Graham Arnold insists his main goal is to be ‘the best Socceroos team in history’ ahead of Asian Cup

Socceroos boss Graham Arnold has declared selection for next year’s Asian Cup is open slather as he sets his sights on convincing a host of dual-eligible players to opt for Australia.

Football Australia announced on Thursday the Socceroos will play two homecoming games later this month against Ecuador.

The games – at Sydney’s CommBank Stadium on Friday, March 24 and Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium on Tuesday, March 28 – are being billed as a celebration of Australia’s best-ever World Cup finish last year.

The Socceroos won two group games for the first time, before being knocked out by eventual winners Argentina in the round of 16.

Arnold says he will reward the World Cup players, but beyond the Ecuador games he will be prioritising next January’s Asian Cup in Qatar, at which – unlike last year’s World Cup – Australia will be considered among the front-runners.

Socceroos boss Graham Arnold is looking to widen the net to attract fresh talent ahead of the Asian Cup next year

Striker Garang Kuol showed glimpses of his potential at the World Cup and looms as a key figure for the Socceroos going forward (pictured, contesting the ball with superstar Lionel Messi)

‘The messaging is for the fans to come and celebrate what the boys did,’ Arnold said.

‘But from day one when the boys come into camp, they will be told they are getting the first chance to get on that clean sheet of paper moving forward.

‘Over the next three-and-a-half years it’s about achieving something more special.

‘I said right at the start of my campaign in 2018 – and I got laughed at – that we will be the greatest Socceroos team in history.

‘That’s going to be the main goal again. It’s about achieving more than what we did in Qatar and starting again.’

Midfield trio Ajdin Hrustic, Mathew Leckie and Martin Boyle are unlikely to feature in the Ecuador fixtures due to injury.

Arnold has said he will again be casting his net wide after successfully convincing Boyle, Harry Souttar and Jason Cummings to switch allegiances from Scotland to Australia pre-Qatar.

The Socceroos boss says he and his support staff had been in contact with a list of players with dual nationality, headlined by Cristian Volpato.

The Roma wonderkid, who was born in the Harbour City, was offered a chance to go to the World Cup but chose not to as he weighed up declaring for Italy.

Roma young gun Cristian Volpato remains a target – despite turning down Arnold ahead of the World Cup in Qatar

Adelaide Reds young gun Nestory Irankunda has also caught Arnold’s eye in the A-League

Parma defender Alessandro Circati, Manchester City playmaker Alex Robertson and Huddersfield goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic are also eligible for other nations.

‘I think we will eventually get them across the line,’ Arnold said.

‘It’s about me communicating with those kids and making sure that they are making those decisions for the right reasons.

‘They’ve obviously got to speak to their families to make sure that when they put on that Australian shirt, it matches (what’s in) their heart.’

Arnold has also been keeping an eye on a number of standout players during the current A-League Men season, reserving special praise for Adelaide Reds young gun Nestory Irankunda.

But Arnold hinted it was best for Irankunda’s development – and that of Melbourne City’s Jordan Bos and Western Sydney midfielder Calem Nieuwenhof – to remain with the under-23s as they bid to qualify for next year’s Olympics in Paris.

‘Irankunda is doing fantastically and the kid just needs to keep performing,’ Arnold said.

‘If they are going to be players that are on the bench, or might get 10 or 15 minutes – what’s better for them? Do that, or go with the under-23s?

‘I believe it’s crucial and important that we qualify for the Olympics.’