Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou has sensationally quit a week after guiding Australia to its fourth-consecutive World Cup.
Before Australia’s do-or-die showdown with Honduras in the final stage of qualifying, Postecoglou refused to confirm he would stay on through the World Cup in Russia next year.
In a press conference in Sydney on Wednesday morning, Postecoglou announced he was stepping down after four years at the helm.
‘After a great deal of thought and soul searching I’ve decided that the journey for me ends as Socceroos coach,’ an emotional Postecoglou said.
‘As I’ve said many times, it’s been the biggest privilege of my life and it’s probably not the ending I’d envisaged when we started – but at the same time knowing that it’s the right time for me and the right decision.’
The Asian Cup winner cited missing important moments throughout his family life as a motivation behind his decision to step down.
The Socceroos now have less than seven months to find a coach, with the competition kicking off in mid-June.
Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou has sensationally quit a week after guiding Australia to its fourth-consecutive World Cup
In a press conference in Sydney on Wednesday morning, Postecoglou announced he was stepping down after four years at the helm
The Socceroos defeated Honduras 3-1 in Sydney on Wednesday last week to secure their place among the world’s elite.
Postecoglou has a perfect record qualifying for the World Cup, and helped Australia to its first ever piece of silverware in in 2015, lifting the Asian Cup on home soil.
Despite those successes, the team have been struggling of late, putting together a string of lacklustre performances that saw the Socceroos limp into the play-offs.
They needed an extra-time goal from Tim Cahill to advance past Syria in the first round, before using a three-goal second half in the second-leg against Honduras to book their ticket to Russia.
Postecoglou refused to be drawn on speculation on his future immediately following the game, but confirmed his heart was no longer in the role.
‘I don’t think there was a tipping point, it’s something I’ve mulled over for awhile. That’s the nature of me as a person,’ he said.
‘I think I’ll always have a sense of unfinished business, but I think that would’ve happened whenever I left.’
‘I think I’ll always have a sense of unfinished business, but I think that would’ve happened whenever I left’