Sevenoaks Town · FA Cup · Midfielder · #0 · England · 0 yrs
Australian has had to contend with war, 50C heat and playoffs to steer country to a first World Cup in 40 yearsTwenty-eight months, 21 games, four rounds, a 117th-minute penalty and a playoff. A coach stuck in Dubai where he watches war start over the water, bombs shaking everything. A team trapped in Baghdad first and Jordan next, missiles flying around them. A scrambled 9,000-mile trip to Mexico where it all rests on one night, the very last country to make it. And, when they do finally land, the hero whose goal took them there is held up by the FBI and the man whose photographs are due to document history is turned back. There may never have been a journey to a World Cup quite like Iraq’s.“It’s been an experience,” Graham Arnold says. And the 62-year-old Australian coach who led them through it all – the “football nut” who is their other “dad” and gets mobbed everywhere he goes – is adamant that it’s not over yet. “Now it’s time to show the world what we’ve got.” Listening to him, you can’t help but believe it. Not least because he did when no one else would. Continue reading...
Graham Arnold’s team have overcome adversity on and off the pitch, but may benefit from the pressure being off them in a tough groupThis article is part of the Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from three countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 11 June Continue reading...
Graham Potter remains calm despite Anthony Elanga suffering a knee injury just before the World Cup and is confident he will be available. The post Potter allays Elanga injury fears after Sweden’s draw with Greece appeared first on SoccerNews.
Prediction: Match to end in draw Best Odds: 5/2 Bookmaker: Dachbet Norway and Sweden will lock horns with each other in a friendly international next week. The match between Stale Solbakken’s side and Graham Potter’s team will be held at the Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and is scheduled to kick off at 6pm UK time […] The post Prediction: Norway vs Sweden appeared first on Soccer News.
It's a shame he wasn't in this position at the start of this season, instead of being stuck with directionless Graham Potter, but maybe he is the foundational piece needed for the rebuild. 2) Continuing to play Lucas Paqueta, especially after the red card, was unforgivable. Leigh: This is a good decision from the club, if Nuno gets full backing.
