Socceroos head coach and Australian cult hero Graham Arnold was on Monday confirmed to continue on with the Australian national side, with a four-year deal announced by Football Australia.
Arnold was a wanted man around Europe and the Middle East after leading the Socceroos to the most successful World Cup campaign in history.
Although it was a tough path to qualify and eventually succeed at the World Cup, Arnold admitted his love and passion to build the Socceroos’ future was the main driving factor in his re-signing.
“I just love them, every time I put the Socceroos shirt on or when I’m around the Socceroos, I bleed green and gold,” Arnold said at a press conference.
“It’s just always been a special time in my life, whenever you’re in the Socceroos culture (and) you’re in with the Socceroos it’s always a special moment.
“It’s been a tough road at times, but I have so much belief in the group of players and the great staff that I’ve got, this is just the start, the last was obviously in Qatar, (it) was a fantastic achievement, but there’s plenty more to come and I truly believe that.”
Arnold noted that he knocked back significant interest from across the globe as he continues on his mission to build a foundation for the Socceroos’ future.
“I had interest from overseas, but I want to help Australia and help Australian kids, as I said to JJ (FA CEO James Johnson) in Qatar in that if I did consider to stay and I want to stay, it’s not just about the Socceroos, I want to help the kids and pathways,” Arnold said.
“I want to help get the Socceroos a home, it’s crazy to think the Socceroos don’t get any high-performance funding from the government, the Socceroos don’t have a home.
“There’s no home of football, how can you have a football culture if you don’t have a home?
“Again, it wasn’t a matter of just signing with the Socceroos… yes, I looked at other clubs I could have gone to in Europe, (I) had a couple offers from middle eastern nations, but at the end of the day I want to help Australia.
“Probably what inspired me the most was seeing those fan sites, seeing how the Socceroos re-united the nation and seeing how many people love Australian football, just to see that was something again that has driven me even more to help the game as much as I can.”
Arnold will stay on as Socceroos coach for the next four years in a cycle that includes an Asian Cup and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.