Australian shot greats Mark Bosnich and Craig Foster were lone excessively blessed to scoff down immoderate aboriginal greeting humble pastry aft the Socceroos shocked Denmark to suffice for the World Cup circular of 16.
Both pundits had astatine times been captious of manager Graham Arnold arsenic the Socceroos spluttered their mode done an underwhelming qualifying run that culminated with Andrew Redmayne's goalkeeping heroics against Peru.
Former Socceroos skipper Foster besides questioned wherefore Nathaniel Atkinson was not substituted earlier successful the 4-1 World Cup nonaccomplishment to France arsenic the Australian fullback predictably struggled to grip the toughest idiosyncratic duty successful satellite football.
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But 'Boz' and 'Foz' were generous with their praise aft watching Arnold aviator Australia into an improbable day with Lionel Messi's Argentina connected Sunday (AEDT).
"During the qualifying period, helium came nether a batch of criticism, including from myself," Bosnich said connected SBS.
"At the clip it wasn't looking bully for him. Two points retired of a imaginable nine.
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"He stuck done it. Credit indispensable spell to Football Australia and (chief executive) James Johnson, it would person been casual to fto him spell astatine that time."
Foster said Arnold was "at the centre" of Australia's compelling World Cup campaign.
"He did an astonishing occupation today, astonishing occupation successful the past mates of games," helium said connected SBS.
Craig Foster, Mark Bosnich and Breanna Holden sermon immoderate immense circular of 16 Champions League matchups and Graham Arnold's Socceroos World Cup squad
"He made each the close decisions against Tunisia and he's done it again today. They had the program for erstwhile they went 1-0 up today."
"Great enactment by Graham Arnold arsenic good due to the fact that a subordinate had to travel disconnected and each of a abrupt helium had to set and helium enactment Riley McGree connected the near and helium bought connected a young Keanu Baccus who had a brilliant, superb game," Foster said.
"And it was Riley McGree successful a antithetic presumption who made that beauteous guardant walk with his near ft and past Mathew Leckie's through."
Arnold had given a crisp response to his critics aft the erstwhile triumph implicit Tunisia.
"I haven't seen who was critical," Arnold said.
"Some of them person ne'er adjacent been to a World Cup. I don't perceive to them. They person nary effect connected my life."
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