Soceroos coach Graham Arnold steps down as national coach

“I have served Australian football for 40 years, the last six years in my role as head coach of the Socceroos. I said after our game against Indonesia that I had some decisions to make and after some deep reflection my gut feeling told me it was time for a change, both for myself and for the program.

“I have made the decision to step down based on what is best for the nation, the players and Football Australia. I have given absolutely everything I can to this role and I am immensely proud of what has been achieved during my tenure.”

Arnold will go down as one of the most successful coaches in Australian history, having led the Socceroos to their best ever World Cup campaign at Qatar 2022, where they defeated Tunisia and Denmark before testing eventual champions Argentina in the round of 16.

The rest of his tenure was a struggle, however, as he twice failed to guide the Socceroos past the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup. The Qatar qualification process nearly saw him lose his job, with Australia only making it after Arnold’s bold move to deploy the unknown Andrew Redmayne as goalkeeper for their penalty shootout against Peru.

Although sources have said “alarm bells” were ringing at the FA after the previous international break, chief executive James Johnson publicly backed Arnold and refused to provide an answer when pressed by the masthead over whether he would survive if the Socceroos’ results continued to decline.

With their clash with China at Adelaide Oval less than three weeks away, the FA must act quickly. They have already begun the search for a full-time replacement for Tony Gustavsson as Matildas coach, and now need to find someone to take charge of the Socceroos.

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“The departure of Graham Arnold marks the end of an era for Australian football,” Johnson said.

“His contributions to the game and the Socceroos are there for all to see. Under Graham’s leadership we have achieved remarkable milestones that have elevated Australian football to the world stage. Graham’s passion and dedication have left an indelible mark on the team and Australian football.

“While we respect his decision and regret that Graham is leaving the national team, this scenario is not uncommon in international football. We will act swiftly in appointing a new head coach to ensure continuity and stability, especially as we approach the crucial second period of the AFC Asian Qualifiers next month.

“Our focus now shifts to finding the right candidate who can build on the foundations Graham leaves behind and confidently lead the team forward. Time is of the essence and we are fully committed to making the transition as smooth as possible to keep the Socceroos on track for continued success.”

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