Graham Arnold’s harsh words after World Cup 2026 qualifier Indonesia draw revealed his plan to quit

To a keen observer the writing was on the wall after the Socceroos frustrating draw with Indonesia.

Coming off a shock 1-0 upset loss to Bahrain the Socceroos were looking for maximum points to get their World Cup qualifying campaign back on track – but they left Jakarta goalless on September 10.

And Graham Arnold, who quit as Socceroos coach today, was blunt.

“I can’t play the game for them,” he said just over a week ago.

The seriousness of his tone was not on lost of reporters, but now that he has decided he is no longer the right man to lead the national team to the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico, the comment appears his message to the players and Football Australia that he was done.

Arnold had been in talks with Football Australia about his future over the last week but FA chief James Johnson gave no hint all was not well a week ago and went out of his way to back the under pressure coach.

But there was an admission the FA was not pleased with the team’s progress towards World Cup qualification.

“So look, Graham, he’s a great coach, and we’re right behind him,” Johnson told reporters.

“He’s got a bit of work to do between now and when the team comes back to Australia, but we’re not panicking in any way.”

Australia sit fifth in group C - three points short of current leaders Saudi Arabia - after the 1-0 home loss to Bahrain and the 0-0 draw with Indonesia.

The top two qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup finals, with third and fourth places heading into play-offs.

Arnold was scathing of his team’s inability to score against Indonesia.

“We should have won and won comfortably. We had the chances, we missed chances - again,” he said on September 10.

“Look, I can only do so much, I can’t play the game for them.

“And at the end of the day, we should have beaten Bahrain - we missed chances - and today we should have won comfortably and we missed chances.

“So I’m as disappointed probably as every other Australian is.

Despite his downcast attitude Arnold gave no hint that he was thinking of quitting and spoke about how the Socceroos could resurrect their qualification bid.

“But there’s another eight games to go and the goal is always to qualify direct but you have those extra play-off spots,” he said.

“For me at this moment, I’m just frustrated and I just need to go home to Australia and have a really good think about things.”

It now appears what he returned Down Under to think about was not what needed to change with his squad but whether he still had the drive guide the team.

Arnold’s relationship with the playing group will now come under closer examination and his relationship Socceroos prodigy Nestory Irankunda has appeared strained at times.

Irankunda showed flashes of what he is capable against Indonesia but Craig Goodwin, Adam Taggart and Awer Mabil all missed good chances.

“It’s hurtful because obviously again, not putting the ball in the back of the net, it’s something that’s been going on for a year where we should have won games, even against the biggest teams in the world,” Arnold said.

with AAP