The socceroos performance against Japan was woeful.
Fundamentally the issue is that A League did not schedule international breaks, basically because of the continual reshuffle of fixtures.
Arnold (socceroo coach) had named a 50 player list of required players. This included players playing in Europe. Good wasn't named.
Leading up to the Japan game players were dropping like flies, and a couple days before it was announced they wanted him. He was never going to start ahead of Degenek and Sainsbury. The club city basically blocked him. We had already released 4 starting players. Maclaren Tilio Metcalfe and Leckie. So the club basically refused a 5th.
Maclaren for months had announced he will unavailable for the away Saudi game next week because he was getting married, a wedding that had been postponed a few times due covid restrictions and lockdowns etc. So he was basically unavailable.
On top of all that he only got a few minutes against Japan. The anti City media went at Maclaren for being selfish and putting his club and personal needs before the country.
Fact is this bunch of socceroos are the worst in living memory and the coach is using tactics he played with Sydney FC 5 years ago, and at international level is laughable.
The best thing, Maclaren scored tonight and Leckie came of the bench and changed the game.
Our youngsters Metcalfe and Tilio have travelled to Saudi but being a dead rubber now, all the other A League players have been released.
As everything down here the organisation of the game is mind boggling.
www.talkingcity.online
