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Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has emphatically urged his players to stay away from “all that shite” on social media, warning getting swept up in the hype could derail Australia’s World Cup campaign.
In a candid interview with Australian media in Doha, Arnold vented his frustration at the impact of social media on modern day athletes, suggesting it played a part in the Olyroos failing to make it out of their group at Tokyo 2020 after upsetting Argentina in their opening game.
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Australia’s 1-0 win over Tunisia has raised excitement this Socceroos team can just be the second to make the knockout stage, with a draw against world No.10 Denmark on Thursday morning (2am AEDT) likely to be enough to go through.
“That’s why I had the huddle straight after the game because if there’s one thing I learnt at the Olympics, it was after a big win against Argentina, there was too much celebration,” Arnold said.
“And that celebration, I’m sorry, is social media. They get on that until four or five in the morning, watch all the great comments and enjoy all that shite if I can say that …. it affects players.
“It affects their sleep patterns so if you’re up to five in the morning looking at that, and looking at the good comments and people backing you, the same people are doing it back the day after and it’s killing us, just get rid of it and don’t look at it.”
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Arnold himself has been subject of plenty of vitriol online in a turbulent four-year tenure as national coach.
“It’s something that I have never looked at yet, I don’t do it … you might not believe me, that I don’t read anything, but I know the effect it can have on people and it does have a huge effect on celebrities, sports stars, or whatever,” Arnold said.
“ ….I am really glad I played in the days when there was no mobiles telephones and no journos giving you ratings out of 10 and things like that.
”It was a long time ago but it’s a big thing and I think players these days are so mentally strong because of that but at the end of the day I have to get my wife off social media, I have to get my kids off social media, because it nearly kills them in this time and environment, but that’s the way it is now.”
Arnold has stressed the importance of sleep, recovery and refocusing on the clash with Denmark.
His own sleep is not getting better, though, and it’s got nothing to do with social media.
“(I’m sleeping) worse,” Arnold said. “Because I just want so much more.
“I can’t explain it, because it’s such a strong passion I have for Australian football.
“To see the celebrations… I got sent a few videos from friends, but also random people, of pubs and places I’d never heard of with people going crazy.
“That’s what I’m here for, to put smiles on people’s faces. And we’ve got a job to do – and part of that job is getting the players ready.”
