- The World Cup qualifying campaign has been disappointing
- Pressure continues to mount on Socceroos coach Graham Arnold
- Shocking defeat to Bahrain was followed by a tame draw against Indonesia
If the goalless Socceroos fail to beat China in their next World Cup qualifier, coach Graham Arnold could be sacked.
This is despite Football Australia CEO James Johnson openly expressing his support for Arnold on Friday.
The Socceroos are currently fifth in Group C after a shock 1-0 home defeat to Bahrain and a frustrating 0-0 away draw against Indonesia, which has only added to the pressure on the coach.
“It’s not where we want to be, of course,” Johnson told the Sydney Morning Herald.
‘We are disappointed with where we finished after the first two games, but we are certainly not panicking.
‘At this moment we need calm and composed leadership, asking the right questions and providing the right support to ensure Arnie and the team are ready for the upcoming match against China.
‘That match will of course be very important.’
Johnson added that the FA has ‘confidence’ in Arnold and expects the Socceroos manager ‘to be ‘Analyze where things went wrong and then come up with solutions.’
If the goal-starved Socceroos fail to beat China in their next World Cup qualifier on October 10, coach Graham Arnold could be shown the door
The Socceroos began their World Cup qualifying campaign with a shock 1-0 defeat to Bahrain, which was compounded by a frustrating 0-0 away draw against Indonesia (captain Mat Ryan is pictured)
Australia will face China in Adelaide on October 10, before playing Japan in Saitama five days later.
The Blue Samurai are flying in Group C and are unbeaten in their first two games, scoring 12 goals and conceding none.
The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, with a total of 48 participating countries.
Meanwhile, Football Australia is set to appoint an interim Matildas coach within the next seven to ten days to replace Tony Gustavsson.
Johnson confirmed the Matildas will play Chinese Taipei twice in December, both games in Victoria at AAMI Park and GMHBA Stadium in Geelong.
They are also scheduled to play Germany on October 29 in Duisburg.
