Graham Arnold
Website Graham Arnold

Graham Arnold

Head Coach Socceroos

Graham Arnold is the current Head Coach of the Socceroos and a legend of the game. 

Graham represented Australia’s senior national team 56 times, scoring 19 goals (85 caps, 33 goals including unofficial matches and ‘B’ internationals). He was given his full debut by Frank Arok in a World Cup Qualifier against Taiwan at Adelaide’s Hindmarsh Stadium on October 23, 1985. He scored on his debut as the ‘Socceroos’ went on to record a 7-0 victory. His international playing career came to a sad end on November 29, 1997 in a World Cup Qualifier against Iran at the M.C.G., where the score ended 2-2 and Australia was cruelly knocked out on the away goals rule after leading 2-0 for most of the match.

Graham was appointed to work as an assistant coach of the Australian national football team in 2000. After head coach Frank Farina departed the role in 2005, Graham worked with Guus Hiddink for the 2006 FIFA World Cup campaign, in which they made the second round of the finals. After Hiddink left, he became interim coach of the Socceroos. Graham went on to Qualify the U23s for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He then went on to assist Pim Verbeek for qualification of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Graham went on take the manager role at A-League club the Central Coast Mariners between 2010 and 2013, where he guided the club to two premierships and a championship. He is a member of the Football Federation Australian Football Hall of Fame. Graham went on to win two premierships, one championship and an FFA Cup with Sydney FC. In August 2018, he was appointed head coach of the Socceroos.

 

 

Graham holds a number of A-League records: he has managed the second most games of any manager in the A-League (205), he has achieved the second most wins in the competition's history (111), he has the best career winning percentage of any A-League manager (54.2%), he has the best career unbeaten percentage of any A-League manager (81.5%), and he is one of just three managers to have won multiple A-League championships.  In 2018 he replaced Bert van Marwijk as Australian coach after the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Graham is a regular on Fox Sports Football as well as 2SM radio and is continually called upon by the press for analytical quotes. With his unique tactical knowledge into motivating his players to qualify and perform on the world stage, he is fast becoming a sought-after man on the speaking circuit.


 

Scroll to Top