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Graham Arnold’s remarkable achievement at the World Cup has been rewarded with the coach re-signing until after the next tournament in north America and Mexico – but made it clear his ambitions are beyond results on the field.
Arnold, who survived calls for his resignation during the qualification campaign, including from high-profile former Socceroos, led the team to the round of 16 with wins over Tunisia and Denmark in the group stages before they were eliminated by eventual champions Argentina.
On confirming the appointment, Football Australia Chair Chris Nikou said in statement: “What Graham and the entire squad achieved under the most challenging of circumstances during the last FIFA World Cup campaign was exceptional, and we are delighted that we have secured his services for a further four years.
“Football Australia is ambitious, where we expect continued progress and results from our senior and youth national teams, and through our discussions with Graham over recent weeks, we know our thinking is aligned on the future direction of Australian football and the Socceroos.”
Arnold, who made a big deal of the ‘Aussie DNA’ during a a difficult qualification period said: “I love Australia and I love Australian football, and nothing in football can ever match the elation, pride and sense of achievement, I and the entire set-up felt in Qatar.
“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 football, where I want to deliver more smiles for our fans as we did in Qatar.
“I approach the next four years with a clean sheet, which is underpinned by a burning ambition to provide more opportunities to our leading emerging and established talent, whilst challenging for major titles starting with the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar next year.”
Arnold will also provide mentorship to the head coaches of Australia’s men’s youth national teams, support Chief Football Officer Ernie Merrick with talent identification and pathways, and work with Football Australia to ensure football – grassroots to the elite – has access to the best facilities and infrastructure – FA said in their statement.
(Photo by Youssef Loulidi/Fantasista/Getty Images,)
“I’m hugely passionate about our pathways and ensuring we are not only producing more elite talent through a connected pyramid, but making sure those footballers are getting the right opportunities to fulfil their dreams, whether it’s here in Australia or overseas,” Arnold said.
“I will be hands on with our men’s national youth team head coaches to support their own development and further strengthen our national team football philosophy.
“In addition to success on the field over the next four years, I want to help deliver results for football in the form of bespoke infrastructure for our game across Australia.
“Football is the world game, where for a country of 26 million people, we certainly overachieve based upon the funding and investment our game receives.
“For our sport not to have a National Home of Football, and for the Socceroos to not receive any high-performance funding is something I want to support Football Australia to resolve over the next four years.
“As we saw, a successful FIFA World Cup campaign unites and inspires all Australians like nothing else does, and it is in the national interest to support both our senior national football teams.”
The Socceroos are set to play several internationals this year before World Cup 2026 Asian Qualifiers resume in November.
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