Decision within two weeks

SYDNEY: Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou says he will end the guessing game over his World Cup availability by the end of the month after showdown talks with FFA chairman Steven Lowy and chief executive David Gallop.

Postecoglou guided Australia to the 2018 World Cup finals with a 31 win over Honduras on Wednesday night. Yesterday, he revealed a twoweek timeline to confirm whether he leads the team to Russia.

‘‘I’m determined to enjoy this and determined for everyone to enjoy it,’’ he said at an event in Sydney’s Martin Pl.

‘‘I understand the conjecture . . . it’s not about me trying to keep people in suspense.

‘‘I’ll have those discussions with David and Steven in the next two weeks and it will all be resolved.’’

Postecoglou is contracted for the World Cup tournament but he has increasingly appeared frustrated in his position and reports emerged five weeks ago that he could leave after the qualifying campaign was over.

He has since failed to clarify his position and has lashed out at critics and those seen as not offering full support to his team.

A Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura was sacked yesterday as he paid the almost inevitable price for its failure to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 60 years.

The Italian federation (FIGC) initially issued a statement saying Ventura was ‘‘no longer’’ the coach, without clarifying whether he had been sacked or resigned. An FIGC source, however, told Reuters the 69yearold had been fired.

The fourtime world champion was held to a 00 draw at home by Sweden in the second leg of their European playoff on Tuesday, losing 10 on aggregate, and will miss the finals for the first time since 1958. — AAP/Reuters