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Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has been spared the axe and will coach the Socceroos through the remainder of their FIFA World Cup Campiagn.
Football Australia moved to quash rumours that Arnold could be sacked after failing to automatically qualify for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
FFA Chairman Chris Nikou said “The Board of Football Australia believed it was important that we provided a stable environment and to get on with planning for the play-off phase given the very short turn-around. By confirming that Graham will remain Head Coach of the Socceroos until the completion of our FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM campaign, it enables Graham, his support staff and the playing group to move forward with certainty, and without delay, to ensure the best possible preparation for the next phase of qualification.”
The Socceroos finished in third spot in Group B and will now participate in the play off stage which will commence with a one-off match against the third-place finisher in Group A, United Arab Emirates, to be played in Qatar on 7 June 2022.
Should the Socceroos win in this AFC play-off match, there will be another one-off match, also played in Qatar, against the fifth-placed, Peru, on 13 or 14 June, with the winner securing a place in the Qatar World Cup.
IMAGE: FILE