For Ange, a magic moment to savour

AT 9.44pm ANZ Stadium was in utter delirium.

Mile Jedinak’s 10 teammates had piled on the skipper’s back after he completed his hat-trick and on the Australian bench a mob of substitutes and assistant coaches were also converging in one pile. But through it all Ange Postecoglou remained calm.

He let out one triumphant roar, before turning to give James Troisi some last-minute instructions as he prepared to come on.

Then, maybe, just maybe, the moment washed over him briefly, as the coach put both hands to his head and kept them there momentarily as he stood, alone, taking in the celebrations.

His reaction to the goal that put the game beyond doubt summed up the persona of the man who has been one of the most heavily scrutinised in Australian sport.

His belief in his players has never wavered.

His faith in his game plan has remained stoic.

And if this was to be his last stand then he has gone down in a blaze of glory, qualifying the Socceroos for a fourth consecutive World Cup and, in the process becoming the first Australian coach to guide his country all the way to the Cup finals.

The critics have been plentiful — both of the game plan and the distraction of the past month.

Had the Socceroos faltered at the final hurdle then all the conjecture about the coach’s future would have been irrelevant because his contract would have ended last night.

But the knives still would have been out, the suggestion being that the “will he stay or will he go” saga contributed to the demise. Instead Postecoglou stared down his critics and now stands vindicated.

Will Postecgolou push forward to Russia? Time will tell.

But as an Asian Cup-winning coach and one who has guided us to the World Cup yet again, his legacy will now surely stand the test of time.