Wade says Arnold is the logical replacement for Ange Postecoglou, who announced his resignation on Wednesday.

“I would like to see Arnie get it, straight away,” Wade said.

“I would hate to think that we feel we have to go overseas to get somebody who can take a group of players – they’re already moulded.

“Just get them in a fit state of mind and body and let the rest of it take care of itself. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.”

Wade said Arnold’s record as Sydney FC coach evidenced his credentials for the Socceroos job.

“When you look at what Arnie has done, you just think to yourself ‘sometimes it wasn’t pretty football, but gee it was effective’,” he said.

“The way Sydney FC played, they tore teams apart, smashed every record available, he has got every trophy available to him – there are so many positives there.

“And the great thing is he has done it as a footballer and he’s a good bloke too… he is very approachable, very personable.

“It’s screaming out: pick him.”

Wade said Arnold was unfairly portrayed as an overly defensive coach, believing he had much in common with Postecoglou’s attacking mantra.

“He (Arnold) is clever,” Wade said.

“To say they’re defensively minded, I think that is totally wrong.

“When they haven’t got the ball, they’re all defending. But as soon as they win it, bang, they go forward – and really that is what Ange wanted.”

Arnold himself has maintained his silence regarding potential interest in the vacant Socceroos coaching job, but admitted today to being flattered by talk he’s the frontrunner to replace Postecoglou.

“I have a contract with Sydney FC … and I have a huge amount of respect for my players and it’s the wrong thing for me to go talking about other things,” Arnold told reporters.

-AAP