New Delhi, Sep 8 (SocialNews.XYZ) Australia men's football coach Tony Popovic has revealed that he turned down a four-year contract extension to guide the team through to the 2030 World Cup. Instead, he signed a six-month contract in June to coach the Socceroos until the end of the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Appointed in September 2024, following Graham Arnold’s departure in late 2024, the Sydney native successfully navigated the final stages of World Cup qualification.
"It was my choice to go until the Asian Cup. Although I was offered a four-year deal, I decided to go to the Asian Cup," Popovic told journalists on Tuesday, as quoted by Sydney Morning Herald.
"And I think that is something that I think is good. It gives the FA the opportunity if they want to go in a different decision they can, and I'm very comfortable with the decision that's been made."
Under Popovic's leadership, the Socceroos reached the round of 32 knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, where the team lost to Egypt in a penalty shoot-out.
Capped 58 times as a player, Popovic is the first individual to represent the Socceroos at a FIFA World Cup as both a player and a head coach, 20 years after appearing in the drought-breaking 2006 tournament.
The World Cup qualifying campaign was underpinned by the Socceroos’ equal second-longest unbeaten streak, while Popovic's first 11 games marked the second-longest unbeaten start to a Socceroos coaching career.
"I love coaching the Socceroos," he said. "When we qualified there was obviously 12 months before the World Cup.
"I ended up signing [his six-month contract] the last week before the first [World Cup] match, and we started this evolution of the team for 12 months without knowing whether I'd be there or not.
"I've never shied away from the expectation of results. But I've always had an eye on the future, and I think that was reflected in the squad we chose, the players we played and how much the team changed in 12 months," he added.
Popovic said he was happy to make those decisions without the security of a long-term contract. "I had no concerns about whether I signed or not and if I hadn't signed I would have been happy with what I had done and what I have left behind. The same will be after the Asian Cup. I know the legacy that I will leave behind. And if it's someone else that takes it forward, that's fine; if it's me, great, if we agree to do this together," he said.
Source: IANS
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