Ange Postecoglou’s new job underlines how disillusioned he must have been with FFA

AUSTRALIA is still awaiting its first overseas coaching trailblazer, and, while many will view Ange Postecoglou’s move as a backward step, his latest role will likely prove a genius tactic.

Australia's coach Ange Postecoglou attends an event to celebrate the national teams qualification for the 2018 football World Cup, in Sydney on November 16, 2017. Australia reached their fourth-straight World Cup after defeating Honduras in a 3-1 aggregate playoff victory in the qualifiers, with Mile Jedinak scoring a hat-trick. / AFP PHOTO / SAEED KHAN / IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE

WHILE Ange Postecoglou had his sights set on Europe, the lure of joining world soccer’s most powerful ownership understandably proved too tempting.

Postecoglou has been appointed in the plum role at Japanese giants Yokohama F Marinos, and will take charge for the 2018 J. League season at the same time he was meant to be preparing the Socceroos for Russia 2018.

In a stunning coup de grace, Postecoglou joins the City Football Group — Melbourne City’s owners and among the A-League empire at war with Football Federation Australia amid the local power struggle.

Australia's coach Ange Postecoglou has taken a new role

FFA chairman Steven Lowy warned that CFG were among the foreign A-League owners who were governed by self-interest only a fortnight ago, after they failed to push through a new Congress voting structure.

CFG — who runs the Marinos soccer department as part of their 20 per cent stake — is now giving our best coach his best chance of succeeding abroad, having paved Aaron Mooy’s path to the Premier League.

Australia is still awaiting its first overseas coaching trailblazer and — make no mistake — our coaches get no free rides.

Tony Popovic’s unfortunate two-month stint with Turkish club Karabukspor underline the importance of stability.

Ditto Graham Arnold, who was also undermined during a brief J. League stint with Vegalta Sendai in 2014.

Harry Kewell is coaching in England’s fourth-tier at a club — Crawley Town 0 that operates on one of the league’s smallest budgets.

Postecoglou will observe Pep Guardiola train Manchester City before heading to Yokohama for pre-season.

Outta here: Ange Postecoglou quit his Socceroos role a month ago

Brian Marwood — who oversees soccer matters in Melbourne and Yokohama from Manchester — has long admired Postecoglou’s work and pounced after he sensationally quit the Socceroos.

“We are excited about what he will bring to the club and think he is the right person to continue the approach we have been taking in recent years and add a further dimension to our play,” Marwood said.

Many will view Postecoglou’s move as a backward step, but those who’ve worked with him say he is always several steps ahead and no doubt he views this as a stepping stone.

That he has accepted the Yokohoma job and a reported similar salary probably underlines how disillusioned he must have been with FFA.

The stability, guidance and soccer nous his new CFG overlords provide is at another level compared to his previous employers.

CFG — who own Manchester City, Girona FC (Spain), New York City and Atletico Torque (Uruguay) and may well acquire more clubs by the time Postecoglou departs Yokohama — have a habit of backing in their coaches, in a stable that includes Guardiola, Patrick Vieira and Mikkel Arteta.

Postecoglou is a gambler and his latest one has yet again paid off. Despite obvious and — at times — reasonable criticism for ditching the Socceroos, Australian soccer may yet benefit from his latest move.

Originally published as Ange Postecoglou’s new job underlines how disillusioned he must have been with FFA