FFA-Postecoglou talks yet to bear fruit

Nov 21, 2017 - 7:43 AM A first day of talks on Ange Postecoglou's future has failed to yield an outcome, as a fellow national team coach warns the Socceroos' boss is irreplaceable in the role.

Postecoglou met FFA chairman Steven Lowy and chief executive David Gallop in Sydney ahead of on Tuesday night's FFA Cup final.

While the national team boss has promised a swift resolution to the will-he-or-won't-he coaching saga, it didn't come on Tuesday.

Lowy and Gallop are eager to retain Postecoglou in the job after he had led Australia to the World Cup with a 3-1 win last week over Honduras, concluding a marathon 22-match qualification process.

But the 52-year-old has hinted at grievances in the role and could yet walk ahead of next year's tournament in Russia.

In an interview on Sunday on ABC television, Postecoglou said he "fluctuated" in his thinking.

"There's ... a whole range of reasons, some are fairly personal, some are private, some are just me as a person, and some are professional, that all need to be put into place," he said.

"What's going to be good for the team is also a consideration."

Gallop told reporters after Australia's qualification that "it's hard to imagine going to Russia without Ange".

Coaching counterpart Alen Stajcic, who leads the Matildas - the Australian women's national team - gave Postecoglou a glowing endorsement on Tuesday.

Stajcic said last week's qualification, off the back of his 2015 Asian Cup success, "cemented his spot" as the greatest Socceroos coach of the modern era.

"Ange will leave a legacy that will be irreplaceable ... and he'll be irreplaceable in the short term," he told AAP.

"He rebuilt and resurrected a squad from ground zero.

"To bring them to where they are today, four years down the track, it's a team that's won the Asian Cup and qualified for the World Cup the hardest way possible - he's achieved what no one else could have."

Stajcic didn't say whether Postecoglou should stay on or not, but did suggest the Socceroos' best days were in front of them.

"There are seven or eight players in that team between 23 and 27. It's a team that can grow. He's done the heavy lifting," he said.

"He's changed the landscape of Australian football ... he's an inspiration to me and, if you talk to the players, I'm sure it's the same."

Postecoglou has said he expects a resolution to be found this week but there's been no indication from either party when that will be.

The trio of Lowy, Gallop and Postecoglou is expected to attend the showpiece FFA Cup decider between Sydney FC and Adelaide United at Allianz Stadium.

The executives will head to Melbourne on Wednesday to watch the Matildas play China at AAMI Park.

Source: AAP