Asian Cup: Arnold to face an old friend in Syria game

When the Socceroos play Syria at the Asian Cup, a longstanding friendship will be in the global spotlight.

Coach Bernd Stange puts the Syrian players through their paces

When the Socceroos renew their rivalry with Syria at the Asian Cup, a longstanding friendship that grew out of the dying days of the National Soccer League will be in the global spotlight.

Syria are coached by Bernd Stange, a football journeyman who counts Socceroos boss Graham Arnold as a friend.

It’s a relationship that had its infancy when Stange was in charge of Perth Glory and Arnold was coaching Sydney’s Northern Spirit in the NSL. Stange left his mark during his time at Perth, almost winning a title for the Glory in 2000 before his departure at the end of the 2001 season. The German coach and his Australian mate have remained close despite Stange taking on controversial managerial posts with Iraq and now Syria while Arnold made his name at domestic level.

For the 70-year-old Stange, the Asian Cup could provide a last chance for glory.

Stange took charge of Syria from early 2018 to prepare them for the tournament under conditions that were far from ideal: there are no home games in Syria and most players earn their money abroad.

With an average age of 27, the team is one of the oldest in the competition and seeks to survive the group phase for the first time in their history. “It’s our goal to achieve that, and then sporting luck is in the hands of God,” Stange said.

After they play Jordan, Syria conclude their Group B assignments against the Socceroos in Al Ain on January 15.

In 1983, aged just 35, Stange was named East Germany coach for a six-year stint during which he had connections to the Ministry of State Security (Stasi). The revelations came out through the Stern magazine in 1995, when Stange was working with Hertha Berlin.

Jobs abroad followed: Ukraine, Australia, Oman, Cyprus, Singapore and Belarus while Stange was criticised for his involvement as coach of Saddam Hussein’s Iraq 2002-2004.

But FIFA gave him an award for having succeeded in “reviving Iraq’s football” despite the ongoing war. Stange has also faced questions over and over again for his work in Syria.

Stange said he has spent most of his time in office in Syria working to give people in the country a little joy again through football. “I believe we should bring back a smile to Syrian people who have suffered for such a long time,” he told the BBC. “They love football.”

DPA