WATCH: Graham Arnold's Socceroos v Ecuador Squad Announcement Press Conference

Subway Socceroos Head Coach Graham Arnold caught up with the media after naming his squad for March's series against Ecuador in Sydney and Melbourne. 

Check out his take on all of the talking points below! 

READ: Squad Announcement Talking Points - Four Potential Debutants

READ: Squad Announcement Presser Talking Points

On Alex Robertson's call-up: 

"I've probably been talking to him for eighteen months and it was a matter of just one step at a time. When I called him and told him I wanted to pick him for these Ecuador games, straight away it was 'Arnie I can't wait.' He's looking forward to it so much. I do believe the kid has now aligned himself now with Australia and I'm pretty sure when he puts the Socceroos shirt on and feels the emblem on his heart there's only one nation he will play for.

I haven't just picked him because he's a talent, he's doing very very well at Manchester City - playing every day with the U23's but he's training every day with the first team. 

He plays as a #8, very similar to the Kevin De Bruyne or İlkay Gündoğan role at Man City, and he's been on the first team bench a few times while training with those type of players every week. He's there for a reason and that reason is that Pep Guardiola obviously rates him highly and sees the qualities he has got. He's more of an attacking-type midfielder, gets in the box and scores goals, and makes assists as well. So he's got a good flair about him. 

On Nestory Irankunda's call-up: 

Seeing the kid play, and he's got these special qualities as a kid at the age of 17 the physique and speed on him, is exciting. I've had some great chats with Carl Veart and he's been a great mentor and leader to Nestory. At the end of the day he's coming in for experience, but that's not ruling out game time. He's coming for these games to have that experience of what it's like to play or be at a top level and I want him to learn quickly and also to help Adelaide as well, with that he sees what it takes from an Aaron Mooy or from a Jackson Irvine, or you know one of those old players. I do believe that he will end up at that top level and but just to help him on his way. 

On Jordan Bos and Joe Gauci: 

With Joe Gauci it's a great opportunity to come in and see what Maty Ryan does, to learn from him and Andrew Redmayne. He's doing exceptionally well at Adelaide. Giving him that experience to come in and be around everybody and see what it is to go to that level is hugely important.

Jordy Bos -  well, I've just been impressed for probably for a year and a half, not just the last month or so. He's got great attacking skills as the left fullback, can get high, get forward and get some good crosses in the box and he's physically a good specimen for what we need. He's a completely different player to Aziz Behich - is completely different played as his beige as the left fullback. And you know, I don't think I've seen one like this one since Scott Chipperfield. I hate to put a name on it of course, but he's a very, very similar players. 

So, I'm excited to see these guys, it's an exciting moment selecting the squad, but also for the senior players to show great leadership to these younger players through the camps and exposing them to what it takes to be an elite player.

On Garang Kuol heading into camp: 

I think that he's gone to a competition that's a physical competition, and it's going to be a learning process for the kid as well. It's not easy, and a lot of people don't understand that when you leave family, you leave friends. It's all a learning process so for the kid, it's about hanging there and working hard and having that strong mentality but this is what a national team camp can do for young kids, or players that are going through a bit of a negative experience at their club at the moment if they're not winning games that brings them back to life in camp for 10 days. They're playing for the nation. There's nothing more proud for them than that - giving him some energy and he'll go back to Hearts feeling in a much better mood. 

On Aiden O'Neill's call-up: 

Physically he's improved a lot. He's been on our list over the last year and it's how quickly players at that age can change. I think he's a lot more positive now as a player in possession, you know, playing as a solid six under Paddy Kisnorbo because normally you can see that he has more structure to his game than probably previously. He's learned a lot over the last couple of years and he's doing exceptionally well at Melbourne City and he's one for the future. Definitely and I've been really impressed with his performances last year and also this year and it was topped off on the weekend. I think the selection letter he may have got before the game that he was being considered and he scored two goals - so I'll take credit for that! 

On Aaron Mooy's form and utilisation:

It comes down to depth in those midfield positions. We had more depth in those attacking roles and less depth at number six. Aaron can play in both roles, I had probably six players that could have played in the ten position or the eight position and one-and-a-half, two, that could play at number six. So it was important that we got the best players on the pitch. But Aaron at Celtic is playing, doing exceptionally well as a number eight and playing higher up the pitch, it's great for us that he can play there, but it's great that we've got those alternatives now with the likes of Cam Devlin and Aiden O'Neill pushing as well.

On the form of the players since the World Cup: 

I think the experience that these kids had at the Olympics, and also overall at the World Cup has given them a lot of belief that they belong. I think a lot of times, players can doubt themselves if they're good enough or if they're going to make it, and those type of things but, you know, I remember when after the Tokyo one of the things when I had a team meeting after Egypt game, I asked the question, what do you guys get out of this tournament?  Straight away the answer for one of the players was 'we actually belong, we feel that we belong now.' And I think that's one of the most important things, after that World Cup the boys probably going back to their clubs, everyone was looking at them in a different way because the way we perform that and mentally did a lot for them and their confidence.

SUBWAY SOCCEROOS SQUAD – WELCOME SERIES VS EQUADOR – MARCH 2023

SUBWAY SOCCEROOS’ WELCOME HOME SERIES – MATCH SCHEDULE

Match Day One
Date: Friday, 24 March 2023
Venue: CommBank Stadium, Sydney
Time: 8.00pm AEDT
Tickets: https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=SOCECU23
Broadcast: Live on 10 in Sydney and Melbourne, 10 Bold in Adelaide, Brisbane, and Perth, and on 10 Play and Paramount+.

Match Day Two
Date: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Venue: Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
Time: 7:30pm AEDT
Tickets: https://www.ticketmaster.com.au/event/25005E53BFD52417
Broadcast: Live on 10 Bold, 10 Play and Paramount+

Melbourne Two Match Deal
Subway Socceroos v Ecuador: Tuesday, 28 March, 7:30pm AEDT
CommBank Matildas v France: Friday, 14 July, 7:30pm AEST
Venue: Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
Tickets: https://www.ticketmaster.com.au/event/25005E618FB73FBF

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