Published Date: 2025-05-08 16:37:37 Updated At: 2025-05-13 17:44:31

The Iraqi Football Association has officially announced the appointment of Australian coach Graham Arnold as the new head coach of the Iraq national team for the upcoming period. This decision comes after a series of negotiations and consultations with several coaches, and the Iraqi Football Association ultimately chose Arnold to lead the Lions of Mesopotamia in the next phase.

In a press statement, Ahmed Al-Moussawi, the Director of the Media Center at the Iraqi Football Association and a member of the council, confirmed that the Australian coach will arrive in Baghdad on Friday to complete all the official procedures related to his appointment as head coach of the Iraq national team. Arnold is expected to begin his duties with the team immediately upon his arrival, overseeing training and preparations for upcoming matches in both continental and international qualifiers.

The appointment of Arnold follows a period of change within the Iraq national team, as the Iraqi Football Association previously announced the departure of Spanish coach Jesus Casas, who failed to achieve positive results with the team in recent times. One of the most notable negative results under Casas was the defeat to Palestine in the last World Cup qualifiers, which led the Iraqi Football Association to make the decision to terminate his contract. Since that defeat, the association has been searching for a new coach capable of rebuilding the team and achieving satisfactory results in upcoming competitions.

There were many speculations about potential candidates to replace Casas as the head coach of the Iraq national team. Among the widely discussed names was Argentine coach Hector Cuper, who had previously coached Egypt from 2015 to 2018. Cuper led Egypt to the final of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations and was close to qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Despite reports suggesting that Iraq was in talks with Cuper, the negotiations did not result in a formal agreement. A source close to the Argentine coach confirmed that there had been informal communication with Cuper last month, but the matter did not progress to an official offer, leading the Iraqi Football Association to continue its search for another coach until they reached an agreement with Graham Arnold.

Graham Arnold is a coach with significant international experience. He has previously led the Australia national team during several periods and achieved numerous successes, including qualification for the last World Cup. Arnold also has extensive experience in Asian tournaments, making him the ideal choice to lead the Iraq national team in the coming period.

Arnold is expected to be tasked with rebuilding the team and improving their technical and physical performance in order to restore the Iraq national team's status on the continental and international stages. He will focus on developing relationships with the players and utilizing their skills more effectively, as well as emphasizing tactical aspects that can help the team improve their results in qualifiers and upcoming tournaments.

The Iraqi public has welcomed Arnold's appointment, hoping that the Australian coach will bring the team back to the Asian and global spotlight after a period of decline in performance. He is expected to face significant challenges, both on the technical front and in terms of administrative work with the Iraqi Football Association.

There are also off-field challenges that Arnold may face, particularly regarding the development of the Iraq national team's infrastructure and providing a suitable environment for the players, as well as implementing clear plans to nurture young talent in Iraq and enhance public support for the national team.

In conclusion, the Iraqi Football Association and the Iraqi fans hope that Graham Arnold’s appointment will mark a new beginning for the national team in its quest for success in upcoming tournaments. Achieving this will require a lot of work and coordination between all parties involved, but the hope for the team’s return to the right path remains strong, especially with a coach who brings extensive experience and a clear strategic vision.