The Socceroos management baton has changed hands, and feels generational. Graham Arnold’s near-forty year contribution has come to a close less than two years after the magical 2022 World Cup; replacing him is Tony Popovic, the first of Australia’s Golden Generation of players to helm the side.

The pair have been somewhat entwined, a generation apart, for decades. Popovic joined Sydney United’s youth ranks in 1989, just as Arnold prepared to leave as a seasoned pro; Arnold was Guus Hiddink’s assistant as a Socceroos side featuring Popovic made history in 2005-06; the two squared off as touchline adversaries through the early A-League Sydney Derbies of 2013-18.

The two reach the baton change with the energy levels they perhaps should. Arnold looked an exhausted man through Australia’s September window, while Popovic struck a confident, hungry tone in his opening press conference. That Arnold wrung the rag dry, rather than floating off post-World Cup success on a high, says much about his character, and tenure.

‘Reflecting back now, [Football Australia CEO] James Johnson used the words ‘ran out of gas’ regarding Arnold, and in hindsight it does look like that’s what it came to. I think the general consensus is that Arnold realised he wasn’t getting the same response out of this group he was previously’, Joey Lynch of ESPN & The Guardian told Box2Box.

‘[I think] it is indeed a resignation, I don’t think it’s a case of him being advised; I think he’s come to the decision himself. That’s not to say he didn’t potentially see, if results in October or November didn’t go his way, that that would have been taken out of his hands.

‘It does end next to half-a-century of connection with the Socceroos, pretty much every single World Cup cycle since his international debut has had Arnold in and around it. ‘Aussie DNA’ has been one of his key talking points but when you really reflect on it, he has had a significant role in moulding what that actually is.’

Arnold’s true legacy will take time to settle, such is the vexed and vociferous feeling towards him through the Australian football community. One one hand he is one of just two Australians to qualify Australia for a World Cup, and the magic dust that permeated the group from mid-2022 through to the Round of 16 clash against Argentina was a truly great crowning stretch.

On the other, a trio of Asian Cup failures in 2007 [as interim], 2019 and 2024 left plenty to be desired, while style of play is another debate altogether. All in all, Arnold skipped his moment to ride into the sunset, and that stubbornness is why he endured for so long in the first place.

‘The word I’ve settled on in the way this has played out is lamentable. Going off his record you could make the case he’s the most successful Socceroos coach of all time. Reflecting specifically post-Qatar, if he’d made the decision to walk away, his legacy would have been stratospheric.

‘In the short-term, it’s lamentable he hasn’t been able to go out on the high he could have. In the long-term, that will fade into memory and Graham will be remembered as the legend he is. But, in the near-term, it is a complicated exit.’

Those hankering for a move away from Arnold’s playing style possibly won’t be delighted by the future under Popovic, who’s organised, unforgiving A-League sides have won two Premierships, but have on five occasions lacked the goals to win one-off Grand Finals. The Wanderer’s 2014 Asian Champions League title, won over a two-legged final, remains his greatest achievement.

‘Stylistically people are right to question Popovic given that, with the notable exception of his 2018/19 Perth Glory side that scored the most goals in the competition, his sides have been renowned for being defensively sound, reactive, able to punish the opposition in transition’, said Lynch.

‘The onus will be on him to prove he has the strings to his bow to, if not make the Socceroos look entirely incisive and dominant in possession, at least get them to a point where they are able to create better chances in games where they have the vast majority of possession.

‘He struck a confident tone, spoke about dynamism a lot, increasing the pace of play; it was a very impressive opening press conference, as you’d expect from a member of the Golden Generation who carries himself with the gravitas that Popovic does. But the proof will be on the pitch, where it always lies.’