Australia’s race against time to find Graham Arnold’s replacement for World Cup qualifiers
Football Australia rule out making an interim appointment despite having less than three weeks until matches against China and Japan
Football Australia face a race against time to install a new Socceroos coach following Graham Arnold’s resignation, with chief executive James Johnson confident a replacement can be found before October’s batch of World Cup qualifiers begin.
Johnson ruled out making an interim appointment on Friday despite having less than three weeks until the Australians are scheduled for back-to-back matches against China and Japan on October 10 and 15 respectively.
Arnold’s decision to quit came after his team picked up one point in their opening two matches in the third phase of qualifying for the 2026 finals earlier in September.
“We will look locally, but we also look globally,” Johnson said. “We know the market, and we know who’s in the market and who’s available and who isn’t available.
“That’s what good planning does, and that’s what good organisations with good football IP do. So I believe we’re in a position that when we need to move quick, we can, and I think we will.”
Tony Popovic, who led Western Sydney Wanderers to the Asian Champions League title in 2014, has emerged as an early favourite and is available having left Melbourne Victory in June.
