Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq will retain Graham Arnold as national team coach despite their Gulf Cup 27 group-stage exit, Iraqi Football Association (IFA) President Younis Mahmoud confirmed, rejecting calls for an apology and emphasizing that the federation’s priorities are the Asian Cup and World Cup.

Mahmoud spoke after meeting Arnold in Baghdad on Saturday to review the coach’s technical report on Iraq’s campaign and the circumstances surrounding their elimination. “Why should we apologize to the fans?” he told reporters, arguing that the Gulf Cup was not a “wow” tournament and that the federation was focused on more important competitions.

Arnold will remain in charge for Iraq’s upcoming commitments, including a four-team international tournament in Basra, according to Mahmoud, who said the coaching staff should not be judged on its first setback, adding that the tournament also provided an opportunity to give younger players more playing time.

He said the technical review identified several problems, including a decline in the squad’s fitness after the 60th minute, prompting the IFA to contract a specialized company to provide clubs with GPS tracking devices to monitor players’ physical performance.

Addressing the defeat to Saudi Arabia, Mahmoud cited the hosts’ home advantage as well as some Iraqi players’ inexperience and errors. He also defended his celebration after the late victory over Kuwait, attributing his reaction to the players’ fighting spirit and effort rather than the significance of the result.

The IFA president also dismissed calls from some media outlets to exclude foreign-based players from future squads. “These players will represent us in the Asian Cup in two months,” he remarked, urging the media to support them and leave selection decisions to performances on the pitch.

Looking ahead, Mahmoud said Iraq has secured hosting rights for Gulf Cup 28, with the prime minister expected to choose the host city. He also noted that the association is working to strengthen its refereeing department and has paid part of the dues owed to referees over the past four years.

Iraq ended their Gulf Cup 27 campaign with one win, one loss, and one draw, finishing third in Group A with four points and missing out on the semi-finals.

The elimination sparked widespread criticism of the team and its technical and administrative staff, placing Arnold’s future at the center of debate ahead of Saturday’s meeting.