Ex-Socceroos boss Frank Farina urges Football Australia to keep faith in Graham Arnold

Graham Arnold’s future as Socceroos coach is in doubt following another loss, but he has the backing of former national team boss Frank Farina.

Socceroos coach Graham Arnold is under pressure to keep his job. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Former national coach Frank Farina says embattled Socceroos boss Graham Arnold deserves the chance to “see it through” by remaining in charge of Australia for June’s sudden-death World Cup playoffs.

Arnold’s job is on the line following the Socceroos’ failure to earn direct qualification to this year’s World Cup.

Australia’s 1-0 loss to the already-qualified Saudi Arabia on Wednesday morning continued the Socceroos’ recent poor run, which now stands at just one win from their past seven matches.

It has led to calls for Arnold’s sacking before the playoffs.

Football Australia refused to comment on the future of Arnold – who is contracted until the end of the year – after the loss to Saudi Arabia.

It was a continuation of FA’s failure to publicly back Arnold since Australia’s 2-0 loss to Japan last Thursday night.

The defeat ended hopes of Australia qualifying directly for the World Cup, sending the Socceroos to do-or-die playoffs in Qatar in June.

The Socceroos meet fellow Asian Football Confederation nation UAE, with the winner to take on Peru, who finished fifth in the South American qualifying campaign for a place at the World Cup.

Arnold is supposed to attend this week’s World Cup draw in Doha, but is understood to want assurances from FA he will still be in charge of the Socceroos come the playoffs before attending.

Graham Arnold (left) and Frank Farina talk tactics in 2004. Picture: AAP Image/Tom Miletic

Farina, who was replaced as Socceroos coach in 2005 by Dutch great Guus Hiddink because of fears he couldn’t guide Australia to the 2006 World Cup, hoped FA would persist with Arnold,

“They might talk about leaving no stone unturned in trying to get to the World Cup, but I would stay with him,” Farina said.

“He started the course. He’s got two games left to get there. They can win or lose on both fronts, because they might change the coach and still not qualify.

“Ultimately, he was appointed for this period of time (until the end of the year), so let him see it through.

“He was appointed in good faith thinking he was going to be the one to take the Socceroos to the World Cup, and it’s not the end of the campaign. The campaign’s still alive.

“We’ve just had a stumble.”

Farina said he wasn’t bitter about losing his job to Hiddink because “the gamble paid off”, with the Socceroos qualifying for their first World Cup since 1974.

In Hiddink’s favour was the “Golden Generation” he had at his disposal, compared to the lesser quality players available to Arnold.

Arnold’s supporters often say he should not be blamed for the current team’s performances, but it’s instead FA’s fault for failing to develop top-class players over several years.

“I read the best analogy that somebody put out this week,” Farina said.

“It was about a Year 12 student doing a literacy test and failing. Do you blame the teacher who’s in charge of them in Year 12, or do you blame the previous 11 years of education?”

Originally published as Ex-Socceroos boss Frank Farina urges Football Australia to keep faith in Graham Arnold