Graham Arnold becomes highest paid Socceroos coach in history
Ray Gatt12:00AM March 9, 2018
When Graham Arnold was dumped after the failed 2007 Asian Cup campaign, few expected to see him back at the helm of the Socceroos.
Despite rediscovering himself as one of the most successful coaches in A-League history, Arnold has had to carry the scars for almost 11 years.
But now it is time for redemption after the worst-kept secret in the game was finally revealed yesterday with his appointment as national team coach. The Sydney FC boss will replace Bert van Marwijk after Australia complete their campaign at the World Cup finals in Russia in June.
Arnold, 54, will become the highest-paid Socceroos coach in history, signing a base salary believed to be worth around $1.4 million plus various bonuses around the Asian Cup and qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
Dutchman Guus Hiddink was reportedly paid a base salary of $800,000 when he had the reins in 2006, but received a $1m bonus for qualifying for the World Cup in Germany and another $1m for getting into the round of 16.
The Australian can reveal Arnold’s deal was only finalised after weeks of negotiations over conditions in the contract revolving around Australia’s defence of the Asian Cup next January.
Still, money was never the driver for Arnold, who is delighted to get a second chance at a job he never gave up hope of returning to one day.
“I feel like I have come home,” Arnold, flanked by Football Federation Australia chairman Steven Lowy and chief executive David Gallop, said yesterday.
“I am very honoured to be sitting here. I am a very proud Australian, not only very passionate about my country but also about football.
“It is going to be a tough job, I know that, but I have a great belief, and I have trust in the people around me that we will do a great job.”
This will be Arnold’s second stint as national boss after he replaced Hiddink following the World Cup in Germany. He took charge for the Asian Cup, but the Socceroos were eliminated after losing in a quarter-final to Japan in a penalty shootout. Australia played most of the game with 10 men after Vinnie Grella was sent off.
He went on to coach the Olyroos and serve as one of the Socceroos’ assistant coaches under Pim Verbeek for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa before joining A-League club Central Coast Mariners not long after.
While acknowledging it was a tough period for him following the Asian Cup failure, Arnold said he has grown as a coach in the decade since then. Certainly, as a club coach he has had remarkable success, leading the Mariners to their first A-League title in 2013 then coaching Sydney FC to the Premiers Plate-Championship double last season.
“You learn from your mistakes and obviously I’ve made plenty, but I am a person who learns. My strengths are my man-management skills and attention to detail,” Arnold said when The Australian asked what he brought to the table the second time around.
“I am a completely different person to what I was 10 years ago. I have good mentors around me who give me a lot of belief and support.”
Arnold said it wasn’t the right time to ask about the playing style he would adopt with the Socceroos, suggesting it would be disrespectful to current coach van Marwijk.
“Now is not the right time,” he said.
“I hope people have respect for that. I don’t want to talk about things like that when it is Bert in charge. He needs to sort out what he needs to.
“He has a short time to get it done. I will have a conversation with him after the World Cup and after my commitments are finished with Sydney FC.”
Arnold, who still had one more year on his contract with the club, said he spoke with the Sydney players this morning and has no doubts his decision won’t impact on them for the rest of the season.
The Sky Blues are top of the table, eight points clear of Newcastle with five rounds left and are on course to become the first club in A-League history to claim successive Premiers Plates.
“I want to say I am 100 per cent committed to Sydney FC for the rest of the season. I thank the club for allowing me to take up this great opportunity,” he said. “As for the players, there won’t be any impact. They are very committed to each other and you will see we will have a great end (to the season) by winning silverware.
“They will be using this as motivation to make sure to not only they send me off as a winner, but to do the same for those players who will likely leave at the end of the season.”