Ange Postecoglou and Craig Foster build bridges in touching live TV interview 15 years after on-air stoush

The most public display of affection between the divorced couple of Australian football arrived on Valentine's Day.

«Craig, great respect for what you're doing over there mate, in terms of the last couple of years with the refugees.»

With those modest words from Ange Postecoglou to Craig Foster on Stan Sport FC last night, fans could put aside the tension of the past 15 years.

The former Socceroos boss and the former Socceroo famously clashed on SBS television in 2006 when Postecoglou was manager of a Young Socceroos side struggling with form.

Foster called for him to step down, and neither took a backward step in an enthralling 13 minutes of television.

«I'm not attacking you personally,» Foster said then.

«OK you're not attacking me personally, that's great I feel much better because you're a really close mate,» replied Postecoglou sarcastically.

«We're not on here to be mates,» added Foster.

Months later, Postecoglou was out of a job.

In the subsequent years Postecoglou built a reputation as Australia's best coach, delivering success with the Brisbane Roar and the Socceroos, including an Asian Cup title in 2015.

But that on-air dispute between two of Australian football's brightest minds has continued to leave a lasting impact.

To Australian Story in 2015, Postecoglou underlined how much of an effect it had on him.

«I think the one point that kind of set me off was he was asking me to resign,» he said.

«I remember straight after doing it, that's all people wanted to talk about, that interview, I thought … is that what I'm doing to be defined by now?»

His wife Georgia echoed her husband.

«For the first time I heard him over the phone really distressed,» she said.

«He was pretty upset and worried about how he was portrayed and what it