Australia coach Ange Postecoglou ready to quit despite guiding Socceroos to verge of World Cup 2018, reports say

The former Brisbane Roar coach is said to be considering a return to club football

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Australia head coach is reported to be considering stepping down from his role as national team manager. Photo: Reuters

Published: 11:30am, 11 Oct 2017Updated: 11:30am, 11 Oct 2017

Australia coach Ange Postecoglou is set to sensationally quit, regardless of whether the Socceroos qualify for next year’s World Cup, reports said on Thursday.

Football Federation Australia was due to comment later on the reports, which come after Australia beat Syria in extra time on Wednesday to reach an intercontinental play-off for Russia 2018.

Rival media organisations News Ltd and Fairfax Media both quoted unnamed sources as saying Postecoglou, 52, would walk away ahead of next year’s World Cup.

Australia, who lifted the Asian Cup with Postecoglou in 2015, will play Honduras over two legs next month for a place at their fourth straight World Cup, and fifth overall.

Australia’s Tim Cahill heads a goal. Photo: Reuters

“He is definitely moving on after November,” a source told the Herald Sun.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper, Postecoglou had planned to step down after the World Cup but has decided to go earlier because he wanted to join a club overseas.

It was unclear whether he was also influenced by criticism over his decisions during the World Cup qualifying campaign, where Australia failed to secure an automatic berth.