Graham Arnold is asking FIFA to come to Iraq’s aid as the conflict between neighboring Iran and the United States threatens to derail his plans to help his team to its first World Cup in 40 years.
The former Socceroos boss is calling for football’s global governing body to come up with an alternative plan for Iraq’s World Cup playoff scheduled to take place later this month.
The Lions of Mesopotamia are set to face a one-off match with the winner of a playoff between Suriname and Bolivia in Monterrey, Mexico, on March 31, with the FIFA window due to start March 23.
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That match with Suriname or Bolivia will decide whether Iraq qualifies for its first global tournament since 1986.
But preparation for Iraq’s match has been plunged into turmoil by the widening conflict in the region. Iraqi airspace is not due to reopen until April 1, the day after Iraq’s scheduled fixture with the winner of the Suriname-Bolivia match.
Arnold, speaking to AAP from the UAE as he received an emergency alert on his phone, has a simple request for FIFA: “Please help us with this game because right now we are struggling to get our players out of the country of Iraq.”
Close to 60% of Arnold’s first-choice squad is drawn from the domestic Iraqi league, but those players and many of his backroom staff, including interpreter and former Sydney FC winger Ali Abbas, remain unable to fly out of Iraq.
A prematch camp in Houston has already been postponed, with visa and travel uncertainty placing further strain on Arnold’s plans.
“In my opinion, if FIFA were to delay the game, it gives us time to prepare properly,” Arnold told AAP. “Let Bolivia play Suriname this month and then a week before the World Cup, we play the winner in the U.S. — the winner of that game stays on and the loser goes home.
“In my opinion, it also gives FIFA more time to decide what Iran is going to do.”
“If Iran withdraws,” he said, “we go into the World Cup, and it gives the UAE, who we beat in qualifying, the chance to prepare for either Bolivia or Suriname.
Graham Arnold is on the cusp of taking Iraq to its first World Cup since 1986. EPA/CEERWAN AZIZ
“Our federation’s president Adnan Dirjal is working around the clock trying to plan and prepare to make everyone in Iraq’s dream come true, so we need this decision made quickly.”
Global players’ union FIFPro also weighed in Sunday, saying that decision-makers should take an “incredibly conservative” approach to the fixture, with player safety made paramount.
“The player’s safety should be the priority for everyone right now,” said Beau Busch, the president of FIFPro for the Asia and Oceania confederations. “So, any measure that needs to be taken, even if it’s seen to be a little bit potentially over the top right now, we would far prefer all of the [Asian Football Confederation], FIFA and others to adopt an incredibly conservative approach right now, to make sure everything possible is done to safeguard the interests of players. That needs to be first and foremost in everyone’s mind right now.”
Asked if the Iraq playoff should go ahead as planned, FIFPro secretary general Alex Phillips added: “It depends on the safety of the players. That will be our primary concern. To what degree the player safety can be guaranteed, this will be the primary motivation from our perspective. There are other factors as well.”
If FIFA can’t help with Arnold’s request, he fears for how his players and staff will get out of Iraq at such short notice.
Some of Iraq’s domestic football matches have also been impacted by missile attacks in Erbil, where there is a U.S. airbase.
Arnold, 62, said there was little hope of fielding a competitive team solely drawn from players based outside of Iraq.
“It wouldn’t be our best team, and we need our best team available for the country’s biggest game in 40 years,” he said.
Arnold is desperate to help Iraq to its first World Cup in four decades.
The Australian manager took the Socceroos to the 2022 tournament and made a historical charge to the round of 16, where they lost to eventual winners Argentina.
“The Iraqi people are so passionate about the game of football that it is insane,” Arnold added. “The fact that they haven’t qualified for 40 years is probably the main reason I took this job.
“But at this stage, with the airport being shut down, we are working hard to try and find another alternative.”
Information from AAP was used in this report. ESPN’s Joey Lynch was also a contributor.
