Australian football's voice weakened by Hill, Foster exits

The two voices behind Australian football's finest moment, Simon Hill and Craig Foster, have announced their respective departures from Fox Sports and SBS within the space of 72 hours in a major blow for the game.

Hill and Foster were the commentary team behind the Socceroos' famous penalty shootout win over Uruguay in 2005 that broke Australia's 32-year World Cup qualification drought, and have been among the sport's most passionate advocates in this country for many years.

Hill, one of Australia's most popular callers in any sport, posted a statement on Twitter on Saturday morning confirming he was leaving Fox and would not be part of the pay-TV network's coverage of the A-League's season resumption next month.

Industry sources claim Hill was told this week his services were no longer required by Fox, which has cut back dramatically on football-specific talent despite signing a new $32 million one-year broadcast deal with Football Federation Australia to continue covering the A-League and other domestic properties until the end of next season.

"My contract at Fox ends on Tuesday. While I will miss bringing the A-League and other football to you, it nevertheless gives me a chance to pursue other opportunities, on which I'll hopefully have more news shortly," Hill wrote on Twitter in a post that prompted an immediate flood of tributes.

"In the meantime, I have enormous confidence in the game and its potential in Australia.

Craig Foster and Simon Hill departed SBS and Fox Sports respectively within three days of each other.

"Thanks to all of my colleagues and the players, coaches and officials I've had the pleasure to meet - but most of all, thanks to all of you for listening to me down the years and for giving me a million brilliant memories."

Foster, meanwhile, revealed on Wednesday he was leaving SBS at the end of July, ending an 18-year association with the public broadcaster.

Foster's decision was his own, with the former Socceroo set to pursue "other challenges" away from football, having emerged as one of Australia's leading human rights and refugee activists in the last few years.

"SBS provided not just an opportunity, but a mission back in 2002 and I instantly knew that we were aligned in our values, love of football and vision for the game," Foster said.

"But the organisational spirit of inclusion, acceptance of diversity and promotion of Australia’s multicultural heart struck me most deeply. We brought this to life through football, but the mission was always to create a better Australia and world.

"My own challenges lie in this field and I will miss the people, above all, though I will never be too far away. I will always be deeply proud of having called SBS home for so long and look forward to walking down memory lane and thanking everyone personally over the next month."

SBS still plans to continue working with Foster in the network's coverage of major football events going forward, but his exit from a permanent role - combined with Hill's farewell from Fox - will leave an enormous void for the sport in Australia.