Tony Vidmar has announced he will step down from his position as Head Coach of the CommBank Australian U23s after four years at the helm.
The Socceroos great concludes an impactful seven-year spell with Football Australia, which included three years as CommBank Socceroos Assistant Coach.
Vidmar, a key member of Graham Arnold’s coaching staff during the historic Round of 16 run at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, took on the Olyroos job in the same year.
Over a dozen Olyroos have gone on to represent the Socceroos, with a number of those expected to feature at the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026™.
Vidmar, who won 76 Socceroos caps and himself represented the Olyroos, was proud of his contribution.
“Seven years I’ve been involved with the national teams, I’m really proud and privileged to have been in those roles,” Vidmar said.
“It has been an incredible honour to lead the Olyroos and contribute to the evolution of the next generation of Australian talent.
“You aim to close the gap for the younger players to go through and become Socceroos. A number of players have transitioned from Under 23 to the Socceroos, including Joe Gauci, Lewis Miller, Jordan Bos, Kusini Yengi, Kai Trewin, Josh Nisbet, Patrick Yazbek, Patrick Beach, Ryan Teague, Nishan Velupillay, Jacob Italiano, and Paul Okon-Engstler.
“We also have a number of staff who’ve transitioned into roles with the Socceroos and Matildas, and full-time roles at professional clubs.”
Football Australia Interim CEO Heather Garriock paid tribute to Vidmar’s lasting impact.
“Tony Vidmar’s contribution to Australian football has been immense, and his impact as a coach over the past seven years should be celebrated,” Garriock said.
“We thank Tony for his tireless dedication and wish him the best in his next coaching chapter.
“The Olyroos coaching role is a coveted position. With no immediate matches scheduled for the Under 23s, we will take this opportunity to review the program’s future requirements to ensure we continue providing a strong, high-performance pathway into the CommBank Socceroos.”
The CommBank Australian U23s' next cycle of activity will be announced in due course.
