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Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has admitted his frustration that star midfielder Martin Boyle’s serious knee injury was not diagnosed before he travelled to Qatar to be part of Australia’s World Cup squad.
Boyle, one of Australia’s most important players, failed in a late bid to be fit for the tournament and it’s since been revealed the 29-year-old has a season-ending ACL injury.
The player travelled to Qatar after his Scottish club Hibernian cleared him for World Cup duty and Arnold was asked by a Scottish reporter on Friday whether he was disappointed on how things had played out.
“Very much (so). Martin got that injury probably three weeks ago,” Arnold said.
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“He went down to Manchester, he went to Edinburgh, got MRI (scans) and kept feeling it and then he got another MRI here at Aspetar (sports hospital in Doha) and that’s where it got diagnosed as the ACL injury. So it’s very disappointing.
“But the kid’s in great spirits. He’s a wonderful person and brings great energy to the team. Even though he’s missed out on this World Cup, he’s such an important piece in the jigsaw puzzle for us, behind the scenes because … he’s just here to support the boys and make them happy.”
Boyle has undergone surgery in Doha and revealed in an Instagram post how he learned of the injury.
“Not the news I expected after an emotional roller coaster of three weeks to learn I needed my ACL repaired,” he wrote.
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“Only visible when I needed my op and surgeons done what was best for me! I’ve great support around me and I’ve been through it all before and no doubt be back stronger than ever.”
Boyle was replaced in the squad by Marco Tillio, who was flown in to Qatar as a back-up player before the tournament.
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