Versleijen fires parting shot

A day after Football Federation Australia announced it would split the leadership roles for the AIS and Joeys from the Young Socceroos, Versleijen – who rejected the offer of a two-year contract extension from the ruling body - said the current system was unsustainable for an individual to successfully manage.

Speaking from Malaysia, where he is guiding the under-19s through 2013 U-20 World Cup, Versleijen hinted that his future is in Europe, probably in a club coaching capacity after three and a half years in Australia.

“I actually had three jobs: the AIS, the under-17s and under-20s and while I enjoy working hard and working long days, I felt I had to compromise too often,” Versleijen said.

“It was impossible to do all three jobs 100 per cent, I always had to compromise something.

“It was on my advice that FFA has now split the positions, because it was too much for just one person.”

Versleijen, who guided the U-20 side to the 2009 and 2011 World Cups and the Joeys to the 2011 U-17 FIFA World Cup – where they reached the knock out stages – also took aim at his critics.

Versleijen's main targets were those who question the presence of foreign coaches on the Australia national team landscape and SBS chief football analyst Craig Foster who, he claims, created a divisive atmosphere around the under-17 and under-20 teams.

“I hear every two days the discussion about Australian coaches and foreign coaches,” Versleijen said. “I have not seen that anywhere else where I have worked.

“It should not about where a coach comes from, which skin colour he has or how tall he is, it’s about the quality of the individual.

“If an Australian coach has the quality then let him do the job. Especially with national team coaching you need international experience.

"That’s the reason why Graham Arnold and Ange Postecoglou are doing well at club level because they have that international experience.”

Versleijen claimed Foster was partially responsible for souring the perception of the U-17 and U-20 teams in the eyes of fans and players after he penned several withering critiques of Versleijen's playing style and tactics.

“Craig Foster started a negative atmosphere which wasn’t fair. His objectives were not about reasonable criticism of the players and coach it was about hidden agendas and that’s something I really dislike,” Versleijen said.

“Young players read stuff which didn’t help them at all. It’s a shame when you have people like him who are not helping football in Australia.”

“In my time here, Australia has risen into the top 20 in the world at U-17 and U-20 level and that’s realistic picture of where Australia is on the world map.

“I have taken Australian teams to three World Cups. When I arrived that wasn’t the case but of course there is still a lot of improvement to come and work to be done.

"I believe FFA is heading the right way and it would be nice if football people in Australia all pulled in the same direction.

“But I am pleased that in my time here about 25 players from the AIS have signed A-League contracts. The likes of Terry Antonis, Mustafa Amini, Brendan Hamill and Trent Sainsbury. I feel that has to do with the environment we created for youngsters at the AIS.

“At the U-17 World Cup in Mexico we had the youngest team and almost the youngest team at the U-20 World Cup in Colombia. It’s always been about giving youngsters their chance as early as possible.”

On his future, Versleijen, whose tenure ends on 31 December, said: “I don’t make decisions on having a job I make them on feeling good, not only in the short-term and long-term. I like the idea of the day-to-day involvement of club coaching.

“I don’t feel frustrated or disappointed on the way things have gone but in football you have to make decisions.

“My work with the youth teams has been fantastic. I’ve loved working with the kids.”

After beating Singapore 1-0 in its opening AFC Under-19 championship qualifier in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, Australia faces Macau on Friday, China on 6 November and Indonesia on 8 November.