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Schwarzer retires: Shock, but Mark's move is best for Socceroos' future

5th November, 2013
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Australia's Mark Schwarzer (centre) hugs Josh Kennedy. (AAP Image/Paul Miller)
Roar Guru
5th November, 2013
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Just hours before new coach Ange Postecoglou was set to name his first Socceroos squad, veteran goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer has reportedly announced his retirement from international football, effective immediately.

It’s not exactly a surprise retirement from Schwarzer, who is not only on the wrong side of 30 but also now on the wrong side of 40.

But at the same time, the decision does come as somewhat of a shock to the system—especially with the 2014 World Cup in Brazil still to come. Schwarzer played a vital role in achieving qualification for the Socceroos and would no doubt have loved to take part in another tournament.

Perhaps he would have even liked to close the curtain on his career in Brazil.

Yet whatever the case — a shock retirement or not — there’s no doubt that Schwarzer made the right move in stepping down at the time that he did.

Like he had done time and time again throughout his career, Schwarzer put the team and the plans for football in Australia ahead of himself.

The hero in Australia’s qualification through to the World Cup in 2006 and one who very nearly catapulted the Socceroos past Italy on that fateful day, Schwarzer was never one to steal the headlines and deflect attention away from the team.

Which is why — just hours before Postecoglou names his first squad — the decision, and announcement, was made by the veteran shot-stopper.

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With Postecoglou at the helm, Australian football is embarking on a new period in its history. That doesn’t mean for a second that there can’t be experienced players in the squad, but it does mean that planning for the future is the ultimate priority.

Schwarzer, now 41, simply doesn’t fit that bill, but instead of putting Postecoglou in a tough place with whether to play him or another up-and-coming stars, he seemingly took that decision away from the coach.

He put the team first — even when it came to his retirement.

There’ll no doubt be accolades and kind words flowing in for the most-capped player in Australian international history, and Schwarzer most certainly deserves them. Since making his debut in 1993 he has been a stalwart at the back and one who has done more than his fair share to carry this team to where it is today.

It seems unjust and perhaps even wrong to be heading to the World Cup next year without the now Chelsea goalkeeper, but that’s exactly what’ll happen.

Mitch Langerak and Mat Ryan will be the two main goalkeepers in Brazil (along with Eugene Galekovic), and that trio will ultimately form a new platform at the back for Australia.

Replacing a player as talented on and off the field as Schwarzer was won’t be easy, but the recent friendlies against the likes of France and Canada in particular showed that this country’s future between the goals is still bright,

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Which, really, is all that Schwarzer really wanted to show all along.

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