Arnold’s taken, Sydney tells FFA

SYDNEY FC will not give up Graham Arnold easily should Football Federation Australia decide to approach the Sky Blues about replacing Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou.

Arnold is the bookmakers’ favourite to take Australia to the World Cup next year given his extensive A-League success and long stint working in the national team set-up.

But his team’s victory in the FFA Cup on Tuesday underlined the scale of his achievements with Sydney.

The Sky Blues now hold all of the three domestic trophies, and they are loath to consider the prospect of losing Arnold to coach Australia.

In a curt statement yesterday Sydney underlined its expectations that he would remain at the club after he signed an improved and extended contract last season.

“Graham Arnold is Sydney FC’s head coach, he is under contract and we envisage further success for the club under Graham’s leadership going forward,” the statement said.

“We have had no contact from anyone regarding Graham and his role at Sydney FC.”

Arnold leads a small field of local candidates.

Kevin Muscat and John Aloisi are both known to have aspirations to coach the national team at some point.

That applies to Tony Popovic, too, although the former Wanderers coach will become available only if the incoming board at the Turkish club he joined last month, Karabukspor, decides to end his loss-heavy tenure.

Various foreign names have also been mooted to take over the reins — with varying degrees of plausibility — and they include Luiz Felipe Scolari and Jurgen Klinsmann.