Arnie's Roos link not an issue: Sydney FC

Dec 21, 2017 - 12:21 AM Sydney FC's top brass may be hell-bent on fighting to keep Graham Arnold, but the players insist his heavy links to the Socceroos job have not permeated the dressing room.

Days after chairman Scott Barlow declared the Sky Blues would play hard ball with Football Federation Australia for their A-League title-winning mentor, midfielder Brandon O'Neill said the intense speculation surrounding their coach had not even been discussed.

Arnold is among the frontrunners to succeed Ange Postecoglou and lead Australia to next year's World Cup.

Yet O'Neill revealed the 54-year-old had not addressed his A-League squad about the circus that's followed him around since a report in October correctly claimed Postecoglou would walk away from the national team after qualifying for Russia 2018.

"Arnie never wants to detract from what the team is doing, and that's a credit to the sort of person he is, first and foremost, and coach," O'Neill said.

"We all know we have a job to do at Sydney FC, and that's to go out on the weekend and get the three points.

"Anything else in the background is just kind of background noise so we don't focus on that."

Sydney have already made it clear via a letter to FFA that Arnold is contracted until the end of next season, with Barlow on Monday stating he expected that deal to be honoured for the duration.

Until - and if - Arnold is approached, it's business as usual for the table-topping Sky Blues.

Cruising five points clear, Wellington await on Saturday at Westpac Stadium, where the Phoenix haven't beaten Sydney in four years.

An additional boost for the visitors is the likely return of Johnny Warren medallist Milos Ninkovic to the starting XI for the first time since injuring his calf in last month's FFA Cup final.

"To have someone of that calibre back in the team is always positive," O'Neill said.

"Ninko is grand. He knows his body inside out, he's had a really good week."

Source: AAP