CANBERRA, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- Ange Postecoglou has resigned as head coach of Australia's national men's football team, the Socceroos, despite the squad qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.
Postecoglou announced that he would resign effective immediately in Sydney on Wednesday morning, ending months of speculation surrounding the job.
"After a great deal of thought and soul-searching, I've decided that the journey for me ends as Socceroos coach," Postecoglou said at a press conference.
"As I've said many times, it's been the biggest privilege of my life and probably not the ending I had envisaged when we started, but at the same time, knowing it's the right time for me and the right decision," he added.
Postecoglou, 52, took over as Socceroos coach in 2013 and became the first Australian to coach the Socceroos at the World Cup in 2014.
In November he became the first Australian coach to lead a successful qualification campaign when the Socceroos defeated Honduras 3-1.
Under his reign, the Socceroos achieved the team's greatest accomplishment in winning the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup at home in 2015.
The Asian Cup victory and qualification for the 2018 World Cup under difficult circumstances will see him remembered as one of the Socceroos' greatest-ever coaches.
David Gallop, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Football Federation of Australia (FFA), said he was disappointed by the decision but thankful for Ange's service.
"The vision was to have an Australian coach who would play in a way which would set us up for the future, and in a way that would resonate with the Australian football community," Gallop said.
"And, four years later, there can't be any argument that Ange has delivered on that vision.
"I'm really disappointed that he won't be coming to Russia. I'm disappointed and I guess still a bit puzzled, but I'm supportive of the notion that sometimes you reach a point where you just know that you need to do something new.
"It's my privilege, on behalf of everyone in Australian football, to thank Ange for the past four years."
It has been reported that Ange's relationship with FFA bosses became strained throughout the qualification process over conflicting views on the direction of football in Australia.
Postecoglou's discontent was exacerbated by a power struggle within the FFA' s board of directors which has seen FIFA threaten to step-in and take over management of football in Australia.
He has previously signalled his intention to coach a top club in Europe and was set to stand down following the World Cup.
On Wednesday, he admitted that he had been looking for opportunities abroad as the World Cup qualification process began to wind down.
"I want to coach abroad. Part of me, you know, is pretty keen to get stuck back into club football, working day-to-day," he said.
"I mean, I have loved this job. But it's been all-encompassing. And the bit I still dearly love is the coaching aspect. But I'll probably need to have a break with the family and just sort of regather my thoughts," he continued.
There were reports in October that the Chinese Super League' s Shanghai Shenhua had offered him a contract worth 2.8 million U.S. dollars annually, almost triple his Socceroos salary of 1.06 million U.S. dollars.
Gallop refused to name any possible replacements for Postecoglou, but Sydney Football Club's Graham Arnold, who coached the Socceroos between 2006 and 2007, has been linked to the job.
Socceroos defender Trent Sainsbury led the tributes to Postecoglou on social media, saying that "the belief and confidence he's instilled in this team will keep us on the path to great things."
"He gave me my shot with the national team and I can never forget that," Sainsbury wrote.
