'Nobody drove me out of any job, mate' - Celtic’s Ange Postecoglou reacts to Australia exit claim

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has rebuffed assertions made by current Australia coach Graham Arnold over the backdrop to his departure from the Socceroos post in 2017.

Postecoglou speaks at the Australian national team's final pre-World Cup training in Brazil, on June 12, 2014. (Photo credit: WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)

Arnold has faced heavy criticism in his homeland over Australia’s poor start to their World Cup group qualifying campaign, a defeat and two draws in their past three games leaving them outside the top two berths that guarantee progress to next year’s Qatar finals. In an interview given by Arnold down under yesterday, he responded to the flak flying his way by stating: "If some people get their way, they’ll chase me out the door like they chased out Ange Postecoglou [but] I’m not walking out on these players.”

However, Postecoglou appears irked by this perception of his decision to end four years in charge of the country immediately after guiding them to qualification for the 2018 World Cup finals. Even as he admitted in his resignation statement then the job had taken a toll “both personally and professionally”, with contemporary reports describing him as “beleaguered” despite the unparalleled success across his tenure.

"I wasn't forced out,” said the Celtic manager. “I won the Asian Cup and qualified for a World Cup, it was my decision to move on as I felt I'd done what I needed to do. I moved on to other challenges, I can only speak on behalf of myself but nobody drove me out of any job, mate.

Ange Postecoglou was Socceroos coach along with former Rangers defender Craig Moore who was Australia's football advisor during the 2014 World Cup. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

"My national team experience was a hugely positive one. I had four years and we won the only trophy on offer and then we qualified for the World Cup, so I think I completed the mission.”

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