The Socceroos prevailed 3-1 against Honduras at a packed ANZ Stadium on Wednesday night to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Postecoglou’s future still remains uncertain and he has been under immense scrutiny for his tactics, attitude, and the length it has taken to get Australia to Russia.

Sainsbury said he was in gratitude to the gaffer for throwing himself under the bus to protect the players from the external noise.

“Ange is the one that takes all the flak from the media and he’s our first line of defence in terms of keeping us out of harm’s way, so he’s going to take a lot of stick,” Sainsbury said.

“When he started this job four years ago, he had a goal and everyone got behind that. He wants to be an offensive team and an aggressive team.

“He doesn’t want us to be the team that sits back and takes punishment for 90 minutes, he wants us to be the team that gets into pole position and the team has bought into that.

“From the inside, it’s been really tranquil and it’s been really peaceful. We know our goal, we know what we have to do and we know our responsibility.

“We’ve had a lot of ups and downs but at the same time, this team never stopped believing.”

Sainsbury in tears after the full-time whistle on Wednesday

The Jiangsu Suning defender celebrated in typical Australian fashion by doing a shoey post-match.

He said he was determined to make Russia count after missing out on the 2014 World Cup due to a kneecap injury.

“Last time I was this happy, I think I proposed to my missus and she said yes! It’s been a hell of a journey… with a brilliant family,” he said.

“(My injury before Brazil) makes this one all the more sweeter. I’ve had a lot of problems along the way physically and mentally, it’s been really tough. There’s been a lot of questions asked of this team.

“Everyone says Australia likes to do it the hard way. I don’t believe in fate that much but it’s been a very hardening experience for the team and now this team is ready for battle.”