Ange Postecoglou has been officially unveiled as the new Socceroos coach, ending weeks of fevered speculation following Holger Osieck’s sacking from the post.
Football Federation Australia (FFA) held a press conference in Sydney this afternoon to announce a five-year deal through August 2018, with Postecoglou expected to lead the team to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the 2015 AFC Asian Cup in Australia and the Asian qualification stages for the 2018 World Cup.
The 48-year-old coach will officially start his new position next Monday 28 October and his first match as Head Coach will be against Costa Rica at Allianz Stadium, Sydney on Tuesday 19 November.
Postecoglou said he felt honoured and humbled to be chosen as the man to lead the Australian National Football Team.
“The Socceroos belong to the people of this nation,” Postecoglou said.
“It’s my job to make sure we represent all that’s good in Australian football. We need to strive for greatness, to play with spirit and have an unwavering belief in our mission.
“I was proud to represent my country as a player and I have the same immense feeling of pride today. I thank Frank Lowy, David Gallop and the FFA for having the faith in my ability to do this job successfully.”
FFA Chairman Frank Lowy said he was pleased that his long-held ambition to appoint an Australian as coach of the Socceroos had been realised.
“It was always our plan that one day an Australian would be appointed coach, and I said precisely that when we appointed the previous coach,” Lowy said.
“But I have never taken the view that the coach should be an Australian for the sake of having an Australian. I have always believed we should get the best person we can for the job.
“The fact that Ange is the best qualified, and an Australian, achieves our objective.”
FFA CEO David Gallop said the appointment of Postecoglou was symbolic of how far the game has come in the past decade.
“I’m delighted that the game has reached the point where the best-qualified coach for the Socceroos happens to be someone who’s learned his football in this country and who lives and breathes the mission of Australian football,” Gallop said.
“It shows how the era of full-time professionalism in the Hyundai A-League and qualification for three consecutive FIFA World Cups is driving technical excellence.
“In Ange, the Socceroos will have a Head Coach who has exceptional experience and achievements on the domestic and international stage. In any recruitment situation you consider the overall package that the person brings to the role.
“We wanted the best person for the job of coaching the Socceroos to highest possible standards. It’s also very significant that Ange has a deep understanding of the culture and passion of Australian football. He’s a leader in every sense.
“The FFA Board have moved quickly on the preferred candidate and with the upcoming camp and match in November it was prudent to secure Ange’s services this week.”
Previous employers Melbourne Victory had announced earlier this morning that the board were not standing in the way of Postecoglou taking the national job, although they expressed disappointment at the way FFA had approached their coach.
“The circumstances that Ange and the club have been confronted with are complex and compelling no matter what perspective you take. That said, we have made it clear to Ange that we will not stand in the way of him accepting the biggest coaching role in this country,” Chairman Anthony Di Pietro said.
Gallop in turn thanked the club for agreeing to release Postecoglou from his contract.
“The nation came calling for Ange and that left the Melbourne Victory Chairman Anthony Di Pietro and his Board of Directors with a decision to make,” he said.
“Victory has done the right thing by Australian football and the club is to be commended.”
Information from Football Federation Australia’s press release was used in this article.