Time to ditch Socceroos preconceptions after Graham Arnold nails Peru match

It is an oft-repeated expression that “opinions are like arseholes, in that everyone has one”. Tim Minchin used this once during a speech to university graduates, and then clarified that “opinions differ significantly from arseholes, in that yours should be constantly and thoroughly examined”. The comedian-composer said we should be hard on our beliefs, “take them out onto the verandah and beat them with a cricket bat”.

It feels like an uncomfortable but worthwhile exercise after the Socceroos qualified for the World Cup, particularly when it comes to opinions regarding the coach. Today, a quick Google search of “Graham Arnold” brings up headlines such as “vindication for Arnold”, and “Australia, we owe this man an apology”. Less than three months ago an identical search returned results like “axe looming for Arnold” and “pressure is mounting”.

At that time, in late March, a 2-0 loss to Japan had consigned Australia to two sudden-death playoffs next to nobody believed the team could win. The only tangible difference between then and now is that they have won both and we are all rather happy about it. Football is notoriously fickle, and recency bias gets the better of us all from time to time, especially in the context of such emotive subject matter.

Arnold nailed the Peru match from start to finish. His already-famous goalkeeper gamble was dumfounding in its audacity. In the moment it seemed stark-raving mad. And perfectly so, because it worked. Had it not, the torches and pitchforks were ready. That decision would have, for those already prognosticating his failure, offered indubitable proof that they were right and he was wrong and so were all of his supporters.

But why must we oscillate so wildly? There must surely be