Craig Goodwin: Five Good points

Tim Baker 1668552201,1668586585

Craig Goodwin spoke to the media on Day 4 of training at the Socceroos' Home Base Media Centre in Doha.

The winger was asked a range of questions including facing the French, his bullish response to being called up, the resilience of the squad and his own path from grassroots to the world stage.

Facing France first up:

We will study their gameplay and their style and look at the ways that they're very effective, and also the ways that we can hurt them.

I think we know, France is a top team, and you're never going to get an easy game when you come to the World Cup. So we're just excited. And we should go out there with no pressure, because we are the underdog.

I think we have that self-belief, we've shown along the way to qualifying for this World Cup we've been written off on many occasions in games, and we've been able to get here.

So I think we go in with full confidence. We know that it'll be a tough game. But there's no reason why we can't shock the world.

Set-piece danger:

I think in the modern game, I think you can see it, especially in the big games as well set-pieces can be so lethal, and can break the game wide open.

So for me at club level, I've got some big guys with Hiroshi Ibusuki is six foot seven. So I'm used to picking out someone of Harry (Souttar’s) height.

You know, at the same time, we don't want to go into these games and in into this competition only being a set-piece team.

I think we have that quality and we have that outlet. But we want to work really hard at being able to break teams down and being able to get goals from open play as well.

No fear:

We just have to take it game by game, it's very cliche, but it's the only way that we're going to have the chances to progress and to do something we really have to focus on.

First and foremost, the France game, just looking at how we can break them down and how we can hurt them and nullify the amount of strengths that they have.

So, you know, I think we have to go into every game with confidence, we've made it this far. And there's no point in going into a game with any type of fear.

Because if you are going into these games with that mentality, then you're already on the back foot.

So I think for us, we're used to being in a situation where we are the underdog, and I think that suits us, but at the same time, we have to be brave, we have to be confident, and we have to play with no fear.

The message from the coaching staff, and amongst the playing group is definitely that we don't want to be here just to make up the numbers.

And we'll give everything we can to try and achieve something special.

But it's definitely focusing on the day-to-day, the week to week and making sure we do the right things and then come game day, just be prepared to leave everything out in the pitch.

Resilience:

It's yeah, I think that word is definitely understated when it comes to this team and what we've had to go through.

Obviously, every nation during this World Cup campaign has had a very difficult time with COVID and everything that's gone on.

But again, to qualify, we did it the hard way, we did it the long way, you know, credit to many players in our squad who at times missed Grand Finals of the A-League Men through quarantine, by playing with the national team as well and not being able to be playing in some of the biggest games in club football.

So I think we are a very resilient group. We have a great togetherness amongst the players and the staff. And it's something that I think is very unique, and very Australian, to be honest.

I think it's one of our biggest strengths that we are so together and we are a team and hopefully that can take us to great places in the tournament.

Many journeys, one jersey:

I think directly after finding out about the selection, there is those emotions that kind of come over you.

And you think about, what its taken to get to where you are, and I said this in another interview.

The thing that makes us so together within this group is we had the saying throughout the whole qualifying campaign, and it's “many journeys, one jersey.”

So for everyone within this camp and for all the players that even aren’t selected and helped us get to this point.

No matter who you are, you're going through some sort of difficult path and everyone has their own journey to get to where they are and face their own setbacks.

And it's all those challenges that you face individually, connected together with this group, it makes us stronger.

So absolutely, I'm so proud of what I've had to go through. And you know that there have been a lot of situations along the way where I could have easily given up, not making Adelaide United’s youth team consecutively two years.

Moving to Melbourne, living with two older Greek guys, I didn't know that were affiliated with Oakley Cannons. Working at KFC even after I'd made my debut.

Plenty of times I could have given up along the way, I couldn't make state teams when I was 13 and 14. But it's that desire and I think it's that winning mentality that everyone in this group shows.