.”

‘That’s going to be the main goal again. It’s about achieving more than we did in Qatar and starting over.’

Midfield trio Ajdin Hrustic, Mathew Leckie and Martin Boyle are unlikely to feature in Ecuador’s matches due to injury.

Arnold has said he will cast his net wide again after successfully convincing Boyle, Harry Souttar and Jason Cummings to switch their allegiance from Scotland to Australia ahead of Qatar.

The Socceroos manager says he and his support team had been in contact with a list of dual nationals, headed by Cristian Volpato.

The Roma child prodigy, who was born in the port city, was offered the chance to go to the World Cup but decided against it because he was considering declaring for Italy.

Parma defender Alessandro Circati, Manchester City playmaker Alex Robertson and Huddersfield goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic are also eligible for other nations.

“I think we’ll finally get them across the line,” Arnold said.

“It’s about communicating with those kids and making sure they’re making those decisions for the right reasons.

“Obviously they have to talk to their families to make sure that when they put on that Aussie jersey, it matches (what’s on) their heart.”

Arnold has also kept an eye on a number of standout players during the current men’s A-League season, reserving special praise for Adelaide Reds young gun Nestory Irankunda.

But Arnold hinted that the best development for Irannunda, and that of Melbourne City’s Jordan Bos and Western Sydney midfielder Calem Nieuwenhof, is to stay with the under-23s as they bid to qualify for next year’s Olympics. in Paris.

“Irankunda is doing fantastically and the kid just needs to keep acting,” Arnold said.

‘If they are going to be players who are on the bench, or they can have 10 or 15 minutes, what is best for them? Do that, or go with those under 23?

“I think it’s crucial and important that we qualify for the Olympic Games.”