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Australia kickstart their adventure in Qatar on November 20 when they face France and while the focus of head coach Graham Arnold remains on the Socceroos, it could have been a different story had he not rejected some lucrative offers.
It has been a turbulent time for Arnold in the Australian national team setup when the team had to take the lottery route of the playoffs to book their place in the footballing extravaganza. It could have been a different story had the head coach left them for a stint in Major League Soccer.
His contract ends at the culmination of the competition and it looks certain that it will not be extended by Football Australia, who will seek other options following the World Cup.
The Australian head coach has no qualms about it and holds no regrets. Talking about his future, he revealed he was approached to run an MLS club in the USA as recently as July but decided against it.
Arnold wanted to be at the helm of Australia’s adventures in Qatar and did not think twice about the question.
The former Sydney United player and later manager shared his belief that nothing trumps his desire for success with the national team and it was an easy decision for him.
Photo by Icon Sport
‘I got an offer to go to the MLS,’ Arnold was quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald. ‘If this was any other job, I would’ve walked away two years ago. I just can’t. It’s my country.’
Options galore for Arnold
Arnold will get back in the unemployment line at the end of the World Cup campaign. His contract with football Australia expires then and he will then look at his future options.
As a player, he had a checkered career with Sydney United in Australia, while also enjoying success with Roda JC, Standard Liege and NAC Breda. After hanging up his boots in 2000, he made the seamless transition to coaching.
Life in the dugout has been fruitful for him, winning the A-League title with Central Coast Mariners and Sydney FC. However, his stint abroad wasn’t quite as successful.
Fresh from his heroics with the Mariners, he took charge of the Japanese side Vegalta Sendai in 2014. It was a short association as he was sacked after only eight games.
The 2️⃣6️⃣ players heading to our sixth @FIFAWorldCup 🫡✈️
#GiveIt100 #Socceroos pic.twitter.com/7G6A6KbEpk— Socceroos (@Socceroos) November 8, 2022
Arnold will be more selective in his next move. The time in Japan would have surely left some scars and his time with the national team has been full of butting heads.
He has a very simple criterion set and one that should be easy to fulfil. The Sydney native wants to be around friends where he can enjoy the lifestyle.
‘I (also) like to go out and have a beer and catch up with mates, so lifestyle is important,’ Arnold commented.
Based on his statements, it is a strong message for A-League owners that he will be available soon. Everyone has failed to challenge Melbourne City’s dominance in Australian top-flight football and probably his appointment will be the catalyst.
However, the 59-year-old’s MLS dream cannot be ruled out as well. The competition will expand to 29 teams in 2023 and franchises will be on the lookout for head coaches to usher them in the new era.
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