Socceroos: Aloisi, Popovic, Muscat among contenders to replace Graham Arnold as Australia coach
Graham Arnold’s tenure as coach of the Socceroos is over and Football Australia are not wasting any time finding a replacement with an announcement expected within the next few weeks. Here are the frontrunners.
A global search for the Socceroos’ next head coach has been downplayed by Football Australia boss James Johnson with the body likely to give homegrown talent the chance to follow in the footsteps of Ange Postecoglou and Graham Arnold.
With the Socceroos due to play a must win World Cup qualifier against China in just 20 days time Johnson said there was no time for an interim coach or worldwide search.
Johnson hinted that a domestic coach is likely to get the call up and that an announcement could be made within a week or two.
“Ultimately we need a coach that can come in, get the best out of an Australian group of players and take our great players through a complicated Asian qualifying process,” Johnson said.
Here are the six frontrunners to be the next head coach of the Socceroos.
Kevin Muscat
Former Socceroo Kevin Muscat has celebrated many victories as a coach - first in his time with Melbourne Victory in the A-League and now in the Chinese Super League.
Muscat won two championships, a premiership and an Australia Cup with Victory.
He then succeeded Ange Postecoglou at J1 club F.Marinos and helped them lift the trophy. Muscat is now coaching Chinese Super League club Shanghai Port who are on top of the table having lost just one game - scoring an incredible 83 goals so far.
While contracted for another season with Shanghai Port he would be the first coach to leave a domestic team mid-contract to take up an offer to coach a national team.
Tony Popovic
After a stint at Perth Glory - Tony Popovic made the move to Melbourne Victory in one of the most valuable coaching contracts ever signed in A-Leagues history. Popovic coached Victory to last season’s grand final - which they lost to Central Coast Mariners. His contract was not renewed and he is currently a free agent. He has a good understanding of the Australian players.
John Aloisi
A fan favourite remembered for his match winning penalty against Uruguay qualifying Australia for its first World Cup appearance in 32 years. Aloisi has had a solid run as a coach. Aloisi joined Brisbane Roar in 2015 coaching them to consecutive semi-final berths. He is currently at Western United - he coached the side to the title in 2022.
Peter Cklamovski
Ange Postecoglou’s former right hand man - Cklamovski is no stranger to working with the Australian national team after serving as the assistant coach for four years prior to Arnold’s appointment.
He is currently coaching FC Tokyo in the Japanese League.
Nick Montgomery
After a successful playing career Montgomery honed his coaching skills in the A-League with Central Coast Mariners.
He took the team to its first Australia Cup Final and an A-League title in 2022.
Montgomery served as the head coach at Hibernian FC before being plucked by Postecoglou to join his coaching staff at Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League.
Herve Renard
Herve Renard finished up his role with the French women’s national team after the Olympics. A very experienced coach who has worked with several national teams.
He coached Morocco to their first World Cup in 20 years back in 2018.
At the 2022 World Cup he was in charge of the Saudi Arabia side that pulled off the shock defeat against eventual champions Argentina.
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