The time has come for Ange Postecoglou to come clean to inform the Australian footballing public about his future plans with the Socceroos, according to The Australian’s chief soccer writer Ray Gatt.
There has been rampant speculation about the future of the 2015 Asian Cup winning coach, since their thrilling extra time victory against Syria, with multiple reports suggesting he would depart for an overseas coaching role, regardless of a victory against Honduras in the Inter-Continental playoff.
Postecoglou refused to clarify what his involvement with the team would be post-Honduras, telling ABC’s Australian Story program it was a “facetious question”.
“(It was) typical Ange, he’s so single minded and stubborn, and (it) was no surprise that he’s continuing on his way and refusing to answer the question,” Gatt told SEN Breakfast.
“He’s his own man and good luck to him, but I think it’s not the way to handle things. I think the game here deserves a straight answer from him.”
Gatt said Postecoglou’s lack of clarity is generating “havoc” and ensuring the focus is all on him, rather than taking the focus off the players, who have copped plenty of criticism for some of their performances in recent times.
“It’s creating havoc. There’s so much speculation, gossip, and innuendo, and you wonder what sort of effect it’s having on the Socceroo players,” he said.
“There is some suggestions that he’s doing this to take the focus off the players and the performances, but I think that’s rubbish.
“He just needs to come out, tell us what his plans are and we will all move on, because he has set the agenda for all of this from the moment that report came out that he wasn’t going to the World Cup.
“All the focus is purely on Ange now.”
The Socceroos play Honduras on November 6 in San Pedro Sula and November 14 in Sydney.