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Then there's Australia's glaring lack of experience playing in the types of conditions you can expect in Thailand in July. The Socceroos have played just three matches on Asian soil since joining the AFC 16 months ago with only four players - Scott McDonald, Michael Beauchamp, Luke Wilkshire and Brett Holman, not exactly what you'd call the big guns - involved in all three of the away trips to Kuwait City, Manama and Guangzhou.

Worryingly for Arnold, the list of those who haven't been involved in any of the three trips, for a variety of reasons, includes World Cup stars Tim Cahill, Brett Emerton, Josh Kennedy, Harry Kewell and Craig Moore. Indian Matka

Cahill, Kennedy, Kewell and Moore are the quartet giving Arnold most headaches with just 10 weeks until Australia's cup opener. All four are rated by Arnold as a major concern with the coach now openly saying that if any of them make it, it will be a fantastic luxury for the side.

Arnold and team manager Gary Moretti jetted over to Europe a week ago to assess the players' progress and build some bridges with a handful of (particularly English) club managers. Once again the cause of the Australian national team doesn’t exactly seem in the best interests of the clubs with a healthy chunk of pre-season set to be missed if the Socceroos make it all the way to the final. Cahill, for instance, hasn’t had a proper break for four years after playing in the 2004 Olympics, 2005 Confederations Cup and last year's World Cup.