Graham Arnold has re-signed as Socceroos coach for the next four years.
Football Australia announced Arnold’s new deal on Monday after reports emerged that he'd remain in the job over the weekend.
After winning two games and taking Australia to the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 in Qatar, Arnold was always destined to continue as manager if he so desired and he’s now agreed to terms.
Now tied to the national team until the end of a potential 2026 World Cup campaign, football expert Andy Harper described Arnold’s new deal as a “remarkable turnaround” after it looked like his days in the role were numbered as late as last June.
“I’d even draw it beyond March and go into June (where it looked untenable),” Harper told SEN Mornings.
“The ship quite definitely turned around in those playoff matches against UAE and Peru.
“Then the World Cup told its own story with a mini-revival there because they were on the canvass after that France game.
“In those two moments around the knockout matches to qualify and turning it around after the France game, it’s been a remarkable turnaround.
“He’ll be reinstalled as Socceroos coach.”
After exceeding all expectations in Qatar and etching his name into history in charge of Australia’s best-ever World Cup campaign, Harper is “nervous” for Arnold as he now has high expectations to live up to as he risks dampening his legacy.
“It’s his to lose, I’m nervous for him now … that’s not to say it’s not deserved,” Harper said.
“But I’m nervous for Graham Arnold now having done what he’s done, his place in the legend and in the folklore would be in concrete, in bronze.
“Now that’s all on the line again, he’ll say, ‘I’m not here for legacy, I want to keep coaching the team’, and that’s fair enough.
“But it can be a pretty polarised world as a Socceroos coach, and it seems that’s all going to be put on the line again.”
Football Australia refused to approach potential candidates until they had an answer from Arnold.
Arnold’s next task in charge of the side is the Asian Cup which takes place in Qatar in June.