The Socceroos’ crunch clash against Peru is just days away, and coach Graham Arnold believes the “Aussie DNA” is his side’s best chance of qualifying for the World Cup.
Either Australia or Peru will earn a spot in Qatar later this year when meeting in Doha at 4am AEST on Tuesday morning.
The Aussies kept themselves in contention with a gritty, yet unconvincing win over the United Arab Emirates this week, but all the preparation now boils down to Tuesday’s game.
Some faith was lost in the side after missing out on automatic qualification late last year, and the Socceroos have a point to prove.
Speaking on SEN’s The Run Home, Arnold was asked if the bigger stage would draw out better performances from his players.
“That’s something I’ve been driving since we got into camp and bringing back the Aussie DNA,” he responded.
“I do feel that we’ve lost that in Australia compared to what it used to be in the days when we were playing sport and we loved the challenge, the backs to the walls stuff.
“Playing in an A-League competition in Australia where there’s no relegation, they don’t know how to hurt when they lose.
“So getting back to that DNA, the old way, the Jeff Fenech (former Australian boxer) way, the way we were that no matter what happened you kick, you fight, you scratch, you run till you drop and leave nothing on the park and have no regrets.”
The Socceroos are aiming to qualify for their fifth successive World Cup but enter the game against Peru as big outsiders.
Nevertheless, Arnold has a plan to “rattle” the opposition.
“Our best chance is the Aussie DNA,” he added.
“The boys run, fight, kick against the South Americans and really play a physical game, I believe that type of thing will rattle those types of nations.
“The South American style is they like to play an attacking style of games, they’re technically and individually very good, but we’ve got to get in their faces.
“We’ve got to make a fight of this, a war of this, and make sure when we go out on the pitch we rattle them, to me, if (we) do that, that’s our best chance.”
The winner of Tuesday’s game will book themselves a place in Group D in the World Cup alongside France, Denmark and Tunisia.