Former Mariners coach Graham Arnold was appointed by Sydney FC as its new coach on a three-year deal to refurbish the team.

The announcement came on Thursday afternoon after the replacement of Frank Farina. Arnold is the eighth coach that Sydney FC recruited after nine A-League seasons.

Dissatisfied Mariners terminated Frank nearly two weeks ago.

Arnold, who earlier turned down the offer of joining the Sydney FC in 2012, coached the Central Coast Mariners, leading the team to the A-League title in 2013.

Graham later left the Mariners during the 2013-2014 campaign to coach a Japanese football team, Vegalta Sendai. But he left the club in February.

Arnold was in talks with a number of clubs. He was in close discussion with Newcastle Jets, but the deal could not go further ahead as the club disagreed on some terms.

Sydney FC will probably offer funds to the coach to revive the lost glory of the team.

Defender Sasa Ognenovski, who also signed with the club for the next season, appreciated Arnold joining the team as coach.

"It's good that they've acted so swiftly ... If it's a three-year deal, at least they've got a plan in place and they're going to give him time to build the team that he wants to be build," Ognenovski said to Fox Sports.

An experienced footballer, Graham Arnold has been in the managerial position since 1989 when he first joined as a coach for Sydney United.

Arnold started his football career in 1969 as a striker with the Gwawley Bay Football Club and played until 1979 when he joined Canterbury-Marrickville. He later moved to Sydney Croatia followed by his overseas move as he played for the Dutch teams, Roda JC and NAC Breda. He was also associated with the Belgian team R.F.C. de Liège and R. Charleroi S.C.

Graham has represented Australia for 54 times and scored 19 goals. His international playing career came to a standstill in 1997 during the World Cup qualifier against Iran when the Socceroos played a draw that eliminated them from the circuit.