As a third A-League club starts the hunt for a new coach, Socceroos boss Graham Arnold is urging those handling the appointments to look local.
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Western Sydney axed German Markus Babbel on Monday following a poor run of results, less than a week after compatriot Marco Kurz was shown the exit door at Melbourne Victory.
With Ernie Merrick the first man out earlier this month at Newcastle Jets, it means three of the 11 clubs in the competition have a head coach vacancy.
The Jets are reportedly closing in on appointing ex-Wales midfielder Carl Robinson to replace Merrick while Spaniard Carlos Salvachua is Victory's interim boss until the end of the season.
In the history of the A-League only three foreign coaches - Pierre Littbarski and Vitezslav Lavicka with Sydney in 2006 and 2010 and Guillermo Amor with Adelaide United in 2016 - have won the competition.
Arnold, who won A-League titles at Central Coast and Sydney FC before taking up the national team job, says the evidence is strong to support clubs preferring an Australian coach.
"There's only ever been three foreign coaches who've won the competition in 16-17 years," Arnold said.
"Australian coaches, they understand the culture, they understand the Australian way.
"If you have a look at some of the coaches that are coming through - I look at myself as one of the older statesmen now - you have a look at what Uffie Talay's doing, Tony Popovic of course, Kevin Muscat, John Aloisi, Mark Rudan - what he's doing at Western United.
"There's some very good young coaches out there and they're Australian."
Arnold is in Thailand steering the Olyroos' bid to qualify for this year's Olympics at the AFC Under-23 Championships, and was unaware Babbel had been dismissed.
He said it was always tough to hear about a fellow coach losing their job.
"It's sad when coaches get sacked," he said.
"It's a tough job coaching and I feel Markus is a fantastic bloke and I feel sorry for him, as I do Marco Kurz and Ernie Merrick - who is a great man."
Australian Associated Press
