Australian Story: Oct 23

Australian Story on Monday hears from Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou, who speaks his mind after two weeks of criticism and intense speculation about his future.

Critics are calling for Postecoglou to be sacked over his high-stakes tactics and his failure to address media reports that he is going to resign after Australia’s do-or-die World Cup qualifying matches against Honduras in November.

Speaking to Australian Story, Postecoglou answers questions about his relationship with his team and the Football Federation of Australia (FFA), his strategy, and his plans after the games against Honduras. When Postecoglou was appointed coach four years ago, he quickly became the saviour of Australian football, conducting a competitive campaign at the World Cup in 2014 and winning the Asian Cup six months later, Australia’s biggest achievement in international football.

Postecoglou’s personal story, first told by Australian Story two years ago, runs parallel to the history of soccer in Australia.

He arrived with his family from Greece when he was a child, joining the soccer club of the Greek community, South Melbourne Hellas, where migrants came together for comfort and support as they made their lives in a new country. There, Ange Postecoglou had a winning career first as a player and then as a coach.

But as this Australian Story shows, Postecoglou is no stranger to controversy.

His sacking from the Australian Youth team in 2006 saw him unable to get a coaching job in Australia for a few years.

As Postecoglou again finds himself at the centre of another media storm, he is resolute and unfazed. “It’s been like this my whole career,” he tells Australian Story. “Everyone else wants me to behave a certain way and I’m just not like that.” “I’ve always done things my own way and I always will.”

He refuses to be focused on anything but the end game.