Iraq confirm appointment of former Socceroos boss Arnold
Arnold's appointment was announced on social media on Friday by the Iraq Football Association, which published photographs of the 61-year-old being welcomed in Baghdad by officials from the national body.
"We are delighted to announce Graham Arnold as the new head coach of the Iraq national team," the federation said in a post on Instagram.
"Welcome to the Lions of Mesopotamia!"
Arnold replaces Jesus Casas at the helm after the Spaniard's departure in the wake of a 2-1 loss to Palestine in March during the third round of Asia's qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
That result left the Iraqis in third place in the standings in Group B, four points adrift of leaders South Korea and one behind the Jordanians.
The first two finishers in each of Asia's three qualifying groups advance automatically for the World Cup while the teams in third and fourth progress to another round of preliminaries.
Arnold's first game in charge will be in Basra on June 5 against the Koreans before he takes his new team to Amman to face Jordan five days later. Iraq are attempting to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1986.
The appointment sees Arnold return to international management more than seven months after standing down as Australia head coach.
Arnold, who led the Australians to the knockout rounds of the 2022 World Cup during a six-year spell in charge, quit after an uninspired start to the current phase of qualifying when his side lost to Bahrain and drew with Indonesia in September.
He was replaced by Tony Popovic, the former Western Sydney Wanderers coach who has taken the Socceroos to second place in Group C of Asia's qualifiers ahead of games against Japan and Saudi Arabia in June. - Reuters
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Second, the domestic league must be restructured with clear professional standards, better marketing, and financial incentives to attract and retain talent. Clubs should be encouraged to build academies and invest in youth development. Third, a transparent, depoliticized governance model is essential. Only with accountability, continuity, and expert leadership can Malaysian hockey create and execute a long-term vision. Finally, the national team needs a reset with an emphasis on youth, modern playing styles, inclusivity and sustained overseas exposure. Once a proud hockey nation, Malaysia still holds a place in the sport's history books. With bold reforms, patience, and national unity, there remains a chance to script a new chapter that one that brings Malaysian hockey back from the brink. ‒ Aug 21, 2025 R Paneir Selvam is the principal consultant of Arunachala Research & Consultancy Sdn Bhd, a think tank specialising in strategic national and geopolitical matters. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia. Main image: Malaysian Hockey Confederation
