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Australia manager Graham Arnold reiterated Ange Postecoglou\u2019s message for his side to beat England for \u201cthe kids and the nation\u201d ahead of the first ever meeting between the countries at Wembley.<\/p>\n
Arnold brought in Spurs boss Postecoglou and his fellow former Australia head coach Guus Hiddink in a bid to inspire the Socceroos ahead of Friday\u2019s friendly in London.<\/p>\n
Australia are underdogs going into the encounter, having only beaten England once in seven meetings \u2013 a 3-1 triumph at Upton Park in 2003 \u2013 and sitting 23 spots below their fourth-placed hosts in the FIFA world rankings, but Arnold says his side will only have victory on their minds when they take the pitch.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cThe speeches that Ange said yesterday were very similar about what we\u2019ve been saying for years with doing it for the kids in Australia, the nation and your family and people who are close by and the supporters.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know one thing is that they (the players) will run until they drop, the energy will be there and they\u2019ll put in the performance of their lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have got a special relationship with both (Postecoglou and Hiddink). I\u2019ve known Ange for 40 odd years, I\u2019ve played and coached against him, worked with him and we\u2019ve had a great connection for years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith Guus, he\u2019s pretty much a mentor to me and like a brother, a father. I\u2019ve got to be careful with what I say because he\u2019s not that old but he\u2019s always been a great man to me and I worked with him during the 2006 World Cup as his assistant.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe aim to win. We\u2019re not going out there to lose or draw the game, we\u2019re going out there to win the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the culture that we bring. We\u2019ve seen the Socceroos and the Matildas (Australia women\u2019s team) bring the nation together and this is not my team, it\u2019s the nation\u2019s team.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Australia are looking to make history at Wembley, Arnold highlighted some of the challenges he says they face trying to grow the game back home.<\/p>\n
Despite the successful co-hosting of the Women\u2019s World Cup this summer, where the Matildas got to the semi-finals, Arnold says the infrastructure and support they receive pales in comparison to other sports Down Under, or that England enjoy.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t get anywhere near the help and resources (of Australian rules football),\u201d Arnold said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe see the Prime Minister and the government say they love coming out to watch the Socceroos and Matildas with scarves on but they must lose them when they go home.<\/p>\n
We see the Prime Minister and the government say they love coming out to watch the Socceroos and Matildas with scarves on but they must lose them when they go home.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t have a home of football. Whether you believe that or not, we don\u2019t have a home.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the Socceroos come to Sydney to train, we have to go to a rugby league field where they remove the posts and put soccer posts up. That\u2019s the truth.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are the highest participated sport at grassroots (in Australia). The last four days England have been at St George\u2019s Park and they come down to (Wembley) where they are inspired and have a culture, we don\u2019t have anything like that.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter the World Cup I said \u2018hopefully this will make things change\u2019 and that government funding will help inspire the kid\u2019s lives and fulfil their dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n
Australia\u2019s most recent meeting with England saw the home side claim a 2-1 win at the Stadium of Light in 2016, when an 18-year-old Marcus Rashford because the youngest player to score on his England debut.<\/p>\n
Roy Hodgson was in charge of England for that match but Arnold, who took charge in 2018, is looking forward to pitting his wits against the present incumbent Gareth Southgate.<\/p>\n
Arnold said: \u201cEngland are a fantastic team and Gareth Southgate is a great coach, a wonderful man and I look forward to seeing him tomorrow night.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are very appreciative of the invitation to play here and we\u2019re looking forward to the match.\u201d<\/p>\n