Crocodile Bani
Well-known member
I had promised in a different thread that i would tell you a special story about the coaching staff and decided I would make a separate thread for it.
Many years ago, Graham Arnold had played for the New South Wales Under 19s team but due to playing opportunities, thought he would never make it as a professional. After leaving school, Graham Arnold played park football while working as an apprentice brick layer. His first boss was a Croatian immigrant.
One day, young Graham Arnold was talking to his boss and telling him that he wanted to be a professional footballer more than anything else but can't get a gig anywhere. A few weeks later, his Croatian immigrant boss told him that he has some connections with the Sydney Croatia club (nowadays called Sydney United) and will ask if they can a least give him a trial.
Weeks later, Graham Arnold trialed for Sydney Croatia and earned his first semi professional contract. Back then Australian soccer was only semi professional. Arnold went on to play for Australia and play in the Dutch and Belgium leagues.
Meanwhile, the Croatian immigrant boss had his own son with his own ambitions of being a football star. In 1997, the veteran Graham Arnold sat on the bench in those famous qualifiers for France 98 alongside his former boss's son.
Who is this Croatian immigrant's son?
Former Sydney United, Portsmouth, Perugia and AC Milan goalkeeper, Zeljko Kalac.
Years later while coaching Sydney FC, Kalac was employed as a goalkeeping coach.
Strangely, Zeljko Kalac's best friend in the whole wide world is Tony Popovic, the current coach of Australia (who took over Graham Arnold's job when Australia was losing early in the qualifiers). Everyone expected Kalac to be Australia's goalkeeping coach but for reasons unbeknown to the general public, was not the case.
In 2026, the former apprentice bricklayer led the coaching team to Iraq's first world cup in 40 years with his ex-boss's son as his assistant. Tell me Ashoor, where in the world have you heard a story like this?
Most Australians don't know this story but I am sharing it with you and this website.
Many years ago, Graham Arnold had played for the New South Wales Under 19s team but due to playing opportunities, thought he would never make it as a professional. After leaving school, Graham Arnold played park football while working as an apprentice brick layer. His first boss was a Croatian immigrant.
One day, young Graham Arnold was talking to his boss and telling him that he wanted to be a professional footballer more than anything else but can't get a gig anywhere. A few weeks later, his Croatian immigrant boss told him that he has some connections with the Sydney Croatia club (nowadays called Sydney United) and will ask if they can a least give him a trial.
Weeks later, Graham Arnold trialed for Sydney Croatia and earned his first semi professional contract. Back then Australian soccer was only semi professional. Arnold went on to play for Australia and play in the Dutch and Belgium leagues.
Meanwhile, the Croatian immigrant boss had his own son with his own ambitions of being a football star. In 1997, the veteran Graham Arnold sat on the bench in those famous qualifiers for France 98 alongside his former boss's son.
Who is this Croatian immigrant's son?
Former Sydney United, Portsmouth, Perugia and AC Milan goalkeeper, Zeljko Kalac.
Years later while coaching Sydney FC, Kalac was employed as a goalkeeping coach.
Strangely, Zeljko Kalac's best friend in the whole wide world is Tony Popovic, the current coach of Australia (who took over Graham Arnold's job when Australia was losing early in the qualifiers). Everyone expected Kalac to be Australia's goalkeeping coach but for reasons unbeknown to the general public, was not the case.
In 2026, the former apprentice bricklayer led the coaching team to Iraq's first world cup in 40 years with his ex-boss's son as his assistant. Tell me Ashoor, where in the world have you heard a story like this?
Most Australians don't know this story but I am sharing it with you and this website.