Cattle Watch: Arnold happy with growing Socceroo depth

As he prepares to ring the changes for Palestine, Australia coach Graham Arnold believes that his side now possesses "at least 30-odd players" capable of contributing on the road to the World Cup.

When he first took over as Socceroos coach in 2019, Graham Arnold estimated that the starting XI would have been able to be reliably counted upon to handle their understudies comfortably. Possibly by three goals or more. Flash forward to 2024, however, and the veteran mentor believes any hypothetical matchup would result in a stalemate.

That’s not because of backsliding in the starters’ level, either, but because of the standard of depth that has been created in that period that, in his mind, even stretches beyond 22. Instead, the coach believes that with the cattle he now possesses, there are “at least 30-odd players that are capable and ready,” for the road for the 2026 World Cup. 

Facing off with Palestine at HBF Park on Tuesday evening in the final game of the second phase of Asian World Cup qualification – both nations have already punched their tickets to the next stage – the Australia boss has flagged nine changes will be made to the side that beat Bangladesh 2-0 last week. Players such as Daniel Arzani, Alessandro Circati, and Cameron Burgess are all expected to come into the starting XI, while Kusini Yengi, who scored his second goal in as many games in Dhaka last week, is one of the two players expected to retain their place as he’s given every opportunity to build confidence and seize the starting striker mantle. 

“It's important for me to use this window as well,” Arnold said. “It's all about winning... but this window for me is also about testing some players and looking at the players in a different way, moving forward. 

“I'm happy with where we're at today, with the depth of the squad. Probably when I first started five years ago, if you put the starting XI against the reserves it could have been two or three to nil for the starting XI. Whereas I think these days, starting XI against the subs, it's nil-nil. It's a tough game because we've got good depth. 

“[The Palestine fixture] gives me a good opportunity to watch them”

It’s a fitting reshuffling of the deck given the general theme of the squad composition this window. When accounting for the early release of Mitch Duke and Kye Rowles to their clubs – both were liable for a suspension had they played and picked up a yellow card against Palestine and so, with yellow cards being wiped following, they were granted an early release – 15 players that were named as part of the squad to face Lebanon during the last international window are not present in Perth, while 11 of those that were part of the squad that faced Palestine last November are also not present. 

15 is also the number of players that have made their debuts for the Socceroos since the conclusion of the 2022 World Cup; a cohort that features the likes of Yengi, Circati, Alex Robertson, and Jordy Bos, with the most recent addition being Nestory Irankunda, who started his international bow against Bangladesh last week. 

It’s created a strength in numbers wherein Arnold is confident that he will not need to be blending a mixture of established and rising faces amid crunch qualifiers as he felt he had to do during the last qualification cycle – which began brightly but ended up with the Socceroos sputtering into an intercontinental playoff and heart-stopping penalty shootout win over Peru. Instead, all things being equal, he believes he can focus on winning football games during the next phase of qualification, without the growing pains associated with the previous campaign. 

“This time, I won't have to [build depth] during World Cup qualifiers and run the risk of results,” the coach said on Monday. “Last time, I know people looked at it, that it was very hard qualifiers for us and phase for us. But I was having to build depth while I was trying to win World Cup qualifiers. 

“But now I think it's done. I think we've got at least 30-odd players that are capable and ready. We've got some depth in the squad. Yeah, it's looking good. It's important that that group of 30, 35 people keep going and we qualify directly for the next World Cup.”

Both Australia and Palestine have already punched their tickets to the third phase of Asian qualifications for the World Cup. Its 18 qualifiers divided into three groups of six, the first- and second-placed sides from these groups will qualify for the expanded 2026 World Cup, while the third and fourth-placed teams move into a fourth round in which two further automatic slots and a place in an intercontinental playoff pathway will be on offer.

It’s the first time that Palestine has ever reached this stage of qualification since they were admitted to FIFA in 1998, with their progression to this phase also booking their place in a fourth-straight Asian Cup – six months on from their first-ever progression to the knockout stages of that continental showcase. 

This has been delivered despite the side being unable to stage any of their fixtures at home, with midfielder Mohammed Rashid saying on Monday that the side was praying for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Gaza that would allow them to play in front of their people once more. 

“I just couldn't imagine, you have to take your hat off to them,” Arnold said of their accomplishment. “A lot of the players can't even get back in [to Palestine]. There are a few without clubs. But they're still working hard and training hard. 

“A lot of players have had to leave the Palestinian competition because it's called off and have moved to different countries... to keep going. It's very sad but, at the same time, you have to admire what they're doing.”