Football Australia chief executive James Johnson says that the federation will move to appoint a new, permanent coach of the Socceroos “hopefully in the coming days or next week or two,” following Graham Arnold’s shock resignation on Friday.
As first reported by AAP, Arnold informed Football Australia’s board of his decision to step down from the role earlier this week, following a 1-0 defeat to Bahrain and a 0-0 draw with Indonesia. Players and staff were informed of the decision on Friday morning, with Johnson stating that it would be “business as usual” for them in the coming weeks.
Names such as Kevin Muscat, Tony Popović, Hervé Renard, John Aloisi, Nick Montgomery, and Peter Cklamovski have already been floated as potential candidates but Johnson wouldn’t be drawn on potential candidates or if the federation would look local or foreign when speaking to reporters on Friday, only emphasising a desire for a rapid process.
“We are already in the market for a new coach,” Johnson said. “We know the market. We know who’s available. And I want to confirm that we will move quickly to appointing a permanent coach before the next window. Hopefully in the coming days or next week or two, we would like to convene you here with us so we can share the news of who the new Socceroos coach will be.
“We want a coach that is tactically astute. We want a coach that understands the Australian mentality and that understands our players; that’s important for us because the coach would be coming in before the next window. And we want a coach that we have confidence in [to] guide us through a complicated Asian qualifying process. That sort of knowledge and experience will be important in our selection matrix for the permanent Socceroos coach.”
As is the case for the search for a full-time coach of the Matildas, Heather Garriock and Sam Ciccarello of the football committee of the Football Australia board, head of national teams Gary Moretti, and Johnson will lead the hiring process, with input from figures such as chief football officer Ernie Merrick.
Whoever does assume the position will inherit a Socceroo outfit side sitting second-bottom in Group C of Asia’s third phase of qualification but, emphasising that there was a long way to go in the qualification process — a further eight games in this phase and the possibility of further rounds of qualification — Johnson said that Arnold’s departure represented an opportunity to “freshen up the team” ahead of games against China in Adelaide and Japan in Saitama next month.
“We’re very excited about the future of the Socceroos and the upward trajectory,” he said. “We believe in the players. We believe in the team. We have every bit of confidence that the team will go on and qualify for the World Cup in 2026 and we will continue to heavily invest in this team because we believe that they will qualify.”
It was only last week that the executive had backed Arnold to bounce back from the disappointment of the September window, stating “We put our faith in Graham to get the team back on path.” Sources have since reiterated to ESPN that the veteran coach wasn’t pushed from the role his departure came at his own instigation, which Johnson reiterated on Friday.
“Graham is the kind of coach who puts everything into the team,” said the executive, who also confirmed Arnod’s departure wasn’t health-related. “He puts everything into the lead up to matches. I think he was out of gas. He was very open about that. I met with him this week but I also met with him after the Indonesia game and he was really tired.
“The last window was a difficult one for him personally, he cares a lot about this team. When we spoke, we felt that he wasn’t going to go forward no matter what we said.”
Arnold’s resignation ends one of the longest and most celebrated relationships with the Socceroos to a close, with the 61-year-old having been involved in the national setup in some kind of playing or coaching capacity since 1985.
After coming perilously close to the sack just months prior when qualification looked like slipping away — Football Australia itself briefing against the coach after a loss to Japan in Sydney — Arnold led Australia to the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they pushed Argentina before being eliminated 2-1.
The 56-time Socceroo, who previously had an interim stint in charge of the side in 2006-2007, departs with the records for most games coached as well as won of the national side.
“Leading the Socceroos has been the pinnacle of my career and a true honour,” said Arnold. “I’m incredibly proud of our achievements — from breaking records to nurturing new talent and making history on the global stage. After careful consideration, I believe it’s time for fresh leadership to guide the team forward.
“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the players, my staff, Football Australia, and our passionate fans for their unwavering support. The Socceroos have a bright future ahead, and I’m confident they will continue to excel.
“I’ve given 40 years of service to Australian football, with the last six years in my role as Socceroos’ head coach.
“I said after our game against Indonesia that I had some decisions to make, and after deep reflection, my gut has told me it’s time for change, both for myself and the program.
“I’ve made the decision to resign based upon what’s best for the nation, the players and Football Australia. I’ve given absolutely everything I can to the role, and I am immensely proud of what has been achieved during my tenure.
“To witness the personal and football growth of this playing group, the identity and brotherhood which has been formed and now revered by others, and the way this team galvanised a country during its record-breaking feats in Qatar will forever be highlights.
“I would like to sincerely thank everyone, particularly the Australian football family, who has been part of this journey over the past six years and wish this incredible team and support staff nothing but success for this FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.”
