Former Socceroos coach Graham Arnold is forced to resort in a hotel with high security in Iraq after he could not fly home to Australia according to reports.
In the midst of escalating conflicts between Israel and Iran, flights based in Iraq with Baghdad Airport are closed last week.
The 61-year-old football coach, who was appointed as the new coach of Iraq in May, would be 'safe', but is 'restless'.
The Courier Mail reports that the football manager told friends that he was nervous that the American embassy, ​​less than a kilometer from his hotel, was closed last week by President Donald Trump.
He was planning to stay in the country at the start of the month a week after the international matches of Iraq.
A friend of Arnold's told the outlet: 'Arnie is stuck in Baghdad, the airport is closed.
“He is safe but restless and uncomfortable. He stays in a high -protected hotel in Baghdad. '
They added: 'Graham does not say much, but the only care is whether this can escalate to involve other countries.
“Hopefully the airport will open for the next 24 hours.”
It is understood that several other members of his coaching team are also unable to leave the country.
Zeljko Kalac, a member of his coaching staff, would have left Baghdad on the last flight.
Several airlines have avoided the airspace around Iraq, Iran and Jordan.
Emirates and Qatar Airways have also canceled flights to Iraq.
It comes when Israel and Iran have launched several rocket attacks against each other in recent days.
Arnold, from Sydney, enjoyed a glittering 20-year career on the field and played for Sydney United, Liège and NAC Breda before hunging his boots in 2000.
He would later step into coaching and take the lead twice on the Australian national side, while he also took the lead over Sydney United and Northern Spirit.
Arnold, an inductee of the Australian Football Hall of Fame, had taken the lead over two games for Iraq, before conflicts between Israel and Iran arose in recent days.
On June 5, Iraq was beaten 2-0 by South Korea, the first match of Arnold charged with the national side. Five days later he claimed his first victory as head coach of the country and beat Jordan 1-0 in their world cup qualification match at the Amman International Stadium in Jordan.
The football coach took off his role in September as manager of the Australian National Side with two years of contract.