![\"Vince](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/4c384ba1d5167f701ee861d4745545e2fa6211b6.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
November 4, 2026 \u2014 3:30pm<\/p>\n
Save<\/p>\n
You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n
Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n No gift articles left<\/p>\n You’ve used all of your gift articles. 3 more will become available on the 1st of every month.<\/p>\n Close<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Football Australia is eager to have Tony Popovic\u2019s future as Socceroos coach<\/a> resolved before Christmas, but football boss Heather Garriock has warned that other candidates are \u201cknocking at the door\u201d as negotiations continue over a contract extension.<\/p>\n Garriock, FA\u2019s executive director of football and deputy CEO, told this masthead discussions were already under way with Popovic\u2019s agent, Frank Trimboli, after the postponement of January\u2019s Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia threw the federation\u2019s coaching plans into disarray.<\/p>\n Popovic turned down a four-year extension on the eve of the World Cup<\/a> in favour of a short-term deal<\/a> \u2013 partly because, as Garriock revealed last month on the Suited & Booted podcast, they could not reach agreement over financial terms.<\/p>\n Garriock confirmed Popovic\u2019s current contract actually expires in March, and does not automatically extend because the Asian Cup has been postponed by nearly 12 months. The tournament will now kick off on December 23, 2027 and run through to January 21, 2028, subject to FIFA approval.<\/p>\n FA\u2019s immediate preference, Garriock said, is to retain Popovic at least until the end of the rescheduled Asian Cup \u2013 even if that means he could be in the dugout in September, when Australia\u2019s qualification campaign for the 2030 FIFA World Cup begins, without any guarantee he would see it through.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve already been speaking, even before this. That\u2019s ongoing at the moment,\u201d Garriock told this masthead.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to do what\u2019s best for both Football Australia and Tony, and they\u2019re the discussions that we\u2019re having at the moment. Our first priority is making sure that we both are happy with an extension for the Asian Cup.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got people knocking on our door, but we need to give Tony the best opportunity, because he\u2019s actually delivered and done the business for Football Australia, he\u2019s prepared the players amazingly well, and for us to give him the best opportunity to win a trophy for the Socceroos \u2026 it\u2019s only fair.\u201d<\/p>\n Garriock praised Popovic for the way he has strengthened the Socceroos\u2019 brand, bolstered the national team\u2019s player depth and re-established \u201caccountability\u201d for the Australian jersey.<\/p>\n She also said his tenure \u2013 with Popovic having replaced Graham Arnold at short notice two years ago<\/a>, at a precarious juncture in World Cup qualifying \u2013 showed changing coaches mid-cycle was not an impediment to success.<\/p>\n \u201cTony\u2019s demonstrated that it\u2019s not an absolute must,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Popovic\u2019s four-year contract offer from FA was not publicly known until he revealed it unprompted in a press conference in September \u2013 but he did not mention remuneration being a factor behind his decision to knock it back, simply saying a short-term renewal gave both parties flexibility to consider their positions after the Asian Cup.<\/p>\n Popovic also made clear at the time that he would be comfortable walking away from the national team after the Asian Cup, irrespective of the team\u2019s performance, and that his own job security was not important to him.<\/p>\n \u201cI know the legacy that I\u2019ll leave behind,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd if it\u2019s someone else that takes it forward, that\u2019s fine.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked about her comments on the podcast that \u201cit came down to money\u201d, Garriock said FA were restricted in what they could offer any national team coach.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re the governing body, and we need to live within our means,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to future-proof and make sure our business is sustainable. Unfortunately, we can\u2019t pay what a club pays \u2026 it\u2019s a vastly different role and an expectation to being paid at club level.\u201d<\/p>\n The challenge with a 12-month extension for Popovic is that FA could miss out on other coaches who will become available in the coming months \u2013 in particular, Kevin Muscat, who is coming out of contract with Chinese club Shanghai Port<\/a> at the end of the year and would be receptive to discussions over the Socceroos job if Popovic did not continue, sources said.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we need to get this put away by Christmas,\u201d Garriock said.<\/p>\n Other nations face similar dilemmas. Graham Arnold\u2019s short-term contract with Iraq<\/a> was also due to expire after the Asian Cup, while Japan had already announced that Hajime Moriyasu would hand over to Go Oiwa after the tournament. Both federations, like Australia, must now revisit their plans.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Popovic is set to unveil his squad on Friday for this month\u2019s friendlies in the Middle East against Qatar and Jordan, which were to be their final warm-up games before the Asian Cup, and could yet be his final matches in charge of the Socceroos.<\/p>\n Despite the uncertainty over the coaching position, Garriock said those would still be important fixtures to prepare the team for what lies ahead, including the new World Cup qualifying campaign.<\/p>\n![\"Socceroos](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/f6cec82da12c9e0f7bb4da8ff5f1c720b40b2d79.jpeg\")
Socceroos coach Tony Popovic.Dominic Lorrimer<\/p>\n![\"Football](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/73cc38cb7ee6aef501589cde54901667d23f2a73.jpeg\")
Football Australia executive director of football and deputy CEO, Heather Garriock.Getty Images for Football Australia<\/p>\n
![\"Socceroos](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/1793773099_773_31c4007d0d3d81705bdbe4bd48a5a076a6d68a6c.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n