The longest and toughest qualification in World Cup history took its toll on Ange Postecoglou and his family. He was genuinely tired and in need of a holiday with his family and, despite having four months until the next game, couldn't be convinced by Steven Lowy or David Gallop to stay.

Tension with FFA

Postecoglou never said it publicly, but there have long been whispers about the coach being disenchanted with Football Federation Australia's board. In particular, the axing of FFA's centre of excellence put him offside. Postecoglou was used by the board to justify cancelling the former AIS program, which cost $1.6 million a year. He supported it, as long as that money was returned to the junior national teams, but it is understood that never happened and, instead, the funds were funnelled to other departments. From then, it is believed Postecoglou saw the writing on the wall and grew disconnected from FFA. Issues surrounding the FFA congress, a perceived lack of vision from the board and expansion only added to his frustration.

Anticipating the next move

Sources close to Postecoglou suggest he is eager to make himself available for a potential move to a European club in the January transfer window when positions start to open. Already he has attracted interest from Scottish club Rangers, which is yet to appoint a full-time coach. He was in the running to take charge of Belgian giants Club Brugge before it hired Croatian Ivan Leko. It is understood he was offered the Greece national team job in 2015, but turned it down and, as revealed by Fairfax Media, Shanghai Shenhua offered a lucrative deal earlier this year. One potential stumbling block for a move overseas had been a pay-out to FFA. Resigning has removed that hurdle.

Ghosts of the past

After being sacked as Young Socceroos coach in humiliating circumstances in 2007 following an infamous on-air feud with SBS presenters, there are suggestions Postecoglou was determined to leave FFA on his own terms this time around. Having already coached at a World Cup, won an Asian Cup and achieved qualification for the 2018 World Cup, sources suggest he wanted to ensure his record couldn't be tarnished.

Feeling undermined

Postecoglou often claimed he had "thick skin", but sources close to him suggest he loved to be loved. He allegedly scoured Twitter under an alias. He reads football media intensively and is known to often provide feedback and appraisal to writers, journalists and even young bloggers. But criticism for his controversial tactics, beginning in March, put him offside as media and public scrutiny mounted. It is understood the final straw was a sense his position was being undermined by people in the game, specifically broadcasters and an influential football administrator, whether true or not.