Covic pleased by Postecoglou appointment Sport Breaking News Sport National Soccer October 25, 2013 - 12:53PM Western Sydney Wanderers goalkeeper Ante Covic believes the appointment of Ange Postecoglou as national coach is a huge boost for A-League players hoping to force their way into next year's World Cup squad. Two-time A-League championship winner Postecoglou was named as Holger Osieck's replacement this week, becoming the first home-grown coach to hold the position since Graham Arnold in 2007. Postecoglou made the shock decision to release Covic, a member of the 2006 Socceroos World Cup squad, when he took over as Melbourne Victory coach last year, but the experienced stopper said he holds no grudges. "Over the last few years we have had a few coaches coming in and stepping up in the A-League and Ange has shown he's one of the best," Covic said. The knowledge of the game has improved and gone are the days where you didn't really have the resources in terms of finances and coaching badges. There is a coaching group that is coming through that have experienced a lot as players and are worthy of a crack at the Socceroos job. It's exciting times for Australian football - we have moved on from Holger and I think we are ready now for an Australian coach and I hope he proves to be successful. Covic, who played almost 200 games in Sweden for Hammarby and IF Elsborg, has proved to be one of the most reliable goalkeepers in the A-League, having won a title with Newcastle in 2008 and helping the Wanderers to last year's grand final. And the 38-year-old said Postecoglou's promise to give A-League players more of a chance than his predecessors, should their form deserve it, would serve as a huge incentive to domestic players. "I think for the A-League players playing here week in week out they have a clear view of what they have to do on the field," he said. The coach will come in and pick the best squad and it's up to players to show that they can be a part of it.