He had more than 60 caps for his country, had played in the 2010 World Cup and helped Australia qualify for the tournament in Australia.

But two months before the World Cup in Brazil, at the age of just 30, he stunned everyone by announcing his decision to retire from international football.

Now, six years later, he has explained his decision to walk away from the Socceroos.

The midfielder said he never had conversation with Ange Postecoglou about his international future after the coach took over the team from Holger Osieck and set about rebuilding the national team.

"There was no conversation at all, I never had a conversation with Ange," he told Daniel Garb on the Greats with Garby podcast.

"I was planning to go [to Brazil], I'd basically played every qualifier under Holger. Who knows? Footballers get feelings, you get vibes. And I thought it was my time to say this is where it should stop. I didn't get called up for the [Ange's] first game. It was in Sydney.

"The second game I was on standby, I ended up getting called up in London. And then after that game it didn't feel right, it didn't feel right at all.

"I had a chat with mum and dad, I had a chat with with my wife and supportive as ever, I came to the decision I was going to stop."

Holman believes he still had plenty to give to the Socceroos when he stepped away.

"I was flying, I was enjoying my football still," he admitted. "I still felt like I could have proven something, definitely. I played every qualifier, I started every qualifier.

"Ange came in and he does his thing, and it just didn't feel right. It was my feeling, my gut feeling, and that was the way.

"It had nothing to do with a Mark Schwarzer or a Lucas Neill [veterans being moved out] because I was never in that situation, because I was still playing football and playing 50 games a year.

"I was fit as a fiddle, but it was my gut feeling."

Holman said he wouldn't have walked away if Postecoglou had spoken to him and made him feel part of his new team.

"But it didn't happen," he said.

"It wasn't a simple decision, but it was definitely a decision I felt was the right one."