Arrarte, who quit his post in solidarity with head coach Alen Stajcic after the latter’s controversial sacking 14 months ago, says he has no idea where the next batch of Sam Kerrs, Caitlin Foords or Steph Catleys are coming from as an arid and dysfunctional development system falters and the talent pipeline perforates.
After three FIFA Women's World Cup quarter-final appearances in the past 13 years along with AFC Asian Cup glory, Arrarte believes the Matildas face similar player development roadblocks to those hampering the emergence of future Olyroos and Socceroos.
“The pathways just aren’t there for the girls just as in the men’s game,” Arrarte explained.
“We’re just not investing in our development full-stop. We need to be doing things better.
“The funding available to other nations is clearly of a higher level than what we’re delivering.
“There are gifted girls out there - I can show you where they are - but they need to be nurtured, otherwise that talent won’t flourish.
“You’re seeing a generation gap opening up.
“How are we going to structure and streamline things to bring on the Sam Kerr or Caitlin Foord or Steph Catley? That’s the million dollar question.
“It’s like any business, if you don’t reinvest that’s as good as it’s going to get.”
Now riding shotgun with Stajcic at Central Coast Mariners, Arrarte spent two years in the Matildas fold, helping shape the fortunes of the world’s seventh-ranked nation on their journey to becoming one of Australia’s most loved sporting teams.
FFA chief executive James Johnson is across the pathway issue - brought into sharp focus by the joint Australia-New Zealand bid to host the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup - but financial constraints are tighter than ever amid the coronavirus cash crunch.
The Young Matildas’ embarrassing 9-1 loss to South Korea in last November’s FIFA U-20 World Cup qualifier was a painful reminder of the chasm which has opened up beneath the bottom and the apex of the pyramid.
“We need to start looking at the age groups below and providing more opportunities to play and grow,” Arrarte added.
A void has developed with the abolition in 2013 of state hubs in Sydney, Newcastle and Queensland which used to incubate up-and-comers.
Administered by the federations, programs ran year-round.
Currently, at the completion of the short W-League season, players not snapped up by overseas clubs are funnelled into WPL, where they’re only training two nights a week at best at largely under-funded clubs.
“We’ve produced some of the best players in the world and the Matildas have been ranked as high as number four by FIFA, and we have to try and be better prepared to bring on the next crop,” Arrarte said.
“It’s not about having a go at FFA here - it’s about trying to take politics out of football at all levels of football and doing our best to assist the game as a whole.
“The girls need to get the best coaches possible, whether they’re male or female.
“We need to invest with a purpose, as you’re seeing in places like Europe.”
The core of the Matildas squad do have time on their side with Lydia Williams the only member of the starting line-up against Norway in the round of 16 loss at last year’s World Cup over the age of 30.
But lack of cover in key positions - especially at the back - is already evident.
Arrarte believes Johnson, an ex-Australia U-17 international himself, is equipped to spearhead the structural changes required to produce the next wave of talent.
“He’s worked at FIFA and understands the game at all levels,” he added.
“If he is given the right support and has the right people around him then he can help the game as a whole.
“He’s getting tested at the moment (with the COVID-19 shutdown), poor bloke.
“But this is a task bigger than one person - it needs to be a collective thing.
“He has a job on his hands but he understands what the football family is going through.”
