Ange Postecoglou quits as Socceroos coach

Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou has quit ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Socceroos head coach Ange Postecoglou holds back tears as he announces his resignation as Socceroos coach. Photo: AAP

A tearful Ange Postecoglou has sensationally quit his post as Socceroos coach after getting the team to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

“After a great deal of thought and soul searching I have decided the journey for me ends as Socceroos coach,” Postecoglou said.

“I have said many times it has been the greatest privilege of my life and it’s probably not the end I envisaged when we started, but at the same time I know it is the right time for me and the right decision.

“As tough as a decision it is — and it has been very tough — it just, for me, feels like it’s the right time.”

His future in the role had come under increasing scrutiny after the Socceroos finished third in their group in Asian qualifying and had to play two, two-legged qualifiers against Syria and Honduras to make the 32-team tournament.

The Socceroos eventually qualified with a 3-1 home win over Honduras at ANZ Stadium, when skipper Mile Jedinak scored a hat-trick, after holding the Hondurans 0-0 in the opening away leg.

It was after that win that Postecoglou said he knew his time as national coach was ultimately up.

“(I knew) probably straight after the game,” Postecoglou added.

“And then an hour later, DG (David Gallop) convinced me not to, and then an hour later I changed my mind again, and five beers later, I didn’t know where I was.

“Look, I have been fluctuating. But I have also been conscious and mindful that I didn’t want this to drag on.

“It was a decision that needed to be made fairly quickly ... I had the weekend to sort of digest everything that happened, and I really wanted to enjoy that, but when I came yesterday and I spoke to Dave and Stephen Lowy, you know, I knew that it was time to go.”

#BREAKING | @Soccceroos coach Ange Postecoglou has announced that he is quitting in an emotional press conference. #sun7 pic.twitter.com/7MemGE5KB9

— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) November 21, 2017

Postecoglou said the move out of the national role was one he had been considering for at least half a year

”Probably the last sort of six to eight months (I had been weighing up options). I kind of knew that the World Cup next year was kind of the definite end date but at the same time, like I said, it’s been a really, you know, a really hard four years.”

With the news of Postecoglou’s resignation and the World Cup in Russia starting on June 14, 2018 it leaves Gallop with a short turnaround to get a new coach in and acquainted with the national team but he said he would not rush the decision.

“We don’t play till March, so we have got a bit of time and it’s important we take that time to look at what is out there,” Gallop said.

“We will take or time and make sure we get the right person for the job.”

Postecoglou admitted that while he has loved coaching the Socceroos he has been looking for a new role as a club coach overseas.

“I want to coach abroad. Part of me is pretty keen to get stuck back into club football, working day to day. I mean, I have loved this job but it’s been all-encompassing,” he said.

Criticised for Australia’s inability to directly qualify from a group that included Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Thailand — where a shocking 2-2 away draw with the latter dearly cost the Socceroos — Postecoglou defended his legacy and maintained he had helped the national team grow and set them up for a bright future.

“I’ve never measured progress by just the results on the football field,” Postecoglou said.

“I mean, when we took over four years ago, there was ... as David said, we sat down and there was a lot to do. We had to rebuild the national teams unit, we had to regenerate the team.

“It was a gutsy decision four years ago.

“Take people like Maty Ryan, to a World Cup. And if we didn’t, I don’t think we would have qualified. To rebuild a team, it was the hardest thing I’ve had to do.

“We’ve changed the way we play.

“Whether people like it or not, or think it’s good or not, it’s undeniable that we play different football today than we did four years ago.

“They have been my markers all along. I know the measure — what I get measured against was, you know, winning the Asian Cup and qualifying for a World Cup.”

All about Ange

• Socceroos coach since October 2013
• Win/Draw/Loss record as Socceroos manager (all games): 22/12/15
• Winning percentage as manager: 44.90 per cent
• Achievements with national team: 2015 Asian Cup Champions, qualified for 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups
• World Cup Finals record: 0-3 in Brazil 2014. Def 3-0 by Spain, def 3-2 by the Netherlands, def 3-1 by Chile.