Former Subway Socceroos boss Graham Arnold fronted the media for the first time since his appointment as Iraq head coach.
Arnold is back coaching after leaving the Socceroos in September, with the two-time Isuzu UTE A-League champion taking charge of AFC rivals and world number 59 Iraq.
With former Newcastle Jets head coach Rob Stanton part of his coaching staff, the A-Leagues great will team up with Western United’s Charbel Shamoon and Western Sydney Wanderers’ Mo Al-Taay after the duo were involved in the March international window.
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Arnold, who guided Australia to the last 16 of the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup, has been brought in to rescue Iraq’s stuttering qualification campaign – the nation are third in Group B ahead of two big fixtures against leaders South Korea and second-placed Jordan in June.
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“It is obviously a wonderful opportunity and the only thing I am here for is I want to make Iraq proud and make the fans proud,” the 61-year-old said in his introductory press conference.
“I truly believe in what President Adnan is doing to junior football in Iraq which is growing. Iraq keep getting stronger at junior level and this is a big positive for the senior team.
“What is important is we all believe we can win the next two games, that is my first objective for the nation of Iraq.”
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Iraq are third in the standings, a point behind Jordan through eight games and four points adrift of South Korea – who are both already assured of advancing to the fourth round on the road to next year’s World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Former Sydney FC and Central Coast Mariners boss Arnold added: “That’s my goal (to reach the World Cup). That’s what I want to do.
“I haven’t come here to not be successful, and everyone in this room has to believe that. We can do it.”
Shamoon made his international debut for Iraq in March but it was a difficult window for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup champions.
After scoring two stoppage-time goals, including a 101st-minute equaliser to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to Kuwait, Iraq suffered a last-gasp loss away to Palestine.
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“I haven’t only watched the last two games, I have followed the national team’s whole campaign so far,” Arnold said. “But I would rather not talk so much about the past, it is now about the future.
“The future is the passion I have for this job and the positivity that the players need to have because we have an opportunity to qualify for the World Cup, so let’s forget what has happened in the past.”
Arnold continued: “I’ve had quite a bit of time to study and look at things. I am very passionate and I have very good staff that already have all the details on the team.
“My staff have the same passion that I have and they have a lot of experience. For me, it’s all about meeting the players and being a father figure to them. I’m here to help them, not to be their boss. I am here to help them fulfil the dream of this nation.”
Featured image: Iraq National Team
