Latest news with #GrahamArnold
Shafaq News
a day ago
- Sport
- Shafaq News
Iraq readies for crucial World Cup qualifier
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Iraq's national football team held its sixth training session at Basra International Stadium as part of its preparation for the upcoming World Cup qualifier against South Korea. The match, part of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is scheduled for June 5 in Basra. Iraq currently sits third in Group B, one point behind Jordan and three behind leaders South Korea. Speaking at a press conference, midfielder Youssef Al-Amin described the team's preparations as highly encouraging, crediting new head coach Graham Arnold and his technical staff for building strong momentum. He also stressed that the team's full focus remains on overcoming South Korea, pledging to deliver a result for the fans. The South Korea match will be followed by a decisive home fixture against Jordan—two games that are expected to determine Iraq's path to the 2026 World Cup in North America, where the top two teams in the group qualify directly and the third advances to the intercontinental playoffs.
Iraqi News
3 days ago
- Sport
- Iraqi News
Iraq intensify World Cup qualifier preparations under Arnold
Basra ( – The Iraqi national football team, under new head coach Graham Arnold, is undergoing strict and intensive training in Basra as they gear up for two make-or-break 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. IFA member Ghalib Al-Zamili confirmed Arnold's focused approach on Friday (May 30, 2025). With 27 players currently in camp at Basra Sports City, Arnold is emphasizing optimal preparation and eliminating errors, expressing satisfaction with player morale and the training facilities. A crucial competitive training match is scheduled for tonight (Friday, 7:30 PM) at the main stadium, after which Arnold will finalize his squad, cutting at least four players. The Lions of Mesopotamia face South Korea in Basra on June 5th, followed by an away clash with Jordan on June 10th. Currently third in their qualifying group, Iraq critically needs to secure all six points from these final two encounters to guarantee direct qualification for the World Cup. Arnold has stressed the importance of mental focus for these high-stakes games as Iraq aims to book its ticket to the global showpiece.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Revealed: The big problem with the A-League grand final that NOBODY is talking about
On Saturday, Melbourne City will tackle arch rivals Melbourne Victory in the A-League men's Grand Final at AAMI Park - but ask the average Aussie sports fan and odds are they'll have no idea it's even on. For decades, football has been a sleeping giant in Australia. When the Matildas reached the semi-finals of a World Cup - the nation got behind them with gusto back in 2023. The likes of Mackenzie Arnold and Cortnee Vine joined Sam Kerr and Mary Fowler as household names, with countless sports fans of all ages swept up by Matildas mania. Same goes for the Socceroos, who qualified for the round of 16 against all odds at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Graham Arnold's men were eliminated after losing to eventual winners Argentina - and won plenty of admirers for holding their own against the might of Lionel Messi on the sport's greatest stage. The incredible fan scenes at Federation Square in Melbourne and Darling Harbour in Sydney told the story - surely the code would now finally be woken from its slumber? In short, it hasn't happened, because when it comes to the domestic competition, the A-League has faded into obscurity. Poor social media engagement and televising the majority of A-League fixtures via embattled streaming service Paramount hasn't helped. A lack of star quality in terms of decorated international names gracing team sheets has also been an issue. Examine the A-League's official account on X and you'll soon get an idea of the scope of the problem. Many of their posts only attract a handful of comments and shares, with the big announcement of the squads for the grand final getting one comment and three likes despite being up for four hours at the time of writing. The league's presence on Instagram isn't much better. Despite the fact the grand final has no competition from the AFL in Melbourne on Saturday, the buzz around what should be the season's showpiece event has been next to non-existent if you're not a committed supporter already. Thankfully for soccer fans, Saturday night serves as an opportunity to show why the code shouldn't be permanently viewed as AFL's poor cousin in Melbourne. An A-League spokesperson confirmed the Grand Final is a sell-out, with all remaining tickets snapped up on Tuesday. Two Melbourne teams chasing bragging rights and silverware in a decider is also an A-League first, dating back to 2005. 'We are the only sport in town,' the A-League spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. 'No AFL, NRL or even netball is being played (in Melbourne), so we are excited (to be in the spotlight). 'The capacity at AAMI Park is just over 30,000, and we have sold all tickets. 'Fans can enjoy the spectacle, and also see Socceroos such as Nishan Velupillay, Marco Tilio, Mat Leckie, Aziz Behich and Daniel Arzani in the flesh.' Meanwhile, interim Matildas coach Tom Sermanni has delivered a scathing criticism of the A-League Women competition's professionalism and says Australian football remains 'grossly-underinvested' in the women's game. The fact the league is still not fully professional is particularly 'irritating' for Sermanni, given the blockbuster success of the 2023 Women's World Cup. Sermanni, who is usually a reserved character, didn't mince his words ahead of the Matildas playing Argentina in Melbourne on Friday night at Marvel Stadium. 'We really need to have, at A-League level, a real re-think,' he said. 'The (women's) league has been going for 17 years. When we started, the coaches came from our institute programs, we had fulltime coaches and more fulltime staff than we have now. 'We are grossly under-invested in the women's game here. 'It is you think how we had the most successful World Cup ever two years ago, and A-League Women are in the situation that they're in now, it is just not good enough.' Sermanni was referring to the minimum wage in the ALW being just $26,000 - with the salary cap for squads a paltry $600,000. In contrast, Canada's Northern Super League pays players at least $56,000 per contract - and boasts a salary cap of $1.8million. Kick-off in Saturday's A-League men's Grand Final is 7:40pm AEDT, with all the action live on Channel 10.
Iraqi News
5 days ago
- Sport
- Iraqi News
Iraqi stars Bayesh, Rashid, Putros join Basra camp for World Cup qualifiers
Basra ( – Key members of the Iraqi national football team have begun arriving at Basra International Airport to join the squad's training camp at Basra Sports City. The camp, led by new head coach Graham Arnold, is in preparation for crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifying matches. Among the arrivals are Saudi-based Al-Riyadh SC professional Ibrahim Bayesh, Erbil SC's Osama Rashid, and Port FC (Thailand) defender Frans Putros. The first training session under Arnold took place on Monday (May 26, 2025) with 19 players present. Star midfielder Montadhar Majid of Sweden's Hammarby IF is expected to join the 'Lions of Mesopotamia' after playing his final club match next Saturday. Iraq faces two vital qualifiers in early June: against South Korea on June 5th and Jordan on June 10th. The team is now intensifying its preparations as the full squad assembles under their new Australian coach for these pivotal encounters.
Iraqi News
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Iraqi News
Graham Arnold names preliminary Iraq squad for crucial World Cup qualifiers
Baghdad ( – Newly appointed Iraq national team head coach, Australian Graham Arnold, announced a preliminary 30-man squad on Thursday (May 22, 2025) for the upcoming decisive 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifying matches. The announcement was made during a press conference at the Iraqi FA headquarters. The Lions of Mesopotamia face two crucial encounters in early June: away to South Korea on June 5th, followed by a clash with Jordan on June 10th. These matches are pivotal in Iraq's bid to qualify for the tournament in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. The extensive preliminary squad includes experienced goalkeepers Jalal Hassan and Fahad Talib; defenders such as Merchas Doski, Hussein Ali, and Saad Natiq; midfielders Amir Al-Amari, Ali Jasim, and Ibrahim Bayesh; and forwards Aymen Hussein, Mohanad Ali, and Ali Al-Hammadi. The list blends established internationals with emerging talents. This squad selection marks one of Arnold's first major actions as he prepares the team for these high-stakes qualifiers, aiming to make a strong impact.
