ANGE WEIGHED UP WALKING AWAY EARLIER
ANGE Postecoglou almost quit the Socceroos a year ago, but was talked out of leaving the national team.
A day after Postecoglou told Football Federation Australia that he intends to quit after November’s World Cup play-offs, it emerged he had considered his position towards the end of last year, in the midst of a run of draws Australia had in their World Cup qualifying program.
It’s understood that he held talks about his position with FFA officials then, who encouraged him to continue despite the criticism he felt he was under. In the end he opted to do so, but has now made clear he intends to step away whether or not Australia qualifies for next year’s World Cup in Russia.
It is also understood that decision has been several weeks in the making, and it seems certain he will follow through on it once the two games with Honduras have decided Australia’s World Cup fate next month.
For now, he and FFA have agreed that they will maintain a public stance of focusing only on the November games, whose dates have yet to be ratified by FIFA. Postecoglou and FFA CEO David Gallop held emergency talks on Wednesday, just hours after the Socceroos had beaten Syria to go through the first round of play-offs and get a step closer to Russia.
Until the games in November Postecoglou’s time will be taken up planning for the logistics of travelling to and playing in the central American republic rated as one of the most dangerous countries in the world, and then returning to Sydney as quickly as possible for the second leg.
Meanwhile, a potential candidate for the role, Brisbane Roar boss John Aloisi, has insisted that Postecoglou’s successor should be a local coach, and not a hired hand from overseas.
Graham Arnold is the clear domestic favourite, having managed the team a decade ago, but if Australia qualifies for the World Cup then a wide variety of foreign coaches are expected to apply for the role.
“We (Australian coaches) know the culture here in Australia, we know the mentality of the Australian players so I feel that it should be an Australian,” Aloisi said.