Socceroos boss Ange Postecoglou has said in a public forum what he has been saying in private for some time now - that he will quit his job as coach of the national team at the end of the current World Cup cycle.
The former Brisbane Roar, Melbourne Victory and South Melbourne coach has made it clear for some time now that he sees himself seeking fresh challenges when the 2018 World Cup campaign is over - however soon that may be.
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Socceroos seal crucial World Cup qualifier
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He reiterated his feelings at a dinner on Wednesday night at the Australian Football Institute in a Q&A; with former SBS identity Les Murray, this time in front of an audience, that he intended to step down at some point in the next 16 months. Murray tweeted what Postecoglou had said on Thursday.
Enjoyed interviewing Ange Postecoglou at the AFI dinner last night where he confirmed that after the 2018 World Cup he's stepping down.
— Les Murray (@lesmurraySBS) April 5, 2017
Australia is still fighting to qualify for the World Cup in Russia, with three games to go against Saudi Arabia, Japan and Thailand.
If the Socceroos were eliminated before the end of the qualifying campaign it is likely that Postecoglou would not stand on ceremony and would take his leave straight away.
Fairfax Media revealed in February that the Australia boss had already been the subject of approaches from cashed up Chinese Super League teams and that he was looking at the next stage of his career when his Socceroo stint finished, in 2018 or sooner.
He has coached for a brief time earlier in his career in Greece, but he would likely be in demand for higher profile positions now if he tested the market.