Postecoglou explains why he walked out on Australia after giving up on 'dream'
Ange Postecoglou fears Australia will never become a force capable of regularly mixing it with the cream of international football.
The Tottenham boss served as Socceroos head coach for four years only to walk out after securing qualification for the 2018 World Cup. He was worn down by the Australian FA’s failure to plan for the future and has since railed against their demands for short-term results while ignoring long-term development.
And Postecoglou sees no change in a country where other sports dominate the landscape - even if Australia’s loss has proven Spurs’ gain.
“I walked away from a World Cup and the reason I walked away was I just didn’t enjoy what I was doing,” he said. “I’ve said all along, it’s not just winning games of football. It’s got to be a higher purpose and my higher purpose in Australia was to change the game. I just don’t think that will happen.
“For a lot of people [the World Cup] is their biggest dream and I gave it up. I’d been to 2014 anyway but I knew it was the right decision. And if I didn’t make that decision at that time, if I had waited until after the World Cup, I’ve got no doubt I wouldn’t be sitting here now.”
5 potential replacements for Jesse Marsch after Leeds United sack manager
Postecoglou is adamant no one in England would be aware of his existence if he had not arrived at Celtic and made the switch to north London.
And while his profile has risen inexorably alongside Tottenham’s impressive start to the campaign, he does not see the possibility of an Aussie succeeding on the grandest club stage doing anything to shift the mentality at home.
Postecoglou quit Australia a week after qualifiying for the 2018 World Cup. (Michael Dodge/Getty Images)“You guys are only talking about it because of me,” he said. “I coached against England seven years ago at Sunderland but you just discovered me a year ago in your consciousness.” Asked if being at Spurs will have an impact, he added: “I don’t know and maybe that’s just me, not being cynical, but I gave up that fight. This is a much easier space for me to live in because I was so frustrated for so long. It was my biggest frustration.
“One of my major drivers for doing what I did was to change football in Australia. And that’s the reason I left. I felt I hadn’t made an impact at all. That’s easier for me to deal with than to think maybe I still can [bring change] now with what I’m doing. I just think I’d be disappointed so I’d prefer to think it’s not going to happen.”
But Postecoglou admits it is not all down to the failings of Australian FA officials because other sports command so much attention down under.
He believes the challenge of competing for attention with Australian rules, cricket and both rugby codes is “insurmountable” and even if there was investment in footballing infrastructure it would be gobbled up by other sports.
Hosting this summer’s Women’s World Cup and the men’s team reaching the round of 16 in Qatar last year suggested strides are being taken. But he is pessimistic about the lasting impact of those achievements. “I just don’t see it,” he said. “I don’t think it registers.
“What the Matildas did at the World Cup, unbelievable. But you still won’t see an influx of resources to the game. You won’t. I guarantee it. They’ll build stadiums and other codes will use them.”
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
