Former Socceroos striker Archie Thompson believes the time has come for Football Federation Australia [FFA] to make a quick decision on who will the coach the team at the World Cup.
Media reports suggesting current Sydney FC mentor Graham Arnold has been offered the coaching role, provided he signed immediately, something which he has denied.
The 54-cap Socceroo said the players would be feeling uncertain about who would be taking over from Ange Postecoglou and would want an answer for their own peace of mind.
“We need a coach and we need to get it sorted right now,” Thompson told SEN Drive.
“We are only 6-8 months away from the World Cup, and I’m sure the players would want to know which coach will be there? Who do I need to impress?
“At the moment we are in the air with everything in football land.”
If appointed, it would be Arnold’s second stint in charge, having taken over from Guus Hiddink after the 2006 World Cup, before leading the team to the 2007 Asian Cup quarter finals.
Thompson felt Arnold was not ready for the role at that time, but his illustrious A-League achievements have proven his worth.
“I know Arnie came into that position just after Hiddink. I don’t think he was ready for it,” he said.
“When you go from the assistant role into the boss job you’ve got to turn the way you speak to players, or the way you act around certain players and have more authority.
“I think everyone was used to seeing him as that assistant coach, I don’t think they really [the players] respected him enough to be in that position when you look at who was in that team at the time.
“I think he’s gone on now, he’s done some amazing things in the A-League. He’s turned Sydney FC around with what he’s done there. When he was at Central Coast he took them to a Championship.”
The Socceroos will face France, Peru and Denmark in next year’s showcase in Russia.
To listen to Archie Thompson's chat with Matt Granland and Cameron Mooney click on the player below