Following a series of poor results in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, Graham Arnold has resigned as Australian coach. “It was the culmination of my career, a great honour for me.”
Graham Arnold has resigned as Australia’s soccer coach, after stepping down following poor results in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, the Australian Football Association (FA) confirmed on Friday.
Arnold, 61, who had already been interim coach of the national team in 2006 and 2007, had held the post since August 2018, after having elevated Australia to one of the powers of the Asian Confederation – in which it competes – and reaching the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The FA accepted the coach’s resignation after the home defeat to Bahrain (1-0) and the draw in Indonesia (0-0), which left the ‘footballers’ fifth in the group, and is trying to find a replacement as quickly as possible.
“Managing football clubs has been the culmination of my career and a real honour. “I am extremely proud of our achievements, from breaking records to cultivating new talent and making global history,” said Graham Arnold.
The coach adds that, “After careful consideration,” he concluded that it was time to find a new leader to guide the team into the future.
“The players have a bright future ahead of them and I am sure they will continue to excel,” said Graham Arnold, who explained that after the match with Indonesia he had already announced that he would make decisions and that his instincts would help him. He said that “it was time for a change.”
FA chief executive James Johnson said the organisation is already looking for a manager who is aligned with its vision for the team and can seamlessly integrate into the team’s identity.
“As crucial qualifying matches for the 2026 World Cup approach [frente à China e ao Japão]“It is crucial that we identify the right candidate to lead our talented team now and in the future,” he said.
Source: Observadora
