Football Australia announce Graham Arnold will coach the Socceroos to the 2026 World Cup
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Football Australia announce Graham Arnold will coach the Socceroos for the 2026 World Cup after his incredible run in Qatar, so why did it take so long to make the obvious decision?
FIFA World Cup hero Graham Arnold will continue as Socceroos manager after leading the Australians out of the group stage for the second time in the country’s history.
The underdog Socceroos were Qatar’s World Cup toast after becoming the last team to qualify for the tournament with a last-gasp penalty shootout against Peru.
Expected to be fodder for the bigger teams, Arnold instilled Australian DNA into his young group to shock the world and reach a round of 16 showdown with Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
Arnold has finally re-signed with Football Australia after a long delay following his World Cup exploits guiding the Socceroos out of the group stage in Qatar.
Despite his heroism, Football Australia baffled fans and pundits by delaying a decision to extend his contract.
Football Australia chose to review the World Cup qualifying campaign and the tournament itself before making a final decision.
It left many fans scratching their heads, given that it was Australia’s best performance at a World Cup without superstars like Harry Kewell or Tim Cahill in the ranks.
Arnold became a fan favorite and cult hero in Qatar after leading a Socceroos team many considered the worst of all time to their best World Cup result.
Arnold himself admitted at the time that he needed a break after the long road to Qatar.
“I just want to go away, have a good vacation, rest and see what happens,” Arnold said after the Argentina game.
‘I haven’t even thought about it (my future). I need to rest and I will certainly have good talks with the organization.’
However, after Arnold had time to vacation and recharge after the arduous qualifying process and the World Cup itself, the governing body announced on Monday that Arnold will be in charge of the Socceroos until the 2026 World Cup.
“I love Australia and I love Australian rules football and nothing in football can match the exhilaration, pride and sense of accomplishment that I and the whole team feel in Qatar,” Arnold said.
‘The hunger to continue in the role has never been stronger and I know I have more to give to the Socceroos program and Australian Rules Rules where I want to bring more smiles to our fans like we did in Qatar.
“I approach the next four years with a clean sheet, backed by a burning ambition to provide more opportunities for our top emerging and established talents, as I battle for major titles, starting with the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar next year. year;
Australia defeated Tunisia and Denmark to secure their best World Cup finish after narrowly qualifying for the tournament under coach Arnold.
“What Graham and the entire team achieved under the most challenging circumstances during the last FIFA World Cup campaign was exceptional, and we are delighted to have secured their services for another four years,” said Football Australia Chairman Chris Nikou.
“Football Australia is ambitious, where we expect continued progress and results from our senior and junior national teams, and through our discussions with Graham over the past few weeks, we know our thinking is aligned with the future direction of Australian rules football and the Subway Socceroos. “.
Work will begin immediately, with Arnold outlining a number of changes to improve Australian rules football.
He has called for more government funding for youth development, a dedicated Socceroos headquarters in Australia and improvements to the A-League to continue the World Cup momentum.
As a footballer, Arnold made 56 appearances for the Socceroos (1985 – 1997) and has played a prominent role for Australia’s senior and junior men’s national teams during two separate spells since 2000.
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