FURIOUS Melbourne Victory directors have accepted that they can’t stop Ange Postecoglou coaching the Socceroos, but have accused Football Federation Australia of poisoning relations with the club over its pursuit of the title-winning coach.
As negotiations continued on Tuesday night over Postecoglou’s release from Victory to succeed Holger Osieck, the depth of anger felt by some of the Victory board was becoming clear, even as they were resigned to finding a new coach.
With Postecoglou having agreed the full terms of his appointment at the weekend, FFA is anxious to unveil him formally and quickly move to announce their two friendlies on home soil in November – the first of six games that Postecoglou will have to prepare the team for the World Cup.
Having agreed to lead the Socceroos beyond the Asian Cup in 15 months’ time, Postecoglou spent Tuesday at Victory training while FFA CEO David Gallop and Victory board members continued talks over his release from a club contract with more than a year and a half to run.
But sources close to the board emphasised that they felt the club had been put in an impossible position by FFA, having invested so much time and money in securing Postecoglou just 18 months ago.
It was being emphasised that the figure of $1m in compensation being demanded reflected that, with a club seen as the best-run in the league bitterly at loggerheads with the sport’s governing body.
Further it was claimed that Victory were led to believe several weeks ago that FFA had identified Postecoglou as their number one choice to succeed Osieck, but had received assurances that the club would be allowed to turn down any approach.
Ange Postecoglou's departure for the Socceroos has angered Melbourne Victory officials.
FFA though had argued in response that the world had changed with Osieck’s sacking, and that securing Postecoglou had become a footballing case of serving the national interest.
With a deal likely to be announced as early as today, Postecoglou will have a farewell game against his old side, Brisbane Roar, at Etihad Stadium on Friday night.
Even Victory players acknowleged Postecoglou’s imminent departure, with thoughts turning at the club to who would replace him.
Kevin Muscat received unanimous backing from Victory players who believe he is the best man to continue the club’s attacking philosophy.
And Postecoglou is also understood to have anointed Muscat as his successor to the Victory board as negotiations between the club and FFA continue.
Muscat, 40, is in his third season as assistant after retiring in mid-2011 and has retained a hands-on role under Postecoglou since he arrived from Brisbane Roar last year.
The players have endorsed Muscat to Victory’s decision-makers and attacking midfielder Mitch Nichols said it would be a shame to ditch the team’s unique gameplan.
Nichols on Tuesday revealed that Postecoglou had raised the national team speculation with his players for the first time.
It’s believed that the other main candidate for the Socceroos job, Central Coast boss Graham Arnold, has privately offered any assistance he can to his long-term friend Postecoglou, based on his 10 years in the national team set-up.
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