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Sterlo criticises 'precious' Postecoglou

NRL great Peter Sterling has taken aim at Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou over his response to questions surrounding his coaching future.

The 52-year-old appeared in an updated episode of Australian Story on ABC TV on Monday night, charting his rise from an NSL player to Asian Cup winning coach.

Postecoglou was directly asked whether he will stay through to the World Cup if Australia successfully defeats Honduras, after reports suggested otherwise.

His answer was baffling.

"It's a real kind of a facetious question because people just want me to fit into their stereotype and answer it in a way that makes themselves feel really good about themselves," he said.

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Postecoglou's Socceroos future is no clearer. Pic: Getty
Postecoglou's Socceroos future is no clearer. Pic: Getty

"If people are really worried about my future they should be worried about these two games. But they're not. They just want an answer to a question and I'm not going to give 'em it."

But Sterlo was having none of it, saying the Socceroos mentor was just making it worse for himself.

"That’s really precious," Sterling told Triple M.

"I’m a fan of Postecoglou. I really am. I have been all along. I didn’t see that as a facetious question at all. It’s a topical question.

"I think people want to know will he be there going through to Russia. I think it’s an obvious question and all he’s done there is make it worse for himself in that he’ll keep getting asked.

Sterling says he's a big Socceroos fan. Pic: Getty
Sterling says he's a big Socceroos fan. Pic: Getty

"I don’t think people are trying to feel better about themselves. Socceroos fans, and I am one — I love the Socceroos and the improvement that we’ve made over so many years now — we want to celebrate with him.

"To me you just expect that the coach is going to be there all the way through. To see it out. That’s a really strange answer. It’s an answer from someone who has just put himself under a lot of pressure and is seen jumping at shadows almost and (there's) no need to.

"I didn’t see it as facetious at all."

Furthermore, the Socceroos coach appears to be revelling in the mischief sparked by a report suggesting he'll walk from his job after the home-and-away tie with Honduras.

While Postecoglou's stand-off has befuddled observers of the national team, he says he maintains the support of the playing group.

"The players respect me. They don't need to love me, and I think I have the players respect," he said.

"We've got an absolutely crucial couple of games coming up.

"My whole focus and everything I'll be doing is we get the job done. I want us to qualify for another World Cup. I still believe we're on track.

Earlier on Monday, FFA chief executive David Gallop said he wouldn't allow the "will he won't he" saga to affect the national team.

Should Postecoglou walk after qualifying, the Socceroos would have just seven months to appoint and blood a new coach in time for the Russian showpiece.

"We've seen in football - we saw it with Tony Popovic at the Wanderers in the past month or so - football is fluid," Gallop said.

"People move. We'll adjust to that I'm sure.

"The Socceroos don't play again until March, so we've got a relatively long stretch of inactivity.

"That will give us an opportunity to make a decision with Ange about the future."

Gallop was equally adamant on Friday that Postecoglou would not be pushed to make a decision before the Honduras tie.

But he admitted that didn't mean he wasn't scouring the market for a possible replacement.

"We're always looking at options," Gallop said. "Because of the fluid nature of football you're always considering the contingencies, the future.

"We've always got an eye on where we're at both in terms of the Socceroos and our junior national teams."

With AAP